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
History
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
A. When I reached Altoona I got a telegram from Mr. Watt, who
represented me here, saying that a few of the men, after the train I
was on had left, had refused to go out on the double-headers, and that
they were trying to create a disturbance, and saying what action he had
taken, and that his idea was that it would be all right, and for me not
to stop off but to go on, that the matter would be all right.
Q. What hour did you receive that?
A. About twelve twenty, when I reached Altoona. I had no train to
return on and I thought I would go on the day express and think over
the subject, and when I reached Lewistown I made up my mind that I
would return. So I arranged for my family, who were accompanying me, to
go on, and I returned on the fast line from Lewistown, reaching here at
eleven thirty.
Q. In the evening?
A. Yes; eleven twenty-five. On my way west I telegraphed to my
subordinate officers to meet me in Pittsburgh. I intended to get off at
the outer depot, Twenty-eighth street, but there was a large crowd
there, and I came to Union depot, and walked up to where my office then
was, at Twenty-sixth street, and on my way I met a carriage with the
Honorable John Scott and Mr. Watt and the sheriff. I got in the
carriage and went to my office, at Twenty-sixth street, and there found
my subordinate officers, and General Pearson was there.
Q. Who were your subordinate officers?
A. Joseph Fox, road foreman; John Major, road foreman; David Garrett,
assistant trainmaster; Edward Pitcairn, trainmaster; Joseph McCabe,
general dispatcher. Mr. Scott, the sheriff, and all the parties there
were consulting and talking together, when the sheriff made up his mind
to go up to Twenty-eighth street, where the crowd was interfering and
preventing trains from running. I wanted to go up and talk to the men,
when my subordinates prevented me, and said there was no use of my
going up, because none of our men were there. Few, if any, of our own
men were there. It was a crowd. They persuaded me to remain, while the
sheriff and General Pearson went up to Twenty-eighth street. They came
back and reported the result of their attempt to disperse the crowd,
when the communications, as stated by Mr. Scott----
Q. What did the sheriff and General Pearson report to you?
A. They said they went up and went to the crowd and called to the crowd
to disperse and go to their homes, and they made no impression, and
received nothing but vulgar abuse.
Q. Did they go alone?
A. Unless one or two of my men went with them. One or two went with
them.
Q. At what hour was that?
A. About twelve o'clock, Thursday night.
Q. What then occurred?
A. Then came the communications to the different parties. The Governor,
and Mr. Quay, and Lieutenant Governor Latta, and Adjutant General
Latta, and then came the replies, and the message to General Pearson to
order out one of the regiments, I think, which he did.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. From whom did this order come?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account