Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-28
MAULED A MONOPOLY.
Flint Glass Workers Winning the
Now Famous Corning Strike.
WRIGHT WILL BE HERE TODAY.
Settlement of the Cork Workers Trouble
Reached Yesterday.
MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL NEWS

President Smith, of the American Flint
Glass Workers Union. and John j. Martin
returned yesterday from Corning, n. Y,
where there is in progress the greatest strug-
gle for unionism Mr.. Smiths organization
ever experienced.
According to Mr. Smith, however, the
men hold the key to the situation, and it is
only matter of few weeks at the fsrthest
until they will have the firm completely de-
feated. On Saturday night 60 men, in
cluding at least so of the most skilled work
men formerly employed by Houghton & Co.,
were sent to Findlay, O., where the- will be
employed by the Globe Chimney Works in
making the electric bulbs, upon which the
corning firm had such monopoly.
Of the remaining 325 strikers it is claimed
that not a man has broken faith with the
organization, and all are standing firm for
recognition of their rights. Speaking of
the situation, Mr.. Smith said: 'This is the
hardest fight we have ever had, but we will
win it as sure as the sun shines.
Complaints Made of Iii Usage.
Every man we have organized is out and
the firm has the factory full of green men
trying to operate, but their attempt is
dismal failure. The newspapers of Corning
are leagued against MS. They have been pub
fishing continually stories to the effect that
the men we're defeated, when. IN fact. the lat
ter never were in danger of losing the fight.
The papers published and republished reports
and could get along very well with
out the strikers and the men could
not get line printed in their favor for any,
thing. The tirm even controlled the Assoc-
Press nreVPDted information
tleg out of Corning concerning the strike"
Mr.. Martin added in this connection: Yes,
We wired a man in Boston to come
to Corning immediately. In seven mln-
utes, time the firm knew of it and in
some manner our telegram WAS countermanded
II We sent out information to any point. the
nrm found IL out. and the Information was
coEtradlcted 10 suit the wishes of Houghton
d Co. never saw town where any one firm
could run things so completely their own way
OF where such injustice was done to lot of
workingmen."
Mr.. Smith continued: The original cause of
this trouble as the discharge of a number of
employees because they were members of our
union. The factory was a non-union shou, and
We made an effort TO organize it. When we had
secured 1876 members the firm found us ont
HoughtOn Is himself a member of the Ameri-
can Association of Flint and Lime Glass Manu-
facturers. but was not willing that his men
should enjoy the privilege he elaine for him.
self.
-NOt OOhSANOACO an OIu1HdTy Str1ke
"As soon as he learned the names of about a
dozen of the men who had Joined the union,
they were discharged. The remainder quit out
of sympathy for their fellow workmen Since
the strike began We have organized about l5O
more men. and we have them all IN line.
The difficulty is something more than
an ordinary strike. The principle shall
workmen be permitted to exercise the
rights belonging 10 them, and shall one firm
have monopoly Of an industry that belongs to
the manufacturers of the country are questions
involved; and for once. if never before are we
nghting rot only for the rights of oar own men
but for the manufacturers as WELL"
Mr.. Martin, who went to Corning to get a
glimpse of the situation, said he had never seen
20 much excitement as prevailed there when
the 90 men lett for Flndlay. People gathered
IN great throngs arourd the depot and along the
road. and when the special train carried the
wOrkmen away, those who were left behind
paraded the streets, waving banners and flags
and cheering themselves hoarse, as il celebrat-
ing the great victory II was Citizens Joined
IN with as much gusto as the men themselves
evidently in full sympathy with the workers
new era IN the glass manufacturing industry
ol the company The monopoly on electric
bulbs, which has heretofore been held by
Houghton q Co., has been broken, and the
market VIII now be supplied by other manu-
facturers. 1t is gwen out that unless the
Corning nrm come to the terms of their men
all of their skilled workmen will be taken from
them and placed in other factories.