The Great Strike Of 1877

The most desperate and extensivo strike that had yet occurred in this country was that of 1877 by the employés of the principal railway trunk lines - the Baltimore and Ohio, the Pennsylvania, the Erie, the New York Central and their Western prolongations. At a preconcerted time junctions and other main points were seized. Freight traffic on the roads named was entirely suspended and the passenger and mail service greatly impeded. When new employés sought to worlt tnilitia had to be called out to preserve order. Baltimore and Pittsburg were each the scène of a bloody riot. At the latter place, where the mob was immense and most furious, the militia were overeóme and besieged in a round house, which it was then attempted to burn by Hghting oil cars and pushing them against it. Fortunately, the soldiers escaped across the river. The militia having had several bloody and doubtful encounters on July 21, 22 and 23, at the request of the Governors, President Hayes dispatched United States troops to Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. Faced by these farces the rioters in every instanoe gave way without bloodshed. The torch was applied freely and with dreadful effect. Machine shops, warehouses and two thousand freight cars were pil'.aged or burned. Men, women and children feil to thieving, carrying off all sorts of goods- kid ball shoes, parasols, roffee milis, whips and gas stoves. The pólice found seven great trunks f uil of clothes in one house; eleven barrels of flour In another. It is said that a wagon load of sewing machines was sold on the street, the machines bringing from ten cents to $1 apiece. The los of property was estimated at $10,000,000. In disturbances at Chicago nineteen were killed, at Baltimore nine. at Reading thirteen, and thrice as many wounded. Ono hundred thousand laborera are believed to have taken part in the movement, and at one time or another 6,000 or 7,000 miles of road were in their power.