The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-06-02
LAROR's STRUGGLE.
rxtsnsuashfng tho Furnace Fire" I'm
~. Louis and Elsewhere "''""'
tton I'm Pittsburgh.
fnv telegram 10 the New York Herald.l

NIGHT The Lacledc Rolling-Mills. the
Uelmhacber Forge and the Harrison W Ire
Works mt out the fires In their furnaces al
the close Of work this evening. The man
aoers Of the st. Louis Nut and Bolt Com
many whose furnaces are located in East
81. i,ouis. hope TO come 10 some arrange
ment at a meeting to be held tomorrow
that will prevent strike. This company
claim that inasmuch rs the manufactured
product turned out at their works Is spe-
cialty they should not be included IN the
programme OF the strikers. The MacDon-
Aid mills and forge employ about one hun
dred and sixty men. all Of them non-uniOn
operators except five or six, and this estaD-
lishmcnt expects 10 go right ahead. Ihe
concerns mentioned are the only ones that
are likely 10 be affected, as the strike Is en-
clusiyely bar-mill workers affair and does
not interest other iron or steel-workers al
all. How long the strike will last depends
altogether upon Pittsburgh and the action OF
the strikers there. Ii is not likely, how
ever. that the men will resume work before
September, as an earlier settlement OF the
troubles at Pittsburgh is altogether impro-
bable. So far the demands OF the strikers
have been presented In a cool, business
like way, and the proprietors OF the WORKS
mentioncd.do not anticipate any disorderly
conduct on the part OF their discontehieu
employees.
THE PROSPECT AHEAD.
The season is ilI-chOsen by the strikers,
because most OF the mills have finished oil
their heavy contracts and are prepared 10
shut down ANYHOW. II is said that the st.
Louis manufacturers have foreseen this
strike and made preparations for 1t by
working up their raw material, and all OF
lt.a.s 81 IN
ished work, which will, rs a result OF the
strike. 20 up. The men, on the other
hand, claim to be equally well equipped to
stand 4 siege. Many of them have laid by
considerable money for the proverbial
"rainy day." and are ready for the water
to come down rs soon rs it may please.
The others, who have not been so fortunate
or so provident. ~yill have no difficulty in
making both ends meet during the summer
months. In the event that the strike lasts
beyond September and supplies begin to
run short, the strikers say that they Will be
assisted to keep up their end Of the fight
through the voluntary contributions OF
their -workingmen in other lines OF
their own industry.
ORIGIN OF THE TROUBLE.
The history of the present strike is as
follows: The movement originated IN
Pittsburgh, against the advice of Mr.. n.
Jarratt. the president Of the Amalgamated
Association Finding he was unable to
prevail upon the men to stop, or at least
defer the contemplated strike, Mr.. JaTratt,
who is spoken OF by mill prOprietOrs eve
rywhere rs a most sensible man, induced
the strikers TO modify their demands from
the shape in which they Were at first pre-
scented, aud thus succeeded in placing en-
ployers and employees in comparatively am
icable relations 10 each other. Pittsburgh
controls the iron markets OF the West. and
therefore any movement inaugITated there
is sure to he followed in Cincinnati and 81.
Louis. Two years ago the wages paid in
these aforementioned cities were graded
upon the scale prevailing in Pittsburgh.
Then Cincinnati men got ten per cent.
more than the Pittsburgh men, and ST.
Louis men 30 per cent. more than Pitts
burgh. The result Of these high rates OF
wages paid by Cincinnati and st. Louis was
that the mill proprictors could not fill con-
tracts at Pittsburgh card rates for selling
manufactured iron, and they accordingly
shut down until they could have an Oppor.
tunity to adjust rates on "A more equitable
basis. Last June the mills shut down, and
remained closed until the beginning OF
November. On October 10th, at confer
ence in Cincinnati of proprietors and en-
Dloyes. compromise was agreed on. st.
Louis rates were reduced to those OF Gin
cinnati, and Cincinnati rates remained 10
per cent. above Pittsburgh. The period
covered by the compromise was from De-
tober % to June |, 1882, when forever
after the prOprietors agreed to pay the
same as Pittsburgh rates, whatever they
might be. The period covered by the
ccn,nrnn.i-a az ir,S IN Tho strike
is caused by the demand Of st. Louis Opc-
rators that the compromise shall be annu-
led and new and Independent rules be eS-
tablished. The manufacturers decline TO
grant the demand. because they insist that
the effect OF il will be to put the idea OF
competition by st. Louis with either Gin
cinnati or Pittsburgh entirely out OF the
question. They say that this is difficult
matter now on account Of the price OF coal,
which is kept up 10y the railroads at afgure
that is too high, and by the fact that the
rates on iron from Pittsburgh to nil points
In the West and South are exactly the same
as from It. Louis. Pittsburgh controls the
iron market for rolled iron, and can, with
the present advantages OF freight and labor
in st. Louis, undersell st. Louis mills on
large quantities.
ECONOMIC VIEW OF THE SITUATION.
The economic view OF the situation /.
this The puddlers, heaters, rollers
roughers, and their respective helpers
who rank as skilled laborers, and are paid
wages varying from $3.50 to 81 day, and
are all members of the Amalgalnatcd Asso
citation, will not suffer materially. but the
laborers about the mills who do not repre-
sent "skilled labor" and who are not adj
miited to membership in the Association
will be thrown out OF employment will
the rest, and will lose their small wages oil
$3.50 TO 1925 per day. As long as the mill,
continue at work these men have steady
Jobs, but the closing Of the mills leaves
them without savings or prospects OF other
employment.
The strike in 81. Louis will include about
|. thirteen hundred members OF the Amalga
"A mated Association, besides an army OF
~ laborers. In this district, including mill.
outside OF st. Louis, there will be about
five thousand ir0n-workcrs thrown out OF
employment The matter was the cbie
topic OF conversation in all circles to-day
There seems to be I'm idea prevalent thai
the strike will spread to other trades, but
an extensive canvass made to-day failed To
discover anything on which to base thi,
idea. One peculiar fact growing out OF
the general discussion Of the wages ques-
ton due to this strike is that potatoes to-
day decreased TO 80 cents 4 busheland beef
declined cents pound.
THE SITUATION AT PITTSBURGH WEDNESDAY.
PITTSBURGH, PA. May 3l.-The rain
pOurs in torrents i'm this overcrowded city,
where the crush Of the Knights Templar has
run hotel rates up to IS day, and hacks
charge in proportion. Tomorrow comes
ia "a Inn xyiI