Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-30
How Pennsylvania ouelled Riot

70 the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:
Sir-The sanguinary climax of the
mine labor troubles at Herrin. ILL.,. re-
calls n near parallel to It in Pennsyl-
vania thirty years ago. 1t also recalls
the last occasion prior to the creation
Of the State Department of Police in
Pennsylvania on which the National
Guard of the State was mobilized to
quell disorders attending labor strike.
That was In July. 1892. and the scene
was the little town or. rather. the bor-
ough of Homestead on the Monongaheln
River, twelve miles from Pittsburgh.
where 1000 workmen in the steel works
Of Carnegie, Phipps & Co. were idle.
While the outbreak Of violence there
can furnish no comparison TO the re-
voting deeds of savagcry in the Hi
nois town. there is no telling to what
lengths the disorders would have gone
II the then Governor Of Pennsylvania,
Robert f.. Pattison had not taken Wig
orous measures to check II by ordering
the entire division Of the National
Guard into the field Two brigades. the
Second and Third. wcrc sent directly
to the scene of the trouble and the First
Brigade from Philadelphia and adja-
cent counties. with the exception of the
Philadelphia City Troop. was held at
Mount Gretna in reserve. The City
Troop and the two other cavalry or
ganizations at Harrisburg and Altoona
were ordered direct TO Homestead.
The mobiizing order was issued from
the Governors residence at ) o'clock in
the evening of Sunday. July 10. and by
daybreak the following morning col
umn after column Of disciplined march
ing troops. armed and equipped. came
pouring into the riot infested district
from all quarters of the State except
the southeastern counties and by night
Homestead was under martial law. \
weeks pandemonum of violence and
bloodshed. beginning with holiday
outbreak and ending on the last day
with a midnight assault on the repre-
sensitive of Pittsburgh newspaper.
was finally reprcssed. From that time
until the strikers went back 10 the mills
there was no further violence in Home
stead.
Like the inhuman outbreak at Her
rim. ILL.,. the spasm Of ruffianism and
terrorism at Homestead began with a
murderous attack on armed guards en-
ployed to protect the property of the
surrendered or were captured were bru-
refuge on n covered barge in the Mo-
nongahela River. and on the night of
July tiendish attempt was made to
hre the barge by setting the river
aflame with burning oil.
The broadcastng of the news Of this
hideous exploit brought newspaper cor
respondents TO the scene from many
large cities. who became at once fresh
object Of the enmity and irritation of
the leaders of the disorder. OF the 1000
striking steel workers it was estimated
that 70 per cent were illiterate foreign
ers. Hungarians and Poles. They were
completely under the control of clique
OF leaders of the Amalgamated Associa-
ton of Iron and Steel Workers, the
head of which at that time in Ale
gheny County was William Weihe. n
member of the Legislature and a man
OF wide political influence.
The Sheriff of the county and the
borough authorities, owing their po-
Ntical existence to popular favor, were
either oblvious to or blindly incapable
of maintaining the supremacy of the
civil power. AS the result the borough
OF Homestead was virtually under the
dominion of an advisory committee of
the steel workers association. mem
bers of which patrolled the thorough
fares armed TO the teeth with revolvers
and repeating rifles.
Governor PattiSon was repeatedly
called on TO order out the National
Guard and put an end 70 such status
of affairs. On the fna! day of the
week, which began with the Fourth