Report of the Committee Appointed to Investigate the Railroad Riots in July, 1877: Read in the Senate and House of Representatives May 23, 1878Pennsylvania. General Assembly. Committee Appointed to Investigate the Railroad Riots in July, 1877
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Report of the Committee Appointed to Investigate the Railroad Riots in July, 1877: Read in the Senate and House of Representatives May 23, 1878
Pennsylvania. General Assembly. Committee Appointed to Investigate the Railroad Riots in July, 1877
By Senator Yutzy: I think, Mr. Chairman, that that question ought to be
modified. All the citizens were not present.
By the witness:
A. If you asked me the question whether or not the citizens, or any
number of them, came to me and offered their assistance, then I might
answer the question. The crowd certainly manifested no disposition to
assist in the running of trains. The crowd, of course, was in sympathy.
I speak of those who were present at Twenty-eighth street and
Twenty-sixth street, on Liberty street, fronting the office, and I
should say there were none at all in sympathy with the railroad
company, but the soldiers.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. But that does not answer my question. I desire to know whether the
citizens were not in sympathy with the strikers?
By Senator Yutzy: I repeat, Mr. Chairman, that I do not think this
question should be put to the witness. I move that the committee retire
for a few moments' consultation.
This motion being agreed to, the committee retired.
Upon returning, the chairman of the committee announced to the witness
that the question would not be pressed for the present.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. What time did the first firing occur?
A. In the neighborhood of five o'clock. It was, probably, a few minutes
after five o'clock.
Q. But when did the first firing occur--that is, when was the fire
first kindled by the mob?
A. In the neighborhood of ten o'clock.
Q. Was any effort made by the railroad company, during the night, to
prevent the firing and destruction of property?
A. I would hardly know how to answer that. The railroad employés that
we had considered loyal and ready to run, when we desired them to go on
the trains, had gone to their homes, it not being deemed prudent to run
any trains that night. I left the outer depot in the neighborhood of
seven o'clock, to go down to the Union depot for supper, and to arrange
for the sending of supper for General Pearson's staff, and General
Brinton's staff, and all his brigade generals' staff. I went to the
Union depot with Mr. Pitcairn and Mr. Cassatt, and, I think, Colonel
Smith, on engine forty-five. At that time the military were in
possession of the shops and round-house, and I did not anticipate that
anything would be done until daylight. The firing of the cars was, I
understand, up at Lawrenceville, or just within sight of there, and the
cars were dropped down, and the switches so turned that they would run
towards the round-house--the burning cars, these, of course, would
communicate to other cars.
Q. Would the cars run themselves?
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