Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-24
OUR CRACK MILITIA.
A New York Reporter Writes Face
tiously From a Safe Distance.
LIABLE no JERK THE TRIGGER.
A Pair Of Socks and Lots Of Whisky the
Rations Of One Soldier.
LITTLE MEN WITH FULL SIZED GUNS

NEW 1Ohh, Ouiy ZSs-1 was never 80 ue'
lighted in my life as was when got of
the railroad ferry boat at the foot Of Court
landt street last evening and saw looming
up before me the fine physique of New
York policeman. It was all could do to
restrain myself from running up to him pre-
cipitately and grasplng him warmly by the
hand. The policeman represented civil law
and order. Coming from the scene OF the
Homestead riots, where had been on duty
for two weeks, and which had left 13
hours before, the sight OF the policeman was
q welcome one. We are accustomed to think
lightly of the bluecoat There were times
at Homestead when I devoutly wished /
had with me few members OF the Gotham
force with their clubs, and this was not be-
cause loved the whole cause of labor less,
but because loved my life and the integ-
rity of my skull more.
The capture of the town of Homestead by
the Pennsylvania National Guard, or rather
the mobilization Of the troops that pre-
ceded it, shows that the organization is in ex-
cellent condition. Twenty hours after Gov
ernor Pattison issued his proclamation
nearly all the bluecoats needed were on
their way to the scene of the trouble. They
COulu nave peeu IhTOWH iutO tuc toWu lA
hours before, or large part Of them could.
Teaching Strategy to the Eighteenth.
The Eighteenth Regiment, which belongs
in Pittsburg and which, by the request of
its Colonel, was given the right Of the line,
was waltzing all around Homestead on q
railroad train on Monday night in order to
impress on the minds of its officers the great
lesson of strategy. People said sneeringly
hat ho W
of mill workers and rioters by nature, as
well as sympathizers with the Homestead
people, and it was to refute this charge that
the right of the line was asked by Colonel
Smith.
1--WE will show them whether We abandon
our LOYALTY to the State of Pennsylvania to
oblige our acquaintances," he said grimly.
The boys in blue did all the work before
them in a soldierly manner. They arrived
on the scene with no tents and little food,
although they had been ordered to provide
themselves with three days rstions, and
when they marched into town they were
hungry as bears besides being sleepy. Some
critics found fault with the fact that they
went into saloons and consumed liberal
quantities of beer When it is remembered
that they were cooped up all night in cars,
many of which had in them neither ice nor
water, it is hard to say that they were not
entitled to drink when they could'get it.
Some of the strikers said sarcastically that
the soldiers were kept maneuvering around
Homestead all night on the trains instead
of entering at once, SO that they might
sober up, the story being that most of them,
thinking that they were perhaps going to
the slaughter, had a final bout with in
toxication before they reported for duty at
the armories. That does not accord with
my observation. The men we're young and
many of them were thirsty, but as a whole
they were as earnest and sober set of fell
lows as ever went under arms when they
entered the town.
Some OF the Boys Were Scared.
Each man was provided with 20 rounds of
ball cartridges. There was plenty more
where that came from, as trouble had been
foreseen. When they went on picket duty
for the night they loaded their guns and
took their posts, some of them quaking.
They didn't know whether the crowds OF
women and children who had swarmed
through the camp during the day, peering
with curiosity into the camps and exarnin-
ing the guns which might be used later to
shoot their husbands, brothers and sons,
would not be succeeded at night by
desperate men crawling in on all fours to
blow them up with dynamite bombs or
seize their arms.
One of the lieutenants attached to the
Provost Marshal's guard made frank ad-
mission to me during the Clark watches of
Tuesday night. A report came down from
division headquarters that firing had been
heard In the town, and I marched up to the
Provost Marshal's camp, the nearest to the
town, to ask for information.
AS stumbled over the meadows heard
yell of "Halt! Who goes there?" and
couple of little sentrymen pointed their
bayonneted rifles at me from point about
ten feet away. The men were not more
than four feet high-four feet each-and, I
think, they had not been measured for
their rifles for these were many sizes too
large, and when later they shouldered
them, there was topheavy effect extreme
ly ludicrous. The lieutenant happened on
my approach to be talking to the boys, and
heard him whisper to them not to slay
me. I then showed him my credentials,
nation which I sought, which was that the
reported firing was the explosion of tor
pedes under railroade trains. Then he
thought he would give me word of advice,
too and this is what he said:
They Were Light on the Trigger.
NY friend, we have on duty q number of
young men who never before held in their
hands loaded rifle. They have all sorts of
notions Of what they came up here for, and
they don't know what they are to expect on
picket duty. l would advise you not to go
up to the picket lines ae night, although L
have no objection to your doing so. The
doctrine Of chance makes it certain, how
ever, that if you 60 up to the lines suft1-
cient number of times some enthusiastic
member of the guard will shoot you first
and then send for the corporal to ask you
who you are. You will understand that I do
nos want to be guilty of an impertinens in
death. It is of no possible momentsto me,
but 1 felt that It might be to you, and so 1
told you these facts.
1 thanked him and withdrew.
Thimblerig men and hucksters began I'd
arrive around the camp as soon as it was
founded. The hucksters brought no arms
with which to assault the militia, but they
carried the deadly watermelon and the in.
harversack containing pair of socks and
four quarts OF whisky, which was his idea of
the prime necessities OF lie. When l asked
he % @ that eRsy we're meant n to 'ssa Stop
the bottles from rubbing against each other
and breaking.
The Sewer Gas Of Homestead.
Though they camp in inhospitable hills
and though they may get wet when it rains
and too dry when it doesn't the militinmen
are much better of than the strangers to the
town that live fin houses Homestead peo-
pie breathe an air of sewer gas that is Try
ing to the stranger, and do what he can he
is unable to bring himself to like it. The in
habitants do, though. When taken away
from Homestead they go and put their heads
into culverts and hold them there for hours
when they feel lonesome and sick at heart
1t reminds them of their beloved town.
The Philadelphia City Troop. the crack
command from Il tailoring point OF view,
have a deep gr1dge to settle with the people
of Western Pennsylvania. When they last
went to that section of the Country the riot.
ers so overawed them that they went home
in ponnets and trocks disguised as IL young