Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-05
A GREAT SURPRISE.
An Alleged Move to Reduce Mill
Wages.
The Meeting at Pittsburgh-The Coke In
dusty-Gsneral Industrial Matters
About the City.


iron workers for the coming year has been
little discussed. The Amalgamation meets
At Pittsburg, on Saturday, to prepare
scale to be submitted, but it has provoked
but little talk among the men. But q Pitts
burg evening paper, of yesterday, says the
iron manufacturers of the west have quiet
ly prepared
GREAT SURPRISE
for their employees and the public IN gen =
eral Heretofore, when the time drew near
for the annual adjustment of wages in the
mills, the manufacturers quietly awaited
the demand Of the workmen, then held
meeting and decided whether to accept or
reject them. This year the manufacturers
have repeatedly within the past two
months declared that instead OF
wages being adjusted as usual they
would have to be subjected to
a complete re. adjustment and that on q
basis lower than has been paid since the
close of the great strike. In order 20 leave
no doubt concerning the necessity tor this
thew also determined to take the initiative
in the matter instead of awaiting the result
of the elaboration Of the workmen. In
pursuance Of this policy three or four we'll
known representatives Of the iron trade
have visited the headquarters OF the West
ern Iron Association in this city two or
three times a week during the past month.
Each time they took her books into the
room used for holding meetings and occa-
sionally-when
THE BLINDS WERE NOT DOWN
too closely-they could be seen engaged in
earnest discussion or busily at work max
ing figures. In spite OF the most persist
ent effort, the object Of these mysterious
confabs was concealed from the public,
but the whole matter leaked out this morn
ing.
During last nigh. and early to-day the
names of iron manufacturers doing bust
uess in Cleveland, Cincinnati and other
Ohio towns, Wheeling, Coyington, KY,
Chicago and other towns in Illinois, and
St. Louis, Missouri, appeared on the hotel
registers of this city. About ten o'clock
these gentlemen entered the rooms OF the
Western Iron Association, and the doors
were closed 10 outsiders. They were mol
opened until half past one this afternoon,
and then every person present seemed to
be so terribly hungry that
THEY COULD NOT TALK,
but were compelled to hurry to dinner.
Mr.. Weeks was not very hungry, but suc-
ceeded in imparting very little lntorma'
ton. The meeting, he said, was merely the
annual gathering Of the Western Iron
Association. Mr.. B. +. Jones had been re-
elected President; Mr.. James |. Bennett,
Vice President, and Mr.. Weeks Secretary
and Treasurer. Beyond this, he said, he
could say nothing, save that reports showed
trade to be far from satisfactory.
By dint Of considerable running around
IL Was ascertained that Mr.. Weeks state
ment was correct as far as il went, but that
compared with what had really been done
il was nothing but preface. An annu Al
meeting of the Western Iron Association
was held, but its business did not consume
much time. When il was finished meet
ing Of the association, organized during the
great strike last year, was held. The ousl,
ness considered was the wages to be PAID
next year. The gentlemen who had been
meeting so mysteriously at the rooms oil
the association presented
REVISION OF THE SCALES
of the present year, and this was discussed
and after some minor changes adopted, as
the basis on which the manufacturers will
stand. The exact figures of the manutac
turers' scale could not be ascertsined, bnt
II was learned without doubt that it pro
poses a reduction in wages of from 10 to %
per cent. The reduction takes In the whole
list of mill workmen, puddlers as well as
Gnishers coming in for their share. 1t Is
made necessary, the manufacturers say, by
the condition Of trade and the reduction OF
the tariff, and will not be deviated from.
The action is calculated to create senSa-
ton among the wOrkmen, who have count
ed on working for net less and possibly
more than present wages. President Jar
rett, of the Amalgamated association, was
at his home in Sharon to-day; hence his
opinion vi the manufacturers move could
not be ascertained. When Secretary Mar
tin was spoken 10 regarding the matter he
at once disClaimed all knowledge OF what
would be the possible outcome. In answer
TO the question as to whether he thought
trouble may be expected, he said: NO, sir,
do not think that there will o. any stcug'
gle" but he declined to give = reason Tor
the opinion.
Our Coke Furn aces.
Our State, according to the report made
to the Census Bureau, in 1850, had twelve
coke works in operation, representing q
capital of $33O.OOO; employed los hands,
whose annual wages were SIS 9i2; con-
sumed l4S, 1870 tons of coal, va ued at Sl35,
954; and produced %, 720 tons OF coke val
ued at S2l65SS.
According to this report there are li9
coke establishments in the United States,
representing a capital of S., SIS, 05S. OF
these establishments Pennsylvania has l0i,
giving employment, Special Agent
Weeks says, to 2,444 hands. This, the
Connellsville Courier says, is gross
error. The Conn ellsville coke re-
gions alone employs nearly ten thousand
men now, and in 1850, when the census
was taken, there was not less than 5000
ovens in the COnnellsyille region employ
ing 5000 hands. The discrepancy is so
glariDg that We cannot understand how
the mistake was make. The report further
states that the total amount annual
ly paid for wages is 1888, 43l; the
amouns OF coal produced was 3,6OS, 095 tons
of the value of 81, 03l, 3O5; the annual pro-
duct il 2,3IT, l49 tens of coke valued at
8, 1876 The total value OF the entire
product of the country is put down at
Is, $50 4S9, so that it will be seen that Penn
sylysnia produces about four tfthS OF the
entire product.
Industrial Notes.
The Riverside nail works are running
steadily.
The North Wheeling cooper shops are kept
busy supplying this trade with kegs.
Bells foundry is running full force and
turning out large quantity OF stoves.
Iuc AOulAllS
though all of them are running full time.
Trains are running on the P, w. & Ky.
extension as far south as the sugar refinery.
The Belmont foundry is busily engaged
casting necessary irons for the blast fur.
mace.
The new machine shop building at the
La Belle is being constructed as fast as
practicable.
The La Belle mill is on full in all depart.
pents. The work on the new iron st-uc,
ture is completed.
The boilers on Captain Bays new boat,
Minnie Bay" were tested, yesterday, at
22O pounds hydraulic pressure.
The shaft for the water wheel OF Captain
Berry's new boat was taken TO the landing
by Sweeney & Son last evening.
A large roll for one OF our industries was
cast at Sweeney X Sons foundry, yestsr.
day. Also potion upset for set Of
squeeZers.
The Tnr mill 10 pvorkinO alonO az nsual