Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-05
STEEL VS.. IRON.
The Sailers and tho Amalgamatod Asso-
citation Come Together.

The Sailers and tho AmaIgamatcd Asso-
citation Come Together.
The United Nailers of America, the new
organization composed exclusively of nail
cutters, has thrown down the gage Of battle
before the Amalgamated Association OF
iron and Steel Workers, and from all indics
lions there must be fight between the two
bodies. The issue will be the steel nail
which, it is predicted, would make trouble
when the nallers Of the Ohio Valley began
to throw up their charter lodges in the
Amalgamated Association and form an
organization exclusively their own. AT
that time it was not thoug ht that there would
be any difficulty during the present year
it being expected that the wages and terms
demanded by the Amalgamsted Association
and the pailers would be alike for the first
year at least.
The scale Of wages sent out by the naller'
on Saturday set this at rest and showed tina
he struggle was to come at once Th'
scale was identical with that of last year ex
cept in one thing. year ago clause wa,
inserted in the Amalgamated Association
scale to cover the steel nail, then just com
ing into use. Il provided that when stee
nails were harder than iron nails 20 pc,
cent. should be added to the price paid for
cutting them. This clause was stricken out
and the steel and iron nail put on an equal
basis. with the rates for cutting at the figures
paid last year for cutting iron nails The scale
was sent out from Bellaire, where the new
association has its headquarters, and is to
go into effect on June |. While none of the
Pittsburg mills have lodges of the United
Nailers several copies Of the scale were
sent here, both to the manufacturers and
workmen, presumably that they might see
the difference between the old and new or
nlzstions 1t is semi officially announced
that every mill in the Ohio Valley district
will sign the nailers' scale and that the
heaters and rollers will also present scale
Of their own, thrusting aside the Amslgs
mated Association card.
The fight will come in on the steel nail
In the scale submitted to the manufacturers
by the Amalgamsted Association last week
there was clause covering the nail ques
tor. 1t provided that the price for cutting
steel nails should be 20 per cent greater
than the price for cutting iron nails. A
difference of this nature in the scales would
shut Pittsburg out of the steel nail trade
entirely, and one of the two organi.
cations must give way. The nailers
assert that the action of the
Amalgsmated association was taken to
weaken them BY using the argument thst the
old organization would secure better wages
or the men than the new. On the other
hand, members OF the Amalgamated Asso-
citation assert that The nailers have placed
steel and iron together in order to get their
scale sigDed aud leave the Amalgamated
Association with fight on their hands. 1t
is certain that the impression among the
Bellsire and Wheeling men is that the strike.
if there should be one, will be in Pittsburg
alone, and the Pittsburg manufacturers
will have to bear the burden alone. PITTS.
burg Commercial Gazette.