Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1892 — A SCENE OF CARNAGE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A SCENE OF CARNAGE.

DEADLY RIOT AT HOMESTEAD PENNSYLVANIA. Boats Having Plukeitm Men on Hoard Bombarded with Gannon—Oil Poured on the Stream and liargen Set on Fire—Gov. Pattlson Appealed To for Aid, Pinkerton Men Kepulsed. Homestead (Pa.) special: Carnegie’s managers attempted to land Pinkerton men at the Homestead works on Wednesday morning. The attempt was resisted by the locked-out men, and a tattle with guns ensued, in which thirty-eight men ore reported to have been kilied and many more injured. Three hundred Pinkerton men armed with Winchesters were brought from

Pittsburg in barges in the light of the early morning. The strikers had been advised of their coming, and had gathered with their to the number of 5,000 on the landing when the barge arrived. The Pinkertons were advised from the shore not to attempt landing. They persisted, and as one of their number started down the gang plank he fired

his gun. The shot was answered by thb strikers, and a fusillade ensued which lasted for half an hour. After tho first fusillade the boats withdrew from the shore, and desultory firing was kept up on both sides for several hours. During this time the strikers secured a cannon, and, planting it on tho opposite side of tho river, placed the guards between two tires. About 10 o'clock tho men on the barges made another attempt to land, and a desperate battle followed, in which rifles in the hands of tho strikers and Pinkerton men and the cannon did terrible execution. While this fight was iff progress the strikers poured oil into the river above the barges and set it on fire. Tho boats were soon surrounded by flames, and caught fire in several places. The guards were unable tp withstand this new element, and finally

at 11 o’clock they were forced to withdraw and return to Pittsburg. liosiH Gather lor Uelenso. “They come. The Pinkertons are coming!” shouted a horseman riding at lightning speed as ho dashed into Homestead at 1 o’clock in the morning and alarmed the leaders of the strikers at their headquarters. The secret signals, long ago planned and arranged, were set working and from both sides of the Monongahela River answering responses came. The story of the fall of Warsaw might be written again. “To arms to protect our homes!” cried 3,000 strikers and nearly as many men, women and children. Slowly came the steamer Little Bill towiDg two model barges loaded with 350 Pinkerton coal and iron police, Winchester rifles and an abundance of ammunition. The sceno on shore was thrilling. The thousands of people were assembled on the bank of tho river on the Homestead side. As the boat moved ud the crowd followed. It arrived opposite the big Carnegio mills, passed up and then backed down toward the landing. Fearless stalwarts, used to hardship, knew that the vessels were approaching shore. The dock was fenced in to the river’s edge; the invaders must be stopped. One leader cried, “Follow me,” and, rushing to a part of tho fence back from the river, attacked it. In a twinkling a breach was made in *Fort Frick” and 2,500 people crowded through the property down to the river and stood waiting for the approaching boats. Before they penetrated the mist sevei a! volleys were fired, not at the vessels, but as p warning. Presently the dark hulls showed through the white veil of fog and swung into ihe landing. There was breathless silence. Like ants thousands of the sons of Vulcan swarmed the bank to the water’s edge. Capt. Heinde, of tho Pinkertons, raised a plank from tho deck of the barge nearest the 6hore. One of his men also grasped the big board, and one end was shoved ashore. Then there was a shout as ot Spartans at the Tiber. One man stepped on the plank and went ashore. He was grabbed by the crowd and was seen no more. .Captain Heinde followed. He had taken one step on the plank when he fell with a shot in the leg. The men behind him turned their Winchesters on the crowd and like a whirring of bees were the volleys which passed. Twunty-three Shot. Five Pinkerton men fell, one fatally

shot through the head. The striker! lost six killed and twelve wounded, but, the boats were repulsed and withdrew into mid-stream. It was all over so quickly that not until the boats returned to the shelter of the fojf did the strikers realize the damage done their fellows. Never more scintillating fire phot from the eyes of demons. Utterly reckless and frenzied the howitzers wore ordered ready, and barrels of oil were loaded on a barge, to be fired and sent against the boats. Slowly the craft returned. The firing was renewed and -returned from the boats, and again numbers of the strikers fell. Then came the grand coup of the strikers. The guh on the little yacht Edna was turned against the craft and one on shore belched its fire upon its human freight. Klaaluif Oil Sent Down Stream. Finally oil was liberated from the barrels above by the men and wae fired. The fiery track was not broad enough, and with a little shirting the blazing stream passed harmlessly by. This failure to cause retreat added to the anger of the strikers, and, towing their scow into proper position, they broke in the heads of the barrels, fired the oil, and t ent the craft down on the boats. The men now have complete possession of the works, and unless Gov. Pattlson orders out troops they will continue in possession. First Victory for Strikers. The first battle occurred about 4:30, when a force of about 300 Pinkerton men attempted to land at the steel works. The strikers had been apprised of their departure from Pittsburg, and for two hours before the boats arrived between 5,000 and 6,000 persons awaited their coming on tho river banks. The mills have a landing for boats within the inolosure of the fenoe, and at first it appeared that there would be no way to prevont the Pinkertons entoring the mills. Shortly before the boats reached Homestoad a horseman riding at full gallop spread the alarm that the Pinkertons were coming. As the boats steamed toward the landing it was impossible to longer restrain the crowd. With a whoop and a yell of derision an onslaught was made on the fence and 100 feet of tha inclosure was torn away and 1,000 men were at the

landing. As the Pinkertons landed they opened fire and two workmen dropped in their tracks. This enraged the crowd, and they bore down upon the Pinkertons with resistless foroe, driving them back to the boats. A (en-pound cannon has been planted in tho main entrance to the mill. The situation is now quiet, though the battle is likely to be renewed at any moment. Gov. Pattison has been appealed to for aid, and tho State militia will probably be sent to the scene at once. The Situation. Capital and labor are arrayed against each other at Homestead, and tho outcome of the conflict will be uwaited with interest by all who realize the importance of the social problems of tho day. Because of the magnitude of the works whero tho issue is made and of tho tens of thousands who will be at once affected, the press of the country is devoting special attention to the affair and its features are made clear enough to all. The Carnegie Steel Company offers to its employes a certain scale of wages. The ecale offered is refused by the managers of the Amalgamated Association, the great trade union organization to which the workers belong, and operations of the company are virtually suspended. A fence surrounds the company’s property and in3ide this is placed a guard of those whom tho oompany relies upon. In addition to this other barricades have been erected to resist the rioters. Meanwhile thousands of men, the workers who have rejected the scale of wages offered, have occupied the country about the mills and prevent all access to the property. Deieiuea at the Steel Vvorkie About six weeks ago, in anticipation of the coming conflict between the Carnegie interests and the workmen; a stout board fence twelve feet high was built upon a foundation of slag three feet high, completely surrounding the steelworks. This fence is three miles long. On the top are strung three strands of barbed wire, so connected that a current of electricity may be sent through them from the electric plant by the simple turning of a switch in the office. Portholes four inches in diameter have been bored along this fence at the height of a man’s eye. Trenches have been dug over all parts of the works to various points along the fence whero hydrants are stationed. Connections have been made so that either cold or boiling hot water can be sent through these pipes to the hydrants. An additional fence has been built about the office, and a bridge forty feet high has been strung across the tracks, connecting the office with a building inside the works. A search light has been

placed upon this bridge, and also a sentry box. On the river front the Carnegie steel launch Annie has been fitted out as a warship, with swivel guns, and several flatboats have been equipped with small howitzers and search lights. A student of Amherst College discovers by reading Thucydides that the grip was more violent and frequently fatal in Greece 470 years B. C. than among us to-day. The book describes the symptoms minutely, and mentions mental depression as one of its most characteristic features. The Queen Regent of Spain refuses to touch a penny of the SIOO,OOO a year jointure to which, as the widow of ths late King, she is entitled.

ANDREW CARNEGIE.

FENCE SURROUNDING THE CARNEGIE WORKS.

WATCHMEN ON THE WATER TANKS.

MANAGER HENRY C. FRICK.