The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-04-21

| LAST YEARS scALE PROPOSED,
The workmen proposed last years scale
Ql- wages, with the following additional
clauses: All branches Of labor belonging
to the Amalgamated Association, whether
paid by the company or not, and not goy-
erned by scales, shall rise and fall in the
same proportion to those branches which
are mentioned in the scale. The old scale
to apply to muck trains with two sets Of
rolls or lees. On trains with three or more
Gets OF rolls the extra hands required there
on shall be paid by the company. The
old scale ol wages to govern sheet mill
work was proposed with the proviso that
for steel sheets harder than iron, rolled on
iron sheet tmills the price demanded is 20
percent above common iron prices, which
is an advance Of 10 percent. The price for
knobbling raw pix iron to be s. per ton
above the price paid for working refined
iron. The workers state that this is the
old rate and does not interest any mills in
this district. The price demanded for
making steel nails when harder thon iron
is 20 percent above the price paid for cut.
ting iron nails. The workers also demand
that the nalers' rates for nail cutting which
have ruled heretofore shall be included in
the scale. In one particular concession
was made by the workers, in dropping the
one dollar per ton for boiling extra railroad
axle iron. 57.s
THE woRkMEN's SCALE REFUSED.
"This seale," said Secretary Martin, sis
practically last years rates, and the only
material change is an advance Of ten per.
cent in steel sheets. The other items have
been long sanctioned by usage, and we
sought to merely have them officially en-
bodied in the scale. The clause relating to
the payment Of extra hands on three, or
more sets Of rolls will affect but few mills,
as only q very limited number have that
many in traln." The entire scale as sub.
mitted by the workmen was at once re-
fused by the manufacturers, who in turn
propose another. AS had been foreshad-
owed, this included cut-down in wages.
and proposed reduction Of ten percent in
all departments Of mill work governed by
the scale. The workers. side lost no time
in rejecting the manufacturer terms Of
contract for the comiug year, someone
moved an adjournment, and the conference
broke up without appointing another day
on which 10 meet. Secretary Martin, in
talking Of the manufacturers proposition,
said;
TIE MANUFACTURERS PROPOSITION.
"The scale as proposed by the manu-
facturers, with the ten percent reduction,
would bring boiling, which is now IS SO
per ton down to s495. One.third and five
per cent oi the whole must be paid to the
helper, so you see the small margin left for
the .puddler. It would bring bar heating,
which is now 10 cents ton, to Gs
cents, out of which the rougher must be
paid. Guide rolling, now 81 90 per ton,
would be brought down 10 s. 81, from
the roller must pay ope.fourth to the heater
clone, besides paying the remainder OF the
crew. Sheet rolling, taking 24gauge as a
basis, is now IS per ton, but the scale pro-
posed would bring that branch down to
S6 so per ton, OF which amount the heater
gets one.fourth, the shearman one fifth and
out OF the balance the wages OF the rougher
and catcher must be paid. The conference
resulted in no conclusion, did not surprise
US, as We hardly expected to do anything
to-day. The next move must be made by
the manufacturers if they want another
conference, but at present there Is no time
set. The meeting was characterized by
good humor and q desire on both sides to
conduct negotiations without the least Jar"
oTIlER WE'VE. .s,l
One Of Pittsburghs leading iron manu-.
iacturers, who refuses the use OF MS name,
expresses decided opinion that some re.
duction must be made. "NWe are deter.
mined TO haveit,," he said, "and We believe
that our side is solid enough to enforce the
demand" On the other hand worker who
is at the head Of the Amalgamated lodge
holds different opinion. 'The men feel
aesured," said he, "that the manufacturers
will sign las. years scale before the lirst Of
June. When it comes to the pinch We will
throw OF the extras proposed, but we feel
certain that last years wages can be easily
secured.