The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-03
THE LOCKOUT IN PlTTSBURG.

Compromise Between the IFOnmasters
and what Has Been Lost
by tho strike-EHect on the Business
Of Pittpburg.
From the Pittsburg (Penfl.) Commercial August 2
The great lockout as it is now generally
termed, which has since the 18th of January
last closed, or nearly closed, our rolling mills,
is now regarded by all parties concerned as at
an end. The ironworkers 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 the effects have been felt by all
classes of society. 1t was rumored, in De-
cemoer, 1866, that on the 18th OF the following
anuary the various iron mills in the city and
vicinity would suspend business on account OF
a difficulty about wages. The proprietors OF the
rolling mills had notified their puddlers that the
wages they were paying would have to be re-
duced, as they could no longer give So per ton.
The woTkingmen refused TO submit to any re-
duction, and a strike, or lockout, as it is now
called, was the result. On Monday, December
10, the rolling mill of Jones & Lough
lin, Brownstown, which had been paying
uary IL, the Duquesne Iron Works and the
rolling mill of Zug d Co., in the Fifth Ward,
stopped. Nearly all the mills in the vicinity
also stopped at this time. The only mills that
continued in operation we're the folio wing:-
Lyon, Shorb & Co.. Monongahela Borough
Hutchinson, Glass * Co., Soho Run; Gregg's
mills Four Mile Run; and the mills OF Hussey,
Wells Il Co., Fifth Ward. These mills con
tinued TO run all winter. On Monday, April j,
several OF the mills commenced running a few
furnaces, paying SO per ton. Affairs remained
in this state, with no immediate prospects of
settlement until card appeared, April2 from
MessIs. Zug Co., of the Sable Works, stating
that they would hand over their mill 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
Pittsburg, and those then paid over in Eastern
Pennsylvania, New York, New England and
New Jersey. This proposition was not accepted.
At this time several OF the mills were running
partially, and there were not so many men out
OF employment as during the winter. The mill
of Jones Laughlin started April 80, and has
been running ever since. Zug d Co. also started
the first of May. The Duquesne Iron Works
also commenced running. These establish
ments, however still claimed that they could
not afford to pay tie prices asked, and did not
run the full number OF furnaces.
On Saturday morning, June %, train of cars
direct from New York arrived at the Union
Depot, containing over TWO hundred iron workers
from Germany. These were put at work in
some OF the mills, and considerable excitement
was the result.
In the early part of last week a committee
from the Iron Masters Association, and COM
mittee from the Iron Workers Association, met
and agreed upon compromise, which was sub
mitted to the last mentioned body on Saturday
evening last, and ratified by them. This COM
promise allows the boilers nine dollars per ton
until the 18th of the present month. After that
they submit to reduction of one dollar per ton,
with an agreement that further reduction shall
take place in case the price of iron decreases.
This arrangement seems TO be accepted by all
parties as final, and in a few weeks the mills
will undoubtedly be running to their full
capacity.
The number o. men out of employment March
was estimated to be as ollows:-Puddlers, 700;
helpers, nail laborers, and others dependent on
the work of the puddlers for support, 5000;
miners on the south side of the Monongahela,
on the YoUghIogheny and the Pennsylvania
Railroad, 1000; iron moulders, 500; laborers de-
pendent on their work for employment 1000;
glass-blowers, 800; laborers dependent on them
for work, 700. This makes the total nun ber OF
men out of employment at that time 7000 An ave.
rage of So per day for these men would be low
estimate at the prices paid at the time of the
strike; at this rate, from January to March
81, the wages paid would have been about
81, 1902, ,000 At this time some of the mills start
ing furnished part of the men with work
Allowing 5000 to have been out of employment
since that time, and to remain SO until the new
arrangement goes into effect and their wages al
the same rate would amount to 81, $3.50, 000. The
total amount of money, had the mills not stood
idle, that would have been paid out, therefore
is So, ,982, 600. This estimate, perhaps, will moi
cover half the loss which our city has sustained
by the lockout.