Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-07-13
BATTLES.
Thirteen Hour Conflict Between
Strikers and Pinkertons.
Bullets, Dynamite, Cannon and Fire
Employed BY Strikers.
The finkertons Surrender aud Are Placed
In Jail-unheard OF Crueitics Follow
the Observation-Disclosures strikers
and Nine Detectives Killed.

4
PITTSBURGH, July 7.-Early Wednes-
day morning 500 Pinllerton detectives
attempted to land at Homestead, from n
| small boat They were fired upon by
steel workers who were on watch and
| Skirmish took place. About 100 shots
were exchanged. Two strikers were
shot. The Pinl<ertons were repulsed.
| In all about dozen were wounded.
For two hours before the boats ar
rived 5000 or 5000 persons awaited
their coming on the river banks
The mills have n landing for boats
within the enclosure of the fence,
and ut first it appeared that there
would be no way to prevent the Pinkcr-
tons entering the mills. Shortly be-
fore the boats reached Homestead II
horseman riding Mt mad gallop spread
the alarm that the Pinkertons were
coming. As the boats steamed toward
the landing it was impossible to longer
restrain the crowds
With n whoop and yell of derision an
onslaught was made on the fence. Soon
one hundred feet of the enclosure was
torn away and 1000 men were ut the
| landing
n second battle took place shortly af-
ter n. m. The captain of the steamer
Little Bill, which carried the Pinller-
tons there, was shot. The firing for
some time was almost continuous. The
strikers attacked the barges from both
sides of the river. 1t is said that four
Pinl<erton men were killed in this
scrimmage, and that their bodies fell
from the barge INTO the river.
At 1880 a. m, the boat Little Bill"
which towed the barges to Homestead.
was seen coming down the river a
large United States flag flying from the
masthead. The appearance of the
boat was the signal along the river
front for renewed activity both On and
off the barges.
shes coming to take the barges
away" was the cry raised on the shore
As the boat came nearer il was seen
that she carried squad of armed men
who were lined up on the side next the
Homestead mills When opposite the
converting department the men on the
boat opened fire on those on the shore.
For ten minutes firing continued. the
PinlSertons in the barges joining the
men on the bank returned the fire from
behind the furnace stacks, which they
used as shield.
So warm was the fire from the shore
that the men on the boat were driven to
cover. Several men on the boat were
seen TO fall, and it is certain that they
were wounded. No one on shore was
injured by the firing from the boats.
The Little Bill made an attempt to tie
up with the barges. but this was impos-
sible. The attempt to set fire to the
barges did not prove successful by the
raft process, and another attempt was
made.
From the converting department of
the mill to the edge of the river where
the barges are moored runs a switch.
On this was run n car filed with barrels
of oil, lumber and waste. To this n
lighted torch was applied and the car
cut loose. The flames sprang up dis
lance of n hundred feet, while great
volumes of smoke rolled heavcnward.
The crowds on the hillsides overlook
ing the scenes sent up lusty shout as
word reached them of the intended
burning of the bargcs and all on board.
The car of fire rushed down the steep
incline in the direction of the barges.
and the men on the barges watched its
approach with blanched faces.
Just then the steamer Little Bill
pulled in between the bargcs and the
shore, but on reaching the water the
car of fire came TO stop. The heat,
however, was intense and the little
steamer was soon smoking hot. All
i'm n
and it is estimated that 600 shots were
exchanged during this brief engage
ment For some reason those in charge
of the cannon on the opposite shore did
not fire shot during the battle.
The steamer Little Bill, which had
evidently received n fresh supply of
ammunition and reinforcement OF Pink
erton's, continued down the river.
At 9:1O p. N. flag Of truce was dis.
played by the Pinkerton men and was
shot down. 1t was hoisted the second
time with the same result The third
time the flag was riddled with bullets
and hardly enough OF il left TO hoist
1gain.
Sheriff w. II. McCleary telegraphed
10 Gov. Patterson for instructions and
received the following reply: Local
authorities must exhaust every means
at their command for the preservation
Of peace"
PITTSBURGH, July AT . o'clock
thursday morning complete list Of
killed and wounded was not obtainable.
but as far as could bc ascertained eleven
workmen and nine detectives were
killed; eighteen worlmen and twenty
one detectives injured in the battle.
In addition 20 this at least one hundred
detectives were seriously injured by the
strikers while ON their way 20 the iail
wednesday evening. One Of these
victims has since died Of his injuries.
and another IS dying.
During the all-day battle the boat
was bombarded Tor several hours with
a brass tcn-pounder cannon.
The stout oakcn timbcrs forming tho
sides Of the boat were splintcrcd. but
the heavy steel plates on the inside pre-
vented the balls from penetrating the
interior Many Of the strikers. how
ever were expert marksmen. and thcv
sent shot after shot into the port holes
in the boats, and inflicted terrible I'M
jury 20 Use imprisoned men.
When it was found that little irpuro..