Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-09-01
Some of the Big
Railroad Strikes

The first great railroad strike, in
1877, involved only three roads, the
Baltimore & Ohio, the Pennsylvania
and the Erie.
In 1887 10000 employees of the
Reading railroad went on strike for
an advance in wages. The men re-
NAMED out two months, during which |
time the aggregate loss to them in
wages amounted to $3,600,000
P. M. Arthur, when he ordered a
strike on the Boston 4 Maine road IN
1877, decla. ed that with wave of
his hand he could stop every train,
but subsequent developments showed
that he could not control even the
opel atiCn of one road.
In the Pittsburg district, during the
riots that accompanied the great rail
road strike of 1877 nearly 1000 cars
and more than hundred 10 :omotives
were burned and the county of Ale
gheny was held liable for damages of
more than $3,000,000
Following the disastrous strike Of
1877 there was no great strike on
American railroads until 1856, when
the employees Of the Missou'i Pacific
system were ordered out by Martin
Jones' This strike involved nearly
10000 men, lasted two months and
resulted in heavy financial loss.
One of the shortest railroa strikes
On record occurred in 1890, when a
general strike was declared by en-
ployes Of the New York Certr Al lines
against the dismissal Of men who be-
longed to the Knights of Labor. The
differences were speedily adjusted
and within two days the men returned
to work.
At the time of the great railroad
strike in 1894 President Cleveland
sent federal troops to Chicago despite
the objections of Governor Altgeld
of Illinois, and the disorders were
quelled, but not until the railroads
had lost nearly million in property
destroyed and more than $4,OOOO0(
in earnings, while the loss to strikers
and to shippers also reached far into
the millions.
Following the railroad strike of
1894 President Cleveland appointed
commission to investigate the nature
and causes of the strike. This COM
mission, headed by Carol D. Wright,
then commissioner Of labor, sggested
that something like government con-
troll must be exercised over quasi
public corporations and, though not
composed of Socialists, cautiously
limited that government ownership
might be undertaken at the proper
time.
In the railroad strike Of 1877 Presi-
dent Hayes, after issuing two procla-
nations, finally sent federal troops
into Maryland, West Virginia and
Pennsylvania. The rioters gave way
before that force without bloodshed.
But there were disturbances as far
I west as Chicago, where 10 men were
killed. The deaths at Scranton mnn-
bered thee and the mayor narrowly
escaped being killed. AT Reading
machine shops and warehouses were
burned and pillaged and nearly a !
dozen persons were killed
The American Railway U Ulion strike |
Of 25 years ago, which originated in
the town of Pullman on account OF 4 |
cut in ages and the laylns off Of
many men at time wher business
vas dull, was of greater consequence
than an" previous labor disturbance
and for Q time threatened to tie up
the entire transportation system of |
the United States. The strike splcad |
through half dozen western states,
hut during the whole of the troubles
he eastern roads were bat little af
feCted.