The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-07-07
,oat opened fire on th6se on the shore.

men on Cne DOap IN tne enoOtinB. Inc
men on the bank returned the fire from
behind the furnace stacks, which they
used as q shield. SO warm was the fire
were driven TO cover.
The Little Bill made an attempt to tic
mp with the barges, but this was futile,
owing to the shower Of bullets from the
shore, and the towboat passed down the
river leaving the occupants of the bargei
in very uncomfortable quarters. The
attempt to set fire to the barges did not
prove successful by q burning raft pro
cess, and another attempt was made.
Attempt to Burn the Barges.
From the converting department Of
the mill to the edge of the river where
the barges are moored runs aswitch. On
this was a car filed with barrels of oil
lumber and waste. To this lighted
torch was applied and the car cut loose
The flames sprang upwards distance oi
hundred feet, while great volumes oi
smoke rolled heavenward.
The crowds on the hillside overlooking
the scene sent up lusty shout as word
reached them of the In ended burning OF
the barges and all on board. The Gar Of
fire rushed down the steep incline in the
direction of the barges. and the men on
blanched faces.
Just then the steamer Little Bill pulled
In between the barges and the shore.
but ON reaching the water the car oil
fire came to q stop. The heat, however,
was intense, and the little steamer was
smoking hot. All this time contin.
nous FIRE was kept up, and it is esti'
mated that a thousand shots were ex.
changed.
The steamer Little Bill, which had
evidently received fresh supply ri
ammunition and reinforcements of Pink
ertons, continued down the river.
At3:40 a, desperate attempt was started
to dislodge the Pinkerton men on the
barges. Several barrels of oil were Sc.
cnred, as we'll as severala hundred feet
of fire hose. These were intended to
throws u stream of oil upon the barges
andcompletely saturate them. This done,
a dynamite bomb would be thrown from
the shore. By this means it was hoped
to set fire to the boats, thus compelling
the Pinkerton crew to show fight or be
blown or burned to death. Amy attempt
to cut the ropes holding the barges
would be certain death to those making
the attempt, as at least fifty guns were
leveled at the opening in the barges
through which those on the inside would
have TO emerge in order to release the
boats from their fastenings. After
pumping a few barrels by means of
hand force pump the attempt was tenn.
porarily abandoned, the hose being too
large. A deputation went for smaller
hose.
Appeals for Order.
At 3.46 President Weihe, of the Anal
gamated Association, arrived at the
scene of the battle. After consulta-
tion with some of the leaders at Anal
gamated headquarters a meeting at
which were 1000 men, many Of whom
carried muskets, was held. The ma
tional officers of the Amalgainated Asso-
citation made passionate appeals to the
men, while tee cannons roared outside.
The big form of President Weihe loomed
up, and heavy as his voice is, he was al
most unheard He pleaded with the
men to withdraw, and assured them that
the barges containing the deputies would
Immediately be removed, stating that
Sheriff McCleary had agreed to remove
the barges and the Pinkerton men pro-
vided the strikers would agree to stop
firing from the river banks.
Assistant President Garland then took
position on the top OF u furnace and at
the top of his voice said: "Meu, for
Gods sake, and your families sake, and
for your own sake, listen to the plead
tngs of cool headed men. We have pos
itive assurance that these deputies will
be sent away, and all we want is the
statement that you will not do any more
firing"
P. II. McEvoy, vice president of the
Mahoning aud Shenango Valley district,
said: "There has been an awful slaugh-
ter OF human life today, and by all
means further sacrifices should be
avoided. am stranger in the town, but
from todays action l know full well
that If you continue doing as you are the
state militia will be ordered out and
you will be defeated. In case the militia
comes you will lose ten men in every in
stance where you have so far lost but
one. You have gained just achieve.
ments over foes, and now aren't you
willing TO allow these boats to returnf"
Eyes, We will if they show the white
flag" was the reply of the excited men.
AT this juncture President Weihe
again attempted to address the crowd,
but instantly there was loud report
and with one accord every man rushed
pell nell to the scene. Even while the
appeals were being made strong headed
men were endeavoring to pump oil on
the barges. It was useless to continue
the meeting and it adjourned, the ma.
tional officers returning to the genearl
headquarters.
The Pinkertons' Sufferlngs.
For hours the crowd of worknen be-
hind the barricades of structural iron
within the walls watched the barges
with guns cooked, waiting for head to
appear. Down in the boats, sweltering
and with hearts filled with fear, were
the Pinkerton guards. The sun was
beating down on the low roof Of the
barges, and the air within them must
have been sitting, for an opening was
not to be thought Of as it would only
attract storm of bullets from the an.
CRY men outside. The sufferings of the
wounded in the boats must have been
awful, not to speak of others, and as the
sun grew hotter sounds of an ak at
work within the boat told the crowd
that the Pinkerton guards were taking
desperate chances to prevent suffocatiGn
Boon hole was cut through, and a mo.
ment later 1t was made twice as large
from the bullets from the shore. The
axman was wounded, and no further at
tempts were made to secure ventilation.
Death in sitting atmosphere was bet
ter, the Pinkertons thought, than from
the guns Of the mob.
All sorts of plans were tried to fire the
boats. A hand fire engine, owned by
the steel company, was gotten out OF its
place and connected with big oil tank.
The oil was pumped into the river and
burning waste was thrown after it.
This did not do, and the stouas with
overstocks of Fourth of July fireworks
were drawn upon. Rockets, roman cam
dies and the like were used, but without
effect. The oil was of the lubricating
kind and not as infiammable as other
grades. But il the mill men had sue.
ceeded an appalling fate must have beer
in store for the Pinkerton men. To save
themselves from death in fire they would
had to to face the reflex of the mob, and
the escape of any of them alive would
almost have been beyond hope.
o'Donneli's Effective Appeal.
Seeing their efforts were in vain, tht
aknal ,rnr nils rastnd md aisn,,nnnd th.