Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-06-02
OPEN WAR.
One Hundred Thousand Men Out OF
rc Employment. a
Condition of the Great Strike-What is
? Thought Of the Prospect at Pittsburg
Firms Which Have Signed the
Scale.
LATEST NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS.
Special Dispatch TO the Register.

an early hour iron WORKERS peSan W Coh-
gregate at the Amalgamated Association
rooms, and to judge by the expre ION
the faces all were confident of vIctfy in
the near future. Secretary Martin smil.
ingly saluted the reporter and informed him
of the receipt of a telegram. announcing
that the scale bad been signed by the
Forest City Iron Works of Cleveland, the
Norton Iron and Nail Works OF Ashland,
proprietors OF the La Belle Steel Works,
signed the scale, this morning, and despite
The predictions of several manufacturers
tie scale was signed at the Union Iron
mills last evening. This establishment Is
running full blast to-day.
The National Rolling mill at Mcheesport
shut down last night, but the tube works
will be running until the stock is worked
up.
These are about the only changes worthy
of note. 1t is safe to say that fully 10000
men, who were yesterday at work, are now
idle, the aggregate product of whose labor
aggregated about 100000 tons per month,
and whose daily wages were about SSO,OOo.
Other iron-producing centers, such as
Wheeling, Youngstown, Cleveland, Cincin.
natl and st, Louis, where strikes are also
Begun, will almost double this enormous
total, making from eighty thousand to
hundred thosand idle operatives, prevent
ing the production of some two hundred
thousand tons of iron monthly, which, at a
valuation of $50 per ton, would reach the
enormous total of $lO,OOO,OOO, which vast
amount of business and trade is absolutely
suspended by the demand Of the workmen.
A strike of greater proportions perhaps
never occurred in the history of the coun-
try, and if continued for period of great
duration would cause widespread suffer.
ng and incalculable loss.
The iron market is dull at present. Most
of the Pittsburgh mills kept running to
their utmost capacity for long time, and
many repairs are needed. The manufactu-
rers plainly saw that general suspension
of operations would stiffen the market.
They also realized it would give them OPP
portunity to make needed repairs, and
when the workmen demanded the increase
in wages they decided to take advantage Of
the situation to gain these two ends. But
some OF them earnestly declare it would
pay them better to keep their mills idle
than to pay the prices asked, and until the
market shall change the vast majority OF
them will remain idle.
On the other hand the men say that the
Carnegie Works, the Union Mill at Cleve-
land, the Norton Iron and Nail Works at
Ashland, and Whitaker Works at Wheel
;ns, which hove oisuoI sL~ oUaio, Iii"n~.
factures the same products as the Pittsburg
mills and use the same labor. and that if
they can afford to pay the wages demanded,
so can the other mills here and in the dis
trict.
PITrsB,RGH, June This morning the
warfare between labor and capital began in
dead earnest. The fires in every iron mill
in this city, with one exception, have been
taken out, and the mills shut down. The
Bros. & Co, who signed last night. They
will continue to run, having contracts on
hand that must be filled. This isgenerally
considered bad break, and calculated to
weaken the lines of manufacturers. 1t is
one of the largest iron mills here, and has
capacity of thirty.five thousand tons year.
The steel mills are running as usual.
Most of them have signed the scale, but as
they don't employ many puddlers, it is not
thought that their signing will have any
effect on the situation.
It's expected that most of the sheet mills
will sign within few days. 1t is generally
believed that the strike will not be OF long
duration. Those mills which have sus.
pended operations will take advantage OF
the condition of affairs to make needed re-
pairs.
PIrTsEURGH, June 1.-THE labor situation
as regards the iron strike, has developed
nothing new since noon to-day.
In the mining troubles, matters are also
devoid of anything new. 1t is said that
while the iron lockout continues, no
more eolOred miners will be imported
to take the place of strikers, as there will
be little need of them. When Pittsburgh
are in full blast they con-
sumo f5S, 600 bushels of coal daily, and as
this ameunt is supplied mainly by the rail-
road mines, a protracted strike in the iron
will suspend hostilities in the coal
line.
The railrOads are reducing their force OF
laborers On account of the extreme. dull
ness in business. Over one thousand men
were discharged by the Pennsylvania. and
Pan Haadle roads, yesterday The men
will be taken back a. soon as business i'm
proves.