Mark Strecker 160 pages softcover
As the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 made its way into Ohio, the
state already had its share of problems. Tramps, men who'd taken took to
the road looking for work because of the economic depression of the
1870s, seemed to be overrunning the state. Railroads, one of Ohio's
biggest employers, cut jobs. Those not fired suffered from repeated cuts
in wages and hours, making their already unsafe work conditions worse.
Strikes in neighboring states, instigated by another 10 percent wage
cut on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, became violent and
destructive. When they broke out in Ohio, something remarkable happened.
Strikers remained mostly peaceful, avoiding the killing, looting and
vandalism seen elsewhere. Much of the credit for the path taken by Ohio
must go to its level-headed governor, Thomas L. Young, who used the Ohio
National Guard to great effect.
