Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-03
SONS OF VULCAN.
Difficulty in EquaIizlns Mill Mems
Wages.
Views of a Mill Owner and the Differing
Workmen-Rumored Resuscitation
Of the Old Order

The interview in Sundays REsIsrER on
the subject Of probable break from the
Amalgamation by the boilers, or puddlers,
was widely read and provoked much COM
mept. A mill owner said to a REGISTER re-
porter:
The great problem IN the iron trade IS
not the question OF wages, although moth
ing is more certain than thst they will have
10 come down, but is the equalization OF
the wages of different classes OF mill WORK
men. The disparity between the wages oil
puddlers and inishers an been slowly H.
cressing for years until II Is 50
great that something must be done
soon in the way Of equalization. Hardly
week elapses that the puddlers do not COM
plain that they are not fairly treated.
They argue that they are as skiiful in their
department as the roller is in his; that as
much depends upon the manner in which
they perform their work; that they work
much harder than any frisher, and then
point to the fact that while they average
ceive all the way from s. to Sl5, and some
OF them run as high as $50, S25 and $40
per day. The last figures are excep-
tional, but they exist, nevertheless, and
the first cited are common, as every person
knows. The puddlers claim that their
wages should be advanced in order that the
disparity may not be so general. We can
not do what they want and continue to
manufacture IRON with profit. How the
worry can be ended l have not the slightest
idea, but that il must be ended, and that
very soon, possibly this year, is certain"
why not reduce the wages Of tinishers
and add to the wages OF puddlers In the
same proportion? suggested the reporter.
That would be one OF the biggest un-
dertakings of the age, as things are at pres
enL" replied the gentleman. Take, for
instance, where one roller that | know OF
makes from SIS to $S5 per day. The re-
suit is that the man who has no cap
ital invested and who does very little work
receives as much each day as three or four
skilled puddlers can make. The difficulty
might be remedied by CHASING these men
as contractors, but the moment anything
of that kind is attempted all the other
workmen in the mill will be up in arms
and strike Of greater length than any in
the history of the iron trade would be in
augurated."
How would it do to pay rollers and
heaters by the day, giving them such
wages as their skill warrants inquired
the reporter.
That would not work either. Men who
are paid by the day never do as good work
as those who are paid by the ton. | can't
give you any idea of what plan will be
adopted. All know is that the matter is
rapidly drawing to focus
Among iron workers the opinions given
above caused satisfaction or expressions OF
GisspprOOation in accordance with the &C.
equations OF those TO whom they were re-
ported. A roller and puddler who hap
peued to be at the same place in Pittsburg
recently got into an angry discussion over
L.. dr. ~ uh inh tho nn11lAr LET
drop q bit Of information no less interest.
ing than that puddlers are seriously think
ing Of leaving the Amalgamated Assocla-
ton and recognizing the Sons OF vulcan.
The discussion was started by the roller,
who said: THE talk about the disparity
in wages is ridiculous. A man who
has never seen q mill can learn all the
tricks of pudding in year, and know
some men who have been able to take
charge of furnace in six months; now to
become q roller something more than
brute force is required. A roller must be
a mechanic, and an intelligent one at that
or he cannot succeed. As much depends
on the skill of the roller as on teu or tif-
teen puddlers and this, to my mind, is
ample reason why rollers should receive
the wages they do"
That's your side of the story" inter-
posed the puddler, "and il is all pOppycock.
W nat COulO IOIler uO II tue puuuloE uAO
not boil the iron properly? It is not too
much to say that the whole success of a
mill depends on the manner in which iron
is puddled. We have known this all along,
and don't propose to be used by the finish
ers much longer. Within another year the
old Sons of Vulcan will be recognized, and
then We will see whose wages will go up or
come dOwH."
You can 90 as you please about that
responded the roller, warmly. The Pnd-
dlers have always been a source OF trouble
to us anyhow, and the sooner the separa-
ton comes the better We will like it.
The conversation continued in this strain
for some time, during which TIE puddler
referred more than once to : proposed
reorganization of the Sons of Vulcan. An
attempt was made by the reporter to in
duce him to go into details concerning the
movement, but he immed ately became as
dumb as an oyster, saying that the time to
talk for publication had not arrived.