The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-06-01
THE IRON SITUATION.
TO SIGN OR NOT TO SIGN,
That 10 the lu.stIul-A Short Lock Out,
at Least, InnInsat 0pinluns From
Both SIaes-IntsryIeS With

PittSburgh Telegraph, ei Isstsrday.
To sign or not to sign, that is the ques-
ton among our iron men. Whether to
stand the slings and arrows OF the new
card and the bitter draught that follows
victory for the "AmalgamAted" host, or to
close down for one, two, three or more
weeks or months and permit orders to go
to thunder, mills grow cold, and "bOilers"
and "heaters" TO enjoy long loaf land
lots OF time for fishes and fshing).
This morning rep resentstive men on
both sides Of this momentous quest;on
we're visited. A "big lujun" Of the Anal.
gamated Association with the long name
had this much 70 say, and it Was hard
work 70 get him 70 say II.
~ can say this, that to-day, before
nighttall, three, and perhaps four, big
firms will sign the new scale. They are
representative firms aud other firms will
follow in their lead In q short time.
"Are all conferences oyerl
HThey are. The time for action has
come, and it must be either sign or shut
down, This is all can tell you about the
present state Of affairs. except that none
Of Us will quit tonight until our turns are
DONE"
Next, strolling among the iron masters,
the writer found the prominent mAnufac'
lures loadly anti-scale. They simply
repeated previous statements to the effect
that It was impossible 70 sign the scale;
One gentleman admitted that there would 2,
be lockout, "but not for long while,
he added, leaving the listener IN doubt Is
to whether this breyity OF lockout would
arise from cave" on the part Of labor
or capital. Sunmoning up the evidence
Obtained It would appear that il there is a
strike among our iron workers it will be
of briei duration and will be ended BY .
general signing of the scale now offered
by the AmalgAmAfed Association.
"You see," Eaid an iron man not inter.
ested on either side, this Association Of
Iron aud Steel Workers Is = mighty strong
one. No where else has il the force and
ability as right here in PittsbuYh. Out in
smaller places it loses its strength. As 4
oonseouence, Pittsburgh Is the sufferer,
and will be undersold everywhere. The
lAmalgamAted Association Is strong, and
the members know il" =,
An intelligent heater delivered himself
ss followsregGrding some apparently weak
spots in the new scale;
at Is not 4 fair Arrangement at all,
said q heater this morning, speaking o.
the boilers scale, "and II it should ever b
adopted, it would only lead 70 turthei
trouble"
resentative.
"Why, it raises the wages Of one clasI
above another. Here's the muck roller
for instance. II the new scale we're IL
lfIree be would get 6si cents per ton, while
the bar roller, who works BY 4 separate
scale, would be getting only 65 cents. Tht
same Is true OF the guide and hoop roll
ers, all Of these beiIg more skilled thar
muck rollers. Then, again, the scrap
pers on einder bottom, Who work by INT
boilers scale, would get 10 per cent
raise, while the scrAppers on sand bottom
whose work Is Just As hard and requirei
lust as much skill, would get no raise a
al. Or take the nail plate rollers. The,
are 4 much higher class than the muei
rollers, yet their pay by the new seal
would be IS cents per ton less. And i 1
that way all over the mill. II the boiler
ret their raise now il will create great dis
satisiaction with all the other classe
whose wages are not raised in proportion
and for my part don't want 70 zee
lockout. II there is 70 be any raise 4
ali, 1t ought TO adect all classes At ono
and In the same proportion"