Evening star., 1901-07-16

similar differences between employers and
employees in the past which have not con-
cluded so roseately as this trouble Is sched-
uled to do. One of the early strikes, for
instance which was attended by a great
loss OF property and some loss of life, was
that of the summer Of 1877, when the Mol
ly Mcguire" secret society of workmen in
stigated a strike upon many of the big
railroad systems of the east. At Pittsburg
this strike prevailed with great fury. Par
tfcipating in the event besides the railroad
men were many miners At one time 2,000
troops were stationed in Pittsburg to pre-
vent rioting and loss of life and property,
but even the efforts of such strong mill
tary force was for time unavailing. Over
1,6O6 cars loaded with freight destined for
various sections Of the country were burn
ed in the Pittsburg yards, and 1926 locomo-
tlves were also put under the ak and the
torch Several persons were killed and
many were hurt in the street and yard
riots. Figures which have been furnished
by the Department of Labor in this city
show that the loss to the railroads in the
vicinity of Pittsburg amounted to 81 ,000, 900.
Up to 1881 the state of Pennsylvania had
paid claims amounting to nearly $3,OOOOOO
as result of this strike, and others still
remain outstanding. The expenses Of the
military in preserving order, or rather in
attempting to do so, amounted to $11 600.
Strike ON Gould Railway.
In 1885 destructive strike occurred upon
the Gould railroad system centering in Kan
Se'S oiio hiSSouTl WHICH resulted III d
great loss of money to both employers and
employees. There was a great deal of riot
Ing and a number of persons were injured;
but troops were finally summoned at ST
Louis by the governor of Missouri and the
strikers were quelled. In this strike which
continued for two months, the employees
lost In wages about 500, co., while the rail-
road loss, including destruction of prop
erty, amounted to 81, ,0O0, 600 About 10000
men participated in this strike. and while
they were out they were paid the sum of
$61 500 by other sympathetic laboring men
VINO attempted to buoy them until their
demands were granted.
Other disastrous strikes are Of so recent
origin as to be within the memory of the
youngest. The Homestead riot has gone
down In history as one Of the most violent
outbreaks of the kind, although the loss
OF property was not SO great as is generally
believed. There were several lives lost dur
Ing this conflict however, and any number
of persons injured. so that in all it afforded
a striking Illustration of what violence will
work when once thoroughly started during
the prevalence of differences between en-
ployes and employers. The Homeste cad lock-
out proper lasted from June 80 to Novem-
Der 20, 1892. The number of men locked out
amounted to $780, and their loss In wages
was $s2O,O0O AS a result of this
lockout a sympathetic strike was called by
Workmen In Pfttsburg on July 23 of the
same year. This latter strike involved 6, 100
men, and the wage loss reached the $945, 600
mark The employers were out Of pocket
500, 600. The two strikes combined caused
apprehension all over the country at the
time. They were finally settled by the
sensible and inevitable means of arbitra-
ton.
The Difficulty in Chicago.
The Chicago railroad strike, involving
twenty-four roads running into the city,
and affecting a total of 1O3 900 men, was
also terrific labor disturbance Details Of
this affair are still fresh In the public mind
1t lasted two months. and 1t was not until
President Cleveland issued a call for fed
eral troops to repair to the scene that order
was restored. The employees lost wages
amounting to 81, $50 600 during this strike,
while the roads figured their losses at 81
100000 This includes all the property that
was burned or otherwise destroyed 1t
will be recalled that the roads lost hun
dreds Of freight and passenger cars and
locomotives and much of their other prop
erty was destroyed A total Of eleven per
sons were killed and 515 people were ar
rested
These In brief are the most important
strikes that have been chronicled in this
country. Many smaller ones, entailing loss
OF life and property. have occurred from
time to time. swelling the total number to