The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-22
WORK OF THE SALEM COMPANY

Orders to Come to Roanoke Afterwards
Countermanded.
The connection of the Salem military
company with the troublous and M; 8 /,
heartrending affair in Roanonke Wed
nesday night was as follows: At LAS
p. m. Lieutenant-Colonel Pole tele-
graphed Captain Griffin to hold his
Company in readiness for tonight"
Captain Griffin, with his children,
was then on his way to Roanoke city to
attend the pony and dog show, and did
not receive this telegram until o'clock
that night, it having been left at the
county clerks office unopened and sup
posed to be relating to the affairs Of the
office. At G o'clock he received orders
to assemble his company and await
further orders. Immediately Lieu
tenants Johnson and Hess were notified,
and, with Captain Griffin, obeyed orders
and began to notify the men. Within
an hour, with the exception OF one man,
all were at the armory awaiting orders,
which came shortly after 8 o'clock, say.
ing Come on the next dummy" etc
which should have left Salem at S:45.
In ten minutes the men were in line
and on the double quick for the electric
car. Upon it's arrival the current failed
and the car could not be moved This
was telegraphed Lieutenant Colonel
Pole and the question asked if the com.
pany should be carried in wagons. He
promptly replied, "Come at once"
In the meantime orders had been
given to fire up" the dummy engine
and the livery stables were directed to
send conveyances. The wagons ar
rived, the dummy was ready, when, by
hn q NJ
the current was again turned on. I'm.
mediately the men were loaded into the
car and the start was made for Roanoke,
Captain Griffin telegraphing Lieuten.
ant Colonel Pole the time of departure
and manner and requesting orders upon
arrival OF the car at Park street bridge.
The electric car, with the company
abroad, had just started for Roanoke
when telegram was received from
Lieutenant Colonel Pole for Captain
Griffin direct ting him as fol ows: "Do
not bring company unless further orders;
mob quiet" Fortunately for our bows
a street railway official at the terminus
mounted the dummy and chased tho
electric car to Roanoke in order to de-
liver this dispatch to Captain Griffin.
At Park street bridge the electric car
was hailed by a dozen Salemites to tell
uuo SOm paHy Iuc SJdlc OIL AFFAIRS In Tn @
city, which in brief was that the home
troops had been ordered to dispense, and
that there was no one to whom the com
pany could look for orders and direc-
ton.
At this instant the above referred TO
telegram from Lieutenant Colonel Pole,
ordering the ompany not to come, was
handed to Captain Griffin, who imme-
diately ordered the car to return to
Salem with his men. Unfortunately
the dummy engine, which had brought
the telegram, was without water and
unable to stir, blocking the track and
preventing the soldiers return, save on
the march
Assembling the company it was
marched up the line Of the dummy and
arrived without straggler in good
order at Salem at 80 in the morning
While the boys were willing and ready
to obey orders without finching, they
were more than gratiaed that their
services were not required in this most
unhappy and deplorable affair. and in
this the citizens of Salem join them