In 1877, many large railroad firms began to fail. As a result a lot of these firms cut employment and wages. As a result to these new conditions, many railroad employees began to go on strike. In West Virginia, B&O workers blocked freight trains from moving and threatened to continue if the pay cuts were not reversed. Militia troops were called, in an attempt to stop the strikers. Due to the Militia being unwilling to use force, they were unsuccessful in stopping the strikers. By the time the Governor called for federal troops the strike had spread to Baltimore, where a violent struggle erupted between the state Militia and the strikers. The strikes began to spread throughout the country whereever there was railroad. Throughout the nation strikers began taking violent measure. Strikers formed violent mobs and began to create damage. In response to these violent mobs federal troops fired into crowds of strikers, killing and injuring many people. The Great Railrod Strike of 1877 was the first event in a 20 year struggle between business and labor.
http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/308620?terms=great+railroad+strike+of+1877
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