Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-08-09
END or 4 eRnAT sTRTKn.

DAY says The great lockout, as it is now
generally termed, which has since the 18th
OF January last closed, or nearly closed, our
rolllng-mllls, is now regarded, by all parties
concerned, as at an end. Mention has pre-
viouslY been made of the meeting held at
Boilers Hall, on Saturday evening last,
Where compromise plan was submitted and
approved by those present The iron workers
generally appear to be satisfied with the
compromise and express their intention of
observing It,
The suspension of labor has been one of
the most extensive that has ever occurred in
this locality, and tho effect has been felt by
all classes of society. 1t was rumored in
December, 1866, that on the 18th of the fol-
lowing January the various iron mills in the
city and vicinity would suspend business on
account of difficulty about wages. The
proprietors of the rolling mills had notified
their nuddlers that the wages they were then
paying would have to be reduced, as they
could no longer give 50 per tun. The work
ingmen refused to submit to any reduction.
and strike, or lockout, as ii is now called,
was the result
On Monday, December 10, the rolling mill
of Jones & Laughlin, Brownstown, which
had been paying SO per tun for a lweek, stop
ped, and it was expected that other mills
would soon follow this example. On Satur-
day, January 12, the Duquesne Iron Works,
and the rolling mills of zug & Co., in the
Fifth Ward, stopped. Nearly all the mills
In this vicinity also stopped at this time.
The only mills that continued in operation,
were the following: Lyon, shorb & Co.,
Monongahela Borough; Hutchinson, Glass
d Co., Soho Run; Gregg's Mills, -Four Mile
Run; and the mill of Hussey, Wells g. Co.,
Fifth Ward. These mills continued to run
all Winter. .E. r ..t.fs-.
Affairs renamed in this situation, the
matter being freely discussed, and on Tues
day evening, March 10, in accordance with
a call issued by the Trades Assembly, mass
meeting of worklngmen was held at City
Hall, about 1000 persons being IN attend
ance Speeches were made by several gem
tlemen, urging the workingmen to unite and
maintain the position they had taken. A
series of resolutions, denouncing the Tioga
Cor Landlord and Tenant) act, and recon-
mending the establishment of a daily paper
devoted 10 the interests of the laboring men,
were adopted.
On Monday evening, March 18, disturb
ance occurred at tavern in the Ninth Ward,
between some molders that had been brought
to this city from Buffalo, to work in one Of
the mills, and some OF the men who were
out of employment. This increased the ex-
citement. The Iron Molders' Union, at q
meeting held on the Friday evening follow
ing, passed some resolutions, one of which
stated the members of the Union claimed to
be as body peaceable, law.abiding citizens,
and were opposed to all or any breaches OF
the peace.
On Monday, April /, several of the mills
commenced running few furnaces, paying
80 per tun, but this was not considered as
materially changing the state of affairs.
Affairs remained in this state, with no imme-
diate prospect of settlement, until card
appeared in The AdgOcats, OF April "a, from
Messrs. Zug s. Co. of the Sable Works.
stating that they would hand over their mil
one year to any responsible party, on the
condition that the mill should be run to the
extent of its capacity, and the party should
pay over to them, as their share of the profits
the average difference between the prices
then demanded in Pittsburgh, and those
then paid per tun IN Eastern Pennsylvania
New York, New England, and New Jersey
This proposition was accepted AT this time
several of the mills were running partially
and there were not so many men out of EN-
ployment as during the Winter. The prin
ciple of cooperation began to be discussed
and several meetings were held with view
to establishing cooperative stores; one OF the
largest meetings of the kind was held il
Excelsior Hall, Allegheny City, on Friday
evening, May 8.
The mill of Jones & Laughlin started Apri
80, and has been running ever since. zul
8 Co. also started the 1st of May. Tht
Duquesne Iron Works also commenced run
ming. These establishments, however, still
claimed that they could not afford to pay th
prices asked, and did not run the full numbe
OF furnaces.
On Saturday morning, June 90, train o
. cars direct from New York, arrived at tn
Union Depot, containing over 200 iron work
ers from Germany. These were put at worl
in some of the mills, and considerable OK
cltement was the result.
On Saturday evening, June 30, a mas
meeting was held in front OF Boilers Hall
corner of Fifth and Smithfeld Streets, q larg
crowd being in attendance. The importation
i of laborers was denounced by the speaker
and in the resolutions which were adopted
Another meeting of a similar character wa
held in Allegheny City few evenings after
In the early part of last week a committe
u from the Iron Masters Association, and
committee from the Iron Workers Associs
ton, met and agreed upon compromise
which was submitted to the last mentione
y = body on Saturday evening last, and rattle
:, by them. This compromise, which has a
ready been published allows the boilers
per tun until the 17th of the present montl
After that they submit to reduction of on
y dollar per tun, with an agreement that flu
= ther reduction shall take place in case th
y price of iron decreases. This arrangemer
+" seems to be accepted by all parties as fina
IS and in few weeks the mills will undoubtet
IN ly be running to their full capacity
1t The number of men out of employmen
10 March /, was estimated to be as follow
SO Puddlers, 700; helpers, nail laborers, an
others dependent on the works of the put
* dlers for support, s,OOOi miners, on the sOut