Iditarod pioneer., 1917-05-05
RIOTS WHICH ATTENDED
 ADOPTION OF CONSCRIPTION
 DURING WAR OF REBELLION

UUNklSJ WAN O1 NADLAAAoN
 On March 3, 1863, congress passed the Transcription bill" Volunteering had filled the Union armies during the first two wears of the war, the quotas being appor- toned by congressional districts. Then the numbers grew scant All able bodied clti- zens between the ages of IS and 45 were summoned to the national defense; quotas under future calls not filled by volunteers after certain period were to be made good by lot from enrolment; conscripts could furnish substitutes or buy exemptions for $500 The law proved to be chiefly valu- able in goading the districts into filling the quotas by volunteers. The communications were nearly third of the whole, the ex- emptions nearly a half, and the number held and their substitutes together were but sixth to fifth Many of the sub stitutes turned deserters or "bounty jump CTS" It has been estimated that of more than 3,000,000 men enrolled, less than 100000 men were obtained by the drafts.
 By the draft of 1863 but 35, 882 men were secured, and of this number no less than 26O02 were substitutes. Of the 292, All men drafted 52,28S paid their $500 to escape duty, and the government was thus enabled to utilize these sums amounting to $15, ,686, 400, to obtain others.
 The conscription measure met with storm of denunciatlon on the part of Demo crats, who claimed that the quotas had been gerrymandered to throw an enormous disproportion on the Democratic districts. This was acknowledged, but wes stated to be the work of subordinates, and was cor rected by the war department. The rank and file execrated it as a class measure, shifting the burden from the rch to whom pay only with their blood, and were least able to leave their families.
 The drafts were resisted by violence in several cities, the principal disturbance talk ing place in New York The drafting be- gan on Saturday. July II, at each provost marshals or assistants office, which in the Ninth district. Democratic stronghold, was at Third avenue and Forty sixth street. The method was to place the enrolled names
 in a wheel, the first names coming out up to the required quota being the conscrpts. large crowd assembled, but made no disturbance; and the names drawn were published in the Sunday papers. Many of the poorer classes melted and organized by political leaders met secretly and formed associations to resist and on Mon day morning parties went around to the shops compelling workmen to leave their tasks and join the procession. The draw ing was resumed at 10 a. m. In a few minutes several paving stones were hurled through the windows into the midst of the crowd, smashing the furnture and in another moment the mob broke in the door wrecked everything inside but the wheel beat one of the deputies into insenslblity, and set fire to the building, though it was inhabited above The whole block was soon in flames, and when the hremen ar rived the hydrants were denied them till the conhagration was past help. The militia were nearly all in Pennsylv vania, where Get tysburg had lately been fought, and the few garrison regulars and marines were un- der different commands; so that the fed eral General Wool, the state General San ford and Mayor Opdyke held separate au- thority, with no deciding power
  vengeance upon political opponents and their property, burning and pillaging; and thieves and toughs seeing their opportunity, hocked out and joined. Fifty marines, sent to disperse the Forty-sixth street mob. fired blank cartridges, and were instantly routed and chased far along the streets by the riot CTS many of them women and children This changed the mobs attitude from de fense to aggression Then their wrath was turned on the negroes as the cause of the 'black Republican war" These were beaten and stoned to death, and hanged to lamp posts. Hotels and restaurants having colored servants were invaded in search of them and the movables were smashed and stolen. In the afternoon the Colored Half Orphan Asylum, with 700 to 800 children and nurses, was broken into, gutted and set on fire, the inmates being driven into the streets, while the women of the mob carried off the furniture The armory, on Second avenue, was broken open with stones and sledge-hammers to secure arms, the police who bravely defended it being driven out, and 1t was fired.
 All business and trade was suspended In the lower part of the city the office of the Tribune, the chief Republican newspaper, edited by Horace Greeley was attacked and was about to be set on fire when the police drove out the rioters The entire block on Broadway which held the draft office was burned with the provost-marshal's and the postma aster's private residences. 8 station house, hotel whose proprietor refused to furnish liquor to the mob, and other dwell ings Other houses were burned in the upper part of the city. All that day and night the city was protected only by the police, many of whom lost their lives. At midnight heavy rain dispersed the riot CTS for the time.
 Tuesday was far worse, though the forces of order had begun to gather. The mobs, too, had swollen so that an army was needed. When bands were dispersed by the military they gathered elsewhere and continued murder and depreciation. Twenty negroes probably he'd been murdered Mon day; far more perished Tuesday, and whole negro neighborhoods were burned out Lieutenant Wood, with 150 regulars from