eight o'clock
Men thus braved and thwarted turned to fiends . The sun was not an hour high when the emissaries of the Railway Union were haranguing the people all along these outlying districts . The striking railway-men themselves were redoubling their pleadings with the men who had stood firm , and from pleadings turned to threats . By eight o'clock the flames were shooting high from scores of cars , and under the fierce heat rails were warping and twisting . At half a dozen points the city firemen , gallant fellows , everybody 's friends and defenders , loyal to their duty , had dashed up with their hose , only to be furiously assaulted and beaten back . And still the police looked on and laughed . `` Like a thief in the night , '' screamed Elmendorf to his audience of strikers and rioters , `` the P.Q. & R. has stolen its trains , -- sneaked out its fell purpose .