Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-28
STILL HOLDING OUT.
The Record of Long Strikes in the
Coke Region Broken.
REAL CAUSES OF THE STRUGGLE.
Both Sides We're EndeavOring to 0verreach
Each other.
REASONS FOR PROLONGING THE FIGHT
Iron A srAFr CORRESPONDENT. !

A
SCoTTDALE, April 27.-The record OF
long strikes IN the coke region has been
broken, and this has been the hardest hight
the operators and wage workers have ever
had. The latter have been making war
against great odds, and it is wonder that
thev have been able to stand out as long as
they have There are numerous reasons
why thew should have been defeated long ere
this. They are fighting against falling mar
ket, and should work be resumed there would
not be employment for more than half OF
them.
In many cases the mines were shut down ten
days or more before the strike began and of
course the men spent great deal of their saw
Ings before they began the strike. Never be-
fore have the operators been as well prepared
for Just such fight as this. 1t was most IN
opportune strike on the part of the wage-earn-
ers and the chances are that they Will lose IT.
The operators are well organized and SO lar
the breaks in their ranks have been very lew
The same may be sald of the strikers, as the
large majority of the men who are going In to
work are imported into the region and do not
come from the ranks of the strikers. II Is true
that some of the strikers leaders have gone TO
work. and this morning another was added 70
the liSt. Robert Row, of Painter, who is sald
70 lead the Italians, went to work for Mcclure
This morning.
still standing Firm.
Yet with all these odds, the meu stand firm
and it looks as though they were prepared 10
do so for some time to come They claim they
have plenty of money and the stories circu-
lated TO the contrary are wrong and meant to
do them harm That the credit of the organi-
zltiOn is good, is evidenced by the tact that
about two weeks ago, when money was short,
over s. OuO in orders were recognized by v3ri-
Gus dealers in the region. They have since
been paid. There Is still more money to come
Secretary Parker says that Manager Lynch's
claims IN regard to work done last week are
grossly exaggerated. For instance, Mr.. Lynch
said that 257 ears of coke were shipped all
week and each day he made the claim that
nearly or fully 100 cars had been shipped. Mr.
Lynch said this morning that los cars had been
Slipped Saturday. These stories certainly do
not 1T together. If I55 cars were shipped on
Saturday the total for the week would have
run COnsidsrabl above 25I.
Secretary Parker says that in all the h. c.
Frick COmpa p has not over 800 ovens going in
al their p plants OF which they claim that lS
have started. He claims that all the ovens hTst
started at Adelaide have died out Increases
were reported at all the Frick works this morn
Ing.
One thing is certain the men shipped in here
and put TO work as coke drawers can't do the
work done by experienced men. They don't
average two ovens day, and many can't draw
one. An average coke drawer can DO 80 or 4
ovens daily.
Another Plant Started
u
old scale OF wages, and Secretary Parker says
more will fonoE. The Franklin works of so
ovens. owned by the Kelser Company, began
operations to-day. The proprietors say they
have reasons for so dong, and there was no
cause for them to stand out any longer. West
Overton. owned by OVerholt & Co., made
small start at the new scale. The operators
claim there are over 20 men a. work, but the
strikers say that only SIX men went to work. A
meeting was held there yesterday. and after
numerous votes were taken the majority of the
men decided not 10 90 to work, although at
first they thought 1t best to do SO.
An attempt was made to start Dexter, owned
by ]. c Staufer but 1t proved failure. 1t
was to have started at the new scale, and some
Of the old employees had promised to be around,
hut they didn't appear. At Painter, the in
crease was nearly . men, mainly Italians. A
small increase was reported at Morewood and
lu fact all over the region
one OF the reasons for prolonging the strike
j. be wsEI of confidence both Sides The
operators have tricked the men and the men
have done likewise with the operators, until it
has come to the point when each believes the
other to be rascal and probably have some
grounds for their belief. If il were possible to
restore confidence, the strike could easily be
settled. but at present the end does not look
near There is just as much suspicion in the
ranks Of the men as against their employers
Hundreds OF the men have no confidence in
their leaders and theleaders nave no confidence
in some Of the men.
Wrongs to Be Righted.
An agreement, signed under such circum.
stances, would hold neither party, as either
knows how easy it is to break it. An operator
said this morning that he believes the people as
a rule TO be all right if they were not agitated
and had no wrongs to work them into passion.
But they have both, he continued. at is
all a mistake to say they have no wrongs for
they certainly have. We have never had much
trouble with our men, and we are proud of cur
record. Still they are expected to stand with |
the strikers, and we are expected to hold out |
with the operators If the proper concessions |
were made by all parties concerned the affair |
could be easily settled. The men took up this |
pared to say that they can't stay out a great |
deal longer. didn't expect them to hold out |
as long they did. Certain 1t is that the iron !
20 greatly interfere with it, as 1t is too profta-
bic for that. Mr.. Carnegie broke the strike |
once, and the labor men are looking for him to |
90 again.
Father Landings address was discussed on
all sides tins morning, but so far 1t does not |
seem TO have any special effect the strike,
rs the men seem as firm ever. The strikers
Q. aim that it will really have no bad effect on
their cause. They still declare that they have
nothing to do with the Socialists, but cannot
prevent their speaking in the region.
To-day was supposed TO be a turning point
but like all other supposed turning points in
his strike, il didn't turn The strike is still on
and 1t will require a big move on o ne side or
.he other 10 end il. PARKER