River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-08-18
TROOPS CALLED our
New York militia March to the Scene oi
the Railway Riots in BuffaIo--M More Act.
of Violence Committed

iHOOFS ORIEED OO u.
New York Militia March to the Scene OF
the Railway Riots in BufiaIo-Nore Acts
of Violence Committed.
BUFFALO. n. Y, Aug. l6.-Just after
midnight the striking switchmen set
fire to a second train of sixteen freight
trestle. Again did the fire depart
ment respond, and about three-quarters
of an hour later two engines were en-
gagged in fighting the flames, but the
strikers soon cut the hose and the
steamers were rendered powerless.
The Lehigh Valley officials then APP
pealed to Brig. Gen. Doyle for imme-
diate aid The general at once ordered
out the Sixty-tifth regiment and il hur-
ried on a trot for the scene.
The Sixty-fifth reached Cheektowaga
about 1880 o'clock, but the strikers were
invisible They had been apprised by
their piclSets of the coming soldiery
and scattered like SO many ants The
regiment encamped for the night in a
damp field.
The Seventv-fourth regiment reached
the yards at 2:I5, and the yards were
at once placed under military COM
mand There are 500 soldiers there,
and the yards are surrounded with
men. A guard witt. fixed bayonets
protects every entrance point.
During the day incendiarism and
violence were resorted to and indi-
vidual attacks on the so-called ''scab'
workmen made. The outlook is
aesla ala,1 9ss.f
the end More than 200 cars
have been burned, and a train
load of passengers had a miraculous
escape with their lives. Freight
trains have been boarded and train
men compelled to desert their posts.
Switches have been turned and ears
thrown into the ditch. Gondolas were
released from coal trestles and al
lowed to crash down into the yards,
wrecking locomotives and cars and
creating general havoc with railroad
property.
All the deputies that the sheriff has
called out to comply with the demand
of the company for protection deserted
him Monday afternoon, and Sheriff
Beck came into town early in the
evening to demand that the
militia be called out This de-
mand was acceed to. The Erie road is
blocked now. The fires Sunday night
and the wrecks b oclx one end and
standing trains block the other. The
strikers are busy disclaiming respon-
sibility for Sunday nights events, but
they do not try TO cover their delight
at the result.
1t was about o'clock Monday morn
ing that the strikers put in their best
work Mt the Lehigh yards, having at
that time. managed to blockade the
Erie tracks and wreck several trains
1t was very easy to set fire to the cars
"a lighted match in the oil box of
the " heel did the business. So about
the hour named fire appeared
simultaneously in the Lehigh yards
adjoining the Erie, but so far east
that the city fire department could not
reach it. At 3:15 n. m. $50 cars were
burning and the fires were still break
fire spread away down the Lehigh and
Erie. Long strings of ears were fired
at both ends and burned toward the
center. There was no possibility of
saving them as no water was near
enough to be of any use. Many Erie
men, among them several officials,
were on the ground making every eff
fort to save what they could, but
their efforts were almost unavail-
ing. BY dragging cars apart by
hand few were saved, but il was
hardly one in twenty. No engines were
there. and every car had to be moved
by hand. Around the burning cars
strikers and their sympathizers crowd
ed and enjoyed the result of their work.
Perched high on box cars they Knocked
and ieered at the railroad men who
worked at the blazing wrecks.
Master Moriarty of the local lodge
of the swijchmen's union states that
the strikers were not responsible for
the fires. He attributes them to lot
of ''tramps and buns that are always
around when there is any excitement :
Grand Master Sweeney emphatically
condemns the acts of lawless-
ness. and states that he has as
surances from the men on strike that
they were not responsible for what
was done. but it was the work of IT.
responsible individuals who could not
be controlled. Mr.. Sweeney further
said that the Erie and Lehigh switch
men here had not been treated in such
way as TO keep them in good humor
Their advances had been spurned by
those in high authority.
The only Lehigh Valley train that
moved past the Buffalo Creek junction
Monday was coal train, pulled by en-
CINE No. 276, which went out to Viii
liam street about $3.50 p. m. guarded by
eight policeman. The Nickel Plate
succeeded in moving thirty-two cars of
live stock from the Lehigh to the
Lake Shore tracks, but when the
men learned of it Monday morn
ing they refused to take the ears up in
the West Shore trains bound over the
Central for New York. Then it was
learned that 173 cars of live stock be-
longing the Erie and Lehigh were
standing on the West Shore tracks.
The men thereupon refused to handle
them. Each man was asked separate
ly to go to work on these ears, and
each, upon refusing was discharged
aud sent to get his pay. In conse-
quence the Lake Shore switchmen
stood in hourly expecta ton all day of
being ordered out by The union. The
immense freight sheds of the road are
full of freight and the Erie elevator is
fan 90 orr.,;n md Spnethiutr rnuSt he