Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-07-14
THE HOMESTEAD TROUBLES.

HOMESTEAD, Pa, July As when
battle lulls, the singing Of mimic balls,
the bursting OF shells and the roar Of
the cannon become desultory, so the
fierce fight which broke with the dawn,
took up the morning hours and reached
far into the afternoon became only a
skirmish by o'clock p. m
Thousands of relatives and sympa-
thizers with the strikers and hundreds
of curious focked to the Carnegie plant,
the immense bone of contention in the
great struggle, and centered their optics
on the two white barges, hugging the
steep banks which sheltered the hated
Pinkertons-
Fear of the bullets had kept them
back since the fight of the early morn
ing. and even now they slipped from
one point of vantage to another, duck
ing their heads at every stir of the wind,
fearing a stray shot
The Pinkertons were very much hors
de combat, and their warning became
| purely passive Three times they ran
up the white flag of truce, but were
answered with derisive cheers and
more offensiveness. The strikers had
the cannon which they tried to train on
| the boats but each shot flew wide Of the
mark
| Finally the cannon burst and then
| they resorted to dynamite. Great
| chunks of it were thrown at the boat,
the most of which only splashed the
water. Occasionally it struck the roof
! but exploded upward and only left a.
white wreath of smoke. One lucky
| shot struck the stern of the barges and
| made gaping opening which served as
| an objective point for future throws,
but always missed. Other shots ripped
great sections off the oaken deck.
Previous to this they had tried to fro
the boats by pouring oil on the water
and igniting it, but after wasting about
half a tank they gave this up as futile.
They took long section of hose and
tried to pipe the Carnegie company's
gas to the boats to blow up the COM
pany's protectors. Time and again they
tried it, each proving failure, while
the spectators and strikers awaited the
result with bated breath.
All knew that it meant death to the
deputies. If not blown up or burned
to death they would be shot down like
dogs. From behind improvised breast
works of abandoned machinery, build
ings, scrap iron, etc, sharpshooters
were ready to NOW them down while
!
them if it became a fight at short range.
AT even a slight hope Of swimming
to the other shore We're stationed men
ready to pick them up. Meantime the
Pinkertons were huddled under deck,
dragging in their dead and caring for
the wounded, awaiting what seemed
their certain doom, as all overtures of
surrender had been refused They
dared not act on the. defensive, as that
would have brought the wild crowd Of
men fighting for the bread and butter
of their wives and children thirsting for
revenge for the murder of their breth-
rem down upon them
They give no quarter; we will give
none," was grimly passed from lip to
lip.
Just then there was shout and down
the Pemickey trestle there marched
1000 brawny sons of toll, waving at
their head their country's flag. They
were workmen from the Jones & Laugh
lin mill coming to tender sympathy and
encouragement to their locked out
brethren.
At this juncture the giant form Of
William Weyhe, the ex-president of the
Amalgamated association, doomed in
view. He was accompanied by Presi-
dent Garland and Vice President Nc.
Every. Weyhe came with a truce prop
osition from Sheriff McCleary. He of.
fered to send boat and tow the barges
away if the men would stop firing.
For once Weyhe failed to influence the
men and they angrily renewed hostili
ties. Finally they agreed to accept the
!, proposition if the Pinl1ertons woulG
give up their guns and ammu
milton. After conference with
the other amalgamated leaders
' President Weyhe left for Pittsburgh t.
again confer with the sheriff. But hi:
/ attempts TO bring about a peaceful
= climax were unnecessary. AT $50
after being penned up like sheep anc
3 undergoing fire since morning, the Pink
ertons again, for the fourth time, raj
j up the white flag. This time coole
5 counsel prevailed The Pinlzerton
l were marched off the boat to the rinl
and locked up.
I When the defeated Pinkertons sur
l rendered the leaders of the worlzmel
L proposed to protect the property left OIL
2 board the barges. In this they con
tracted for more than they could fulfill
! for no sooner had the detectives reache,
e the river banks tina the barges wer
2 charged on by crowd of men. wome1
: and children. Despite the efforts O
the cool headed leaders to keep thei
. promise and their protests against pill
: 1age and destruction, the mob rapid,
1 took possession of all on board.
e During the looting of the boats, ant
in the confusion, two men accidental,
1 shot themselves, one fatally. When tn
q crowd had searched out every articl
i f value, kept what they could use an
destroyed what they could not, and al
e ter surveying the late man of war O
t their enemies and noting every devic
S for defense and offense, they slowly be
n gan to disperse. After a time and whel
4 but few stragglers remained on board
: the retreat of the rear guard wa
= fastened by the cry of Fire" Som,
e one in that mob had set fire to tn,
e model barges, and they were in flames
They were totally destroyed
An Angry Mob.
2 HOMESTEAD. Pa, July 7.-When al
n inspection of the boat was made it wa
: found that at least seven Of the Pinker
= tons had been killed and twenty o
l. thirty wounded, many of them so badl,
f that they will die.
AS they were brought from the boa