Sunday, June 19, 2016

MILITIA ORDERED OUT




The Cortland Democrat, Friday, July 15, 1892.

MILITIA ORDERED OUT.
Eight Thousand Soldiers to be Sent to Homestead—The Troops Will Move at Once.
   HARRISBURG, Pa., July 10.The entire division of the National Guard of Pennsylvania, about 8,000 men, have been ordered to Homestead to support Sheriff McCleary in suppressing the riots at that place. This action of the Governor was taken on receipt of the following dispatch:
   To Robert E. Pattison, Governor, Harrisburg, Pa.:
   The situation at Homestead has not improved. While all is quiet there, the strikers are in control and openly express to me and to the public their determination that the works shall not be operated unless by themselves. After making all efforts in my power, I have failed to secure a posse respectable enough in numbers to accomplish anything, and I am satisfied that no posse raised by civil authority can do anything to change the condition of affairs, and that any attempt by an inadequate force to restore the right of law will only result in further armed resistance and consequent loss of life. Only a large military force will enable me to control matters. I believe if such a force is sent the disorderly element will be overawed and order will be restored. I therefore call upon you to furnish me such assistance.
   (Signed) WM. H. McCLEARY, Sheriff.
   Governor Pattison as commander-in-chief of the National Guard at once issued the following order:
George R. Snowden, Major General Commanding National Guard of Pennsylvania:
   Put the division under arms and move at once with ammunition to the support of the Sheriff of Allegheny county at Homestead. Maintain the peace. Protect all persons in their rights under the constitution and laws of the State. Communicate with me.
   (Signed) ROBT. E. PATTISON, Governor.
   To Sheriff McCleary the following telegram was sent:
   "Have ordered Maj. Gen. Geo. R. Snowden with the division of the National Guard of Pennsylvania to your support at once. Put yourself in communication with him. Communicate with me further particulars.
   (Signed) ROBT. E. PATTISON, Governor.
   General Snowden, with the adjutant general and quartermaster general, at once proceeded to formulate the orders for the mobilization of the guard. Some troops will be under way early in the morning.



The State Militia Now in Possession of Homestead—At a Cost of $22,000 per Day—Well and Peaceably Received.
   HOMESTEAD, Pa. July 12.— "The troops are coming," gasped a picket at the strike headquarters at sharp 5 o'clock this morning, when he had run all the way from the outpost at Munhall to the rooms of the Committee. Five minutes later the glitter of Capt. W. A. Awl's line coming forward as skirmishers was seen at the east end of the long Carnegie [works.] This Company F. of the Eighteenth came rapidly into the town and seized the causeway and the hill which dominates the works. The men, some 52 in number, were scattered out in a long line to the amazement of the strikers, some of whom were rather rudely pushed aside as the Company was taking position. No sooner had the road to the hill been secured, than the troops began pouring in from Munhall. The Eighteenth, Fifteenth, Fifth and Sixteenth Regiments marched towards the high ground and stood finally in long lines, battalion after battalion, from the very crest of the ridge down nearly to the street level. The position was an excellent one from a strategic point of view. The hill rises south of the Carnegie mill and stretches back a half mile into a wide plateau, where the tents are to be spread. A couple of batteries on the hill could do as they pleased with the territory for miles around.
   The people took the coming of the troops in sullen silence at first. But the drum soon beat everybody into good humor and as the latter regiments wheeled away towards the high ground, they were heartily cheered. On the other side of the river, in the meantime, General Snowden had pushed the Fourteenth and Tenth regiments with the batteries into the hills across from the works, where the guns command the whole water front of Homestead. This movement had been executed so secretly that the men and cannon had been in position fully an hour before their presence was discovered by the town.
   As soon as the soldiers came in there was a complete surrender of the town. The strikers circulated on the streets, calling upon the people to receive the militia cordially, and with some difficulty the command was obeyed. The strike pickets were withdrawn from about the mill and in a few minutes the streets about it were occupied by a provost guard. Without any ceremony whatever, Otis Childs of the Carnegie Company went through the Eighth avenue gate and opened the office. Sheriff McCleary was present but neither said nor did anything. There was no declaration of any kind, but simply a going in. Some of the men who were on Eighth avenue looked on in silence, and when the gates clanged shut after Child's entry they went back to headquarters to report.
   When everybody had come to realize the new order of things, a committee from the Advisory Committee consisting of O'Donnell, Coon, Schuckman, Clifford and others went to General Wiley of the Second Brigade and tendered him the surrender of the town. Wiley stopped the spokesman, Coon, and advised him to see General Snowden, who had arrived and taken up his headquarters in the School house.
THE SOLDIERS AND MEN "WHOOPING HER UP."
   No rations had been provided for the soldiers and accordingly they were permitted to go into the town as they pleased to get their meals. The result was that every body, soldiers and strikers, did a great deal too much drinking. Every saloon was crowded to its full capacity and every body was crowding himself to his fullest capacity. The result was that more drunken men were to be seen on the streets than were visible altogether in the past week. The crowds and soldiers fraternized, and beer went on both sides. Some of the soldiers rather loudly declared that they would stack their arms if they were called upon to protect the Pinkertons or non-union men, and the spirit is by no means confined to a few sporadic cases. The talk is common on the streets and the result has been a great increase of friendliness between the troops and the strikers.
ONE OF THE SOLDIERS BADLY INJURED.
   A shocking accident happened this afternoon to W. D. Bolton, a private of Company G. of the 15th regiment, who lives at Sharpsville. Bolton was one of a detail to put the mill pumps at work to supply the camp with water, and while working above the furnace in the pump house, a gush of burning natural gas blew into his face, scorching and burning him seriously, if not dangerously. He was carried to camp and made as comfortable as possible.
  
Expensive Gallantry.
   Last winter one Cassius L. Carr of this place was chosen defendant in a suit brought by Miss Ada M. Cook also of Cortland for breach of promise. Carr was a member of the firm Barker & Carr, liverymen. The case was on the calendar for the April term of Court but was put over to the October term.
   Carr disposed of his interest in the livery a few days since, and the plaintiff thought he intended to accept a roving commission in the Western States and thereby avoid paying for the injury which had been done to her feelings.
   Her attorney issued an order of arrest which was served on Carr, Monday morning, before he was out of bed. He settled the case by paying $225 and was permitted to go on his way smashing hearts.

The Horse Railway.
   The annual meeting of the Cortland and Homer Horse Railway Company was held in the secretary’s office in this village last week and a resolution was offered and passed reducing the number of directors from eleven to seven. The following gentlemen were elected for the ensuing year: C. H. Garrison, G. J. Mager, S. E. Welch, C. P. Walrad, L. D. Garrison, E. Mudge and Earnest M. Hulbert.
   At a subsequent meeting of the directors the following officers were chosen for the following year:
   President— C. H. Garrison.
   Vice-President—S. E. Welch.
   Secretary and Treasurer—L. D. Garrison.
   It was resolved to run an additional car during the summer months. A dividend on three per cent payable August 1st was declared out of the earnings of the road.
 
 

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