Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-24
AN ATTEMPT TO WORK
PARTIAL RESUMPTION AT THE EDGAR
THOMPSON STEEL PLANT
Less Than 0ns-Sixth Of the Men Return, and Many
Of Them Go Out When PInksriOn Hen
Appear - The Situation
Fear Of Trouble.

PiTTsBURG, Pa, April 23.-The Edgar
Thompson steel works at Braddock, Pa,
resumed operations to-day, several hum
dred non-union men going to work. Sofa
there has been NO trouble. The Knights
of Labor were early on the ground, but
they kept safe distance from the COM
pany's property, and did not attempt to
interfere with the workmen further than
to quietly request them to stay away. 1t
is their intention to remain in the vicinity
of the works as long as the strike lasts,
and endeavor by their presence to per
susde the men to come out. The importa-
ton of the Pinkerton men has had seri-
GUS effect upon the strikers. They are
very bitter in their denunciation of the
move, which they declare was uncalled
for. The guards are distributed through
out the works and are ready for any emer-
gency.
About 7:30 o'clock this morning the
bricklayers who had gone to work, laid
down their tools and walked out, claiming
that they would not remain as long as the
Pinkerton men were on duty. Their
action greatly encouraged the Knights, and
as the party marched from the mill the
strikers greeted them with cheers. Just
how many men are at work cannot be posi-
lively stated, but it is not believed that the
number exceeds 500. The fires have been
started in all departments, however, and
Superintendent Jones says that he has
accomplished all that he expected.
Considerable excitement was occasioned
about Z o'clock by the arrival OF train
load of Hungarians from this city. As
they alighted at the Baltimore and Ohio
station they were greeted with cries OF
''scabs" "blacksheep," etc. No attention
was paid to the jeers, however, and they
quietly marched to the mill, where they
were at once put towork. Upto11 o'clock
there had been no outbreak. The Knights
say they will do all in their power to pre-.
vent trouble, but they will not answer for
the striking Huns" who are greatly in
censed over the importation of 200 Of their
couutrymen. A report that three compa-
MES Of militia were en- route to Braddock
caused very little excitement, as the ru-
NOR was generally discredited.
Superintendent Jones says he will have
1000 men at work by Wednesday. He
will wait to-day and to morrow for the old
men, and if they still refuse to accept the
compapy's terms he will import enough
men to run the mill. Fifty special officers
and one hundred Pinkerton men are on
guard, but there has been no violence or
disorder, and everything is quiet.
Tonight General Organizer Lavine, Of
the Knights of Labor, sent kilograms to
every local assembly in the country order
ing them to post notice warning Knights
of Labor to stay away from the Edgar
Thomson works. Mr.. Lavine is confident
of winning the fight, and says the firm
will not be able to get bricklayers or
machiuists to take the places Of the men
who refused to work to-day.
The day passed off without any breach
of the peace, aud tonight quiet reigus
about the big works. The report
that outside men would be given the
vacant places if the strikers do not
return to work ny Wednesday, visibly ex-
cited the Knights and was the principal
subject discussed on the streets OF Brad
dock. In one crowd q striker said: I'VE
have decided to have no trouble and keep
away from the mills and preserve the ut
most peace, but if the firm decides on
bringing lot of non.uniOa strangers here
we cannot answer for thu consequences. 7"
It is useless to deny that there exists much
feeling under an apparently quiet exterior,
and that trouble may occur if strangers
are brought here.
Captain Jones is still of the opinion that
the strikers will return to work. The
Knights claim that they will win, and
this feeling was strengthened when the re-
port got abroad this afternoon that the
Carnegies had decided to give premium
of $25 to all who go to work Immediately
and continue at work, and the same
amount to the men who are now at work.
This report was emphatically denied at
the offices of the company.