The daily gazette., 1882-06-01
IRON MEN STRIKING.
MANY thousand MEN ADAM
= DOMINO WORK TO-DAY.
BAD oUFLOoK IN THE WEST.
Mills Closing in PittsSS7g, Wheeling and
Ohio-A Great Labor Strike Probable
The Extent of the Troubles.


PITTsBURG, May 3l-To-morrow morn
the great iron strike, inaugurated by the
Amalgamated Association Of Iron and Steel
Workers of the United States, begins in the
Pittsburg and Wheeling districts. The first
of May every year is the time fixed by the
laws of the Amalgamated Association for
the re-affirming of the old or ratification
of a new sliding scale of wages by the man
ufacturers. For several years past the Anal
gamated Association has grown SO rapidly
that it now practically controls the labor
element of three-fourths of the mills in the
United States.
At the last annual convention of the
National body, held in Cleveland, It was re-
solved that hereafter all scales submitted in
the various districts of the country should
be based on the scale adopted at Pittsburg.
This year, knowing the responsibility of the
task, two weeks extra time was given the
Pittsburg district lodges to settle the mo-
mentOus question. Late in the present
month scale was presented to the manu-
iacturers by the conference committee of
the Pittsburg district. The scale called for
an increase in the wages of puddlers, heat
ers, muck rollers, scrappers aud nearly all
departments of mill labor.
There was considerable dissatisfaction ON
the scale, and a new convention of the wage
workers was called. Atthis meeting com
promise was prepared, and subsequently
presented to the manufacturers. The new
scale called for an advance in only three
departments, pudding, heating and scrap
ping on Sand bottoms, and, IL was supposed
would be satisfactory to the employers. II
was, however, indignantly rejected by the
manufacturers, with due notice that no
advance would be paid over the scale Of last
year
On Saturday last another Amalgamated
convention was held, when the compromise
scale was Withdrawn and the old demand of
an advance all around was substituted
From the beginning of June was the time
set by the workmen for their employers to
signify their acceptance of the scale, and in
the event of refusal to sign it a general
strike would be instituted and every mill
shut down. The manufacturers have held
frequent meetings during the past month,
and at every one reafflrmel their determine
tion to resist the demands of the Amalga-
mated Association.
In the Wheeling district the same state of
affairs exists, and tomorrow every mill but
| one in that section will close down. In the
Pittsburg district, which embraces over SO
mills, all will shut down on June / with the
exception of two or three which have signed
the scale or will do so within the next "a
hours. The iron manufacturers predict
/ iOnB uIu blbLtT Nllie bub AHlhiBa-
mated Association say that the strike will be
of short duration. The iron men in all sec
tions of the United States are watching the
fight here, Us it is generally understood to be
a bio" ail"ed ~ the life of the Amalgamated
Association, though manufacturers deny
this charge.
CINcINNATI, May 31.-Some time ago the
puddlers or boilers in the rolling mills in
Cincinnati, COyington, and Newport notified
~ NJ 1.
| prices Can advance of 80 cents a toni was
acceded to by this evening they would
| strike tomorrow. The bosses are not
inclined to make any such concession.
| If this goes on there will be no work in
| the mills tomorrow, and more than 1000
men will be thrown out of employment.
Employees other than boiler makers had
| enough of idleness in last summers strike,
and are bitterly opposed to this one. Indeed,
they are seriously contemplating levying
tax upon themselves TO satisfy the demands
of the puddlers for higher wages if the mill
owners refuse to make the concession
demanded. AH"
: There are six mlllsin this city and vicinity
which will be affected by the strike if it
occurs.
ST. Louis, May 31.-At 0 o'clock tonight
the time for the change of watch or turn,
the iron mems strike took effect In obedi-
ence, it is said, to the direction of Mr..
| White, ii district yice-pTesident of the ANAL
eamated Association. About 300 men
have ceased work, and the fires at three
torges or mills are out. These are the
Laclede Rolling Mill, the Hembacker
Forge, and the Harrison Wire Mills. Re
garding the latter there is some controversy
of statement as to whether all the men
formally Joined the strike, but the fact is
they are not Mt work The Macdonald mill
and forge employs about 100, mostly nom
union men, and expects to go ahead. In
fact, only five belong TO the Iron Workers
Amalgamated Association.
YOUNGSTOWN, ONO, May 31.-A scale
of wages was presented to all the mill
owners of the Mahoning Valley to-day, and
all refused to sign. No work, therefore,
will be done at any of the mills tomorrow.
| Brown, Bonnell IL Co. have ordered that all
their furnaces and coal mines be closed
| down. This strike will throw 10000 men
| out of employment in this valley alone.
CLEVELAND, May 3l.-The HJrGld's
special from Erie reports that $50 puddlers
of the Mount Hickory rolling mill will go
on a strike tomorrow for an advance of SO
cents per ton.
WHEELING, May 31.-The iron and nail
mills of this city and vicinity shut down
this evening for an indefinite period, the
| proprietors having refused to sign the new
scale of wages for employees, which would
take effect tomorrow. The Whitaker sheet
iron mill signed the scale this evening, and
will be the only mill in operation tomorrow.
BY this stoppage 5000 men will be thrown
put of employment here, and both parties
are firm The outlook is gloomy in the
extreme.
The Weather. .ez.