The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-03-20
REGULARS FEARED
WHEN ON RIOT DUTY
Can Be Depended Upon to Fire
If Their Officers Give
the Command.

w
time of riot" said a major general of the
army. in his office in the war department
the other day. ut is an instrument that
can bring bowling infuriated rioters to
their senses, give the proper law officers
control of the situation and restore
community to peaceful conditions with
out the firing of a gun.
''It was during the stockyard riots in
Chicago some years ago." the general
continued, that an incident occurred
which shows clearly the spirit and con-
sequently the effectiveness of the regular
army in suppressing rioters. Troops had
been ordered into the city. The police and
militia were powerless. Regular soldiers
who had been living a hard life ON the
plains, having frequent brushes with the
hostile Indians and as tough looking
set of men as one can imagine, were or
dered to the stockyard district. From the
moment of their arrival there was no
more rioting. Although the regulars were
handful compared with the numbers Of
police and militia which had proved inef-
fective in handling the rioters, the re-
spect and dread in WHICH the regular
troops were held was typified by the ex-
clamatiOn of one of the mob when the
regulars disentrained. Those fellows
haven't any flowers in their guns. he
shouted.
Would Obey Orders.
close to their temporary quarters in the
danger zone, but there was no sign of
trouble. Then the soldiers were given q
little liberty. lYou know a soldier likes
his drink.) One old private, man with
thirty years of experience in soldering,
who was off on several hours leave, fell
in with a number of the strikers. He made
a hit with them. They bought him nu-
merous drinks and the soldier and strik-
erS became very chumTny.
"At last one Of the strikers took the old
soldier one side and confidentially said,
'Youss is one of US, amt youse?'
Yep; you bet your boots, the soldier
Well. being IT'S so, youse wouldn't
fire on Us. would youse?' he queried. The
old campaigner was pensive. He thought
hard before answering; then replied:
Well, that would depend on what the
captain said "
Story of Strike of 1877.
The recent request of the treasury de-
paftment, fearful that the mob of strik-
ers might gain the upper hand in Phila-
delphia during the street car strike, and
that the United States mint in that city
might suffer, that the war department
have ready guard of regulars to rush
into the cis:' for the defense of the mint
should occasion require, prompted Chief
of the Guaros Cobaugh of the treasury
department TO recount his experience in
bitter railroad strike of 1871.
"Pittsburg was in the. hands of the
mob, said Chief Cobaugh. 1.-THE police
had been dispersed, the militia disarmed
and driven from the city. A guard of reg
uiars, from Fort McHenry, near Balti-
more, was ordered to Pittsburg to guard
the federal building. Eighty men, sea-
soned from service on the plains, and
commanded by a lieutenant constituted
the detail. They arrived at the outskirts
of the city. There they disentrained the
railroads not daring to run trains into the
city. The regulars were surprised to find
militiamen encamped on the city borders
The militia officers explained to the lieu
tena Mt the conditions existing in the city,
telling him that it would be dangerous to
building.
Not One Coward.
Il have my orders and am going,'' said |
the lieutenant; but if conditions are as |
serious as you picture / will only take
the men who volunteer. He~lned up his |
and told all those who did not |
care to run the risk to sNsp two PAGES TO |
the rear. Not man moved.
We'll, 1t looks as If they are all going
with me-, said the officer, and bidding |
the militiamen good-by, the little band of |
regulars started for the federal building,
live miles away.
There was no trouble of a serious ma
lure, although flying bricks were encoun-
-ered several times when small parties of Il
'ioters were overtaken. The real Show 4
lOwu came two miles from the federal Il
building. A mob of 10000 was encountered
The way was blocked The lieutenant
vent forward, explained the reason for
he presence of his men in the city and
announced his intention to pass. This was
lenied.
"IIe fell back, ordered his men to loa a,
lin and fire. Thirty of the mob fell
lead and the thousands ran for safety.
1.-THE march was continued until about
/ half mile from the objective point, when
another mob was found blocking the
treets. Again there was parley between
he mob leaders and the lieutenant Again
he lieutenant announced that he was in
solely for the purpose of guard
ng the federal building, and said he was
Inxious to avoid trouble. Again the mob
efused.
Two Score Fell Dead.
There was another order to load aim
md fire, and with the instant death of
wo score of the mob the way was
leared. The regulars marched on unmo-
ested to the federal building.
THAT night the militia entered the city
for the backbone of the rioting
lad been broken by the strenuous meth-
IDS of the regulars. Order was quickly
estored and soon the Pittsburg strike be-
anne only an unpleasant memory"
1t was during these railroad riots that
fficials In Washington became so
harmed that every clerk in the treasury
department. who had seen service during
he war was furnished with a revolver or
lot gun. It had ieen reported that the
ioters from Baltimore (for Pittsburg was
lot the only city where the mobs had Sc
ured eontroD intended marching on
for the purpose Of footing the
reasury.