The Great Strike Of 1877

The most desperate and ext.ensive strike that had yet occurred In this country was that of 1877 by the employés of the principal railway trunk lines - the Baltimore and Ohlo, the Pennsylvania, the Erie, the New York Central and their Western prolongations. Ata 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 work militia 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 lighting oil cars and pushing them against it. Fortunately, the soldiers escaped across the rlver. The militia having bad 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 forces the rioters In every instance gave way without bloodshed. The toren was applied freely and with dreadful effect. Machine shops, warehouses and two thousand freight cars were pillaged or burned. Men, women and children feil to thleving, carrying off all sorts of goods- kid ball shoes, parasols, coffee milis, whips and gas Btoves. The pólice found seven g.eat tninks full of clothes In one tu se; 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 loss of property was estimated at $10,000,000. In disturbanees at Chicago nineteen were killed, at Baltlmore nine, at Reading thirteen, and thrice as many wounded". Ono hundred thousand laborers 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.