New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-07
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and. - an extra precaution, as II in preparation
for the siege TO which they were subjected To-
day: were lined with heavy steel plates on the
inside, while the whole back deck was pro-
:ected In similar manner
At On early hour rhis morning thirty Pinker.
ton detectives arrived in Pttsburg from tho
East. They were quietly marched to the Mono
gahela River. where they were loaded on barges
and shipped to Homestead at 2:l5. The news
Of their arrival spread rapidly. and when the
steam tugs Tide and Little Bill, towing the
barges, came in sight. they were at once dis
covered
THE COMING OF THE PINKERToN'S DISCOVERED.
IL exactly 4 o'clock when the steamer
and barges were sighted by the watchers gathered
on the river bank. mile below the town.
Directly the feet was sighted. three messengers.
each mounted fresh horses started for Home
stead. shouting as they went in advance Of the
dreaded barges. Some one informed the engineer
at the electric light works. aud the harsh-voiced
whistle sounded the general alarm. The people
responded with aacrity. They were old men
and young men: elderly women. mothers with
eir-babes in arm. and any number Of children
half-cad. Thousands Of men. women and chill.
dren lined the river banks. Many OF them were
armed with clubs and revolvers The detectives
had not reached Homestead. but were in sight
Ihere was an exciting scene in the telegraph
office at Homestead when the ne us arrived. The
office was quickly filled with armed men, Tho
operator thought for a moment he was to be at
tackled.
The throng headed toward the river The day
was just dawnng, and clouds Of thick grayish
vapor hung over the waters. Suddenly from out
the shadows were seen the lights of the steamer
| On either side Of her were the harges The
moment the people on the bank caught glimpse
| OF the fotilla, they made break down the road
toward the works. When the head Of the line
reached the city farm fence, which has been built
out several feet into the water fifty men or more
used their shoulders batterng rams, and almost
in twinkling had battered down the barrier
| Once through the fence, the crowd poured
along the steep embankment skirtng the river
fence of the Carnegie company, and despite the
mud and the uneven character OF the ground, they
made rapid headway. 1t was strangely silent
crowd. Few words were spoken, and these sprana
from the lips OF the women, who were apparently
as anxious TO participate in the conflict as their
husbands, brothers and sons
| From Homestead to the pump house it is Q
good two miles, but all things considered; these
| half-dressed men and women made the journey
in record-breaking time. Once there, they gath
cred in one solid mass, the women, or at leasti
the most Of them, on the outskirts. The front
rank of this solid wall of humanity stood at the
waters very edge, and every moment the crowd
grew in numbers and determination.
Slowly the Tide brought her silent consort down
| the channel. Just below the Pemicky bridge, she
partly turned her PROV toward the shore and
then. amid the shrieks Of steam whistles and the
angry groans and Kisses from those gathered the
banks, the occupants Of the boats stripped for
action Each one of them was armed with
N.Y.. LII
Slowly the boat edged toward the landing and
when the keel OF the barges grated on the sand.
the grim faces Of the invaders within few
feet of their opponents gathered on the shore.
There one lonely instant of awful silence, and
then bright fash and a sharp report announced
| that the first shot OF the battle had been fired.
THE FIRST SHOT FIRED
The first shot Of the engagement came from
| the barge II was aimed at big Hungarian
who stood at the waters edge The ball went
wide Of the human target. but it was the signal
| TO the PinkertOn men to begin, and for full
ten minutes they continued TO fire.
The first man 10 fall Martin Merry, a
heater in one of the mills He shot in the
left side and fell face downward on pile Of
ashes Close beside Merry sttod big
Hungarian. He stopped over Merrys PROSTATE
body and, as he was in the act of raising him,
| he staggered ana an Instant Idter ny otC
| side Of his comrade
| This bloody spectacle reused Sle dropping
spirits Of the crowd and with hoarse cheer half
q dozen men rushed to the place where Merry
and the Hungarian laid. They picked up ths
bodies and carried them behind the trestle.
One of the rescuers a Welshman, who refused
TO give his name shot in the left leg just
as he raised Merrys head from the ground.
Merry and the Hungarian were carried over the
trestlework TO the Pemcky tracks and then taken
TO the office Of DR.. Purman. on DiXon-st. The
doctor, after hasty examination: announced that
both men would probably die.
Almost Immediately after the first shot had
been fred, the firing became general on both
sides At first the strikers retreated, and for q
moment it looked as though they were completely
routed, but the men quickly rallied. and although
they retired from the immediate vicinity Of the
boats. they held their own. and by the sheer
weight of numbers, they compelled the deputies
TO proceed with caution Up to this time, no one
had attempted TO leave the boat; but suddenly
sixty or more of the invaders attempted 70 jump
ashore. The strikers responded with sharp VOL
lev and SO thick and fast came the bullets that
the DEPUTIES retired TO the semishelter OF the
lower deck. II in this attempt to force the
fighting that the Pinkerton men sustained their
most serious loss AS the battle went on the
strikers took up position behind oreastworks
hastily constructed of steel rails and blhts, and
from this place OF safety were able to pick OH the
detectives Us soon as they appeared on the deck
of the boats.
TIE TowBoAT CUTS LOOSE
Captain IIynd AMI Superintendent Kline OF 'ne
Pinkerton men were disabled, and the fire was so
fierce that the crew of the tow beat hastily cut
loose from the barge and steamed up the river,
carving rs many of the wounded as they couio
reach to Braddock from which point they were
sent down 10 the hospitals for treatment al RUS
burg. Seven of the force were thus cared ior.