Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-27
RESUME WITHA RUSH
The Great Coke Companies Take Ac-
tiOn to Wind Up the Strike.
SUCCESS GROWING THEIR EFFORT.
Desperate Men Almost Precipitate Riot at
Leisenring.
THE MASS MEETING AT MT. PLEASANT
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.


SCoTDALE, March 26.-The entire coke
region is in a fever of excitement over the
attempt OF the Frick, Mcclure and few
other companies to break the great coke
strike. Last night and this morning notices
of the sliding scale of wages the companies
proposed to pay were posted about the
works, giving the conditions under which
work was to be resumed. The coke COM
panies say it will be only short time be-
fore smoke will be ascending from their
ovens as of yore. On the other hand, the
labor leaders say they regard this as a
failure to break the strike. The Frick
Company is the largest concern in the bust
ness, owning over two-thlrds OF all the
ovens; and when they make a move 1t is
watched with keen interest. The Mcclure
Company is the second largest company in
the district, having over 1000 ovens.
Many Coke Plants in Full Resumption.
AT FrIck's general Office here it is report
ed that the Mutual plant of 154 ovens is in
full resumption at their terms They also
say that men are at work at Leisenring No.
2 Leith, Redstone, Broadford and Morewood.
According to their statements, over 1000 men
are working at the last-named plant alone, and
that fully 200 ovens were charged to-day. The
Mcclure Company report their CoalbrooK
plant of 20 ovens as being fully manned. The
labor officials say that up to this hour they
have only received notification from one plant
-JimtOwn-where a few men are reported at
work but are expected to go out after mass
meeting which is expected TO be held there to-
night
1t was learned to-day that the great coke
companies have been engaged in forming the
sliding SCALE which they posted, ever since the
interview with Andrew Carnegie appeared.
The principal points Of the scale in question
are as follows: The minimum selling price of
coke TO be 81 75; mining to be 81 90 per 100
bushels: coke drawing, 30 cents per 100 bushels;
drivers. etc. 81 IS per day of nine hours: dunn
pers and tiDplemen, 81 60. For every advance
Of 10 cents PEI ton over 81 20 per ton, , cents
per 100 bushels shall be added to mining and
the same to drawers and two per cent. shall be
added 10 all other work, except charging and
levelng.
The Scale Good for Three Years.
The scale is to remain in force for three
years. Committees are to be recognized in the
adjustment of grievances and labor officials
may compose these committees. BY the old
scale the men received 81 o. for mining and 81
cents for drawing coke.
President Rae declared that they would not
begin to make a settlement on any other terms
than the following: weigh scales on tipples,
50 cents per ton for mining. and eight hours
work to constitute days work. The strike
for these demands was declared on at a mass
meeting at Mt. Pleasant this afternoon.
This evening SheritfS Clawson and McCor-
mica, Of Westmoreland and Fayette Counties
were given imperative orders to hold them
selves in readiness at moments notice. as the
will 1inlv firrhr do
TO intlmidate their workmen.
Members of the coke companies state that
about l3 works start in to-day under the scale
posted by the operators, and that more would
have started had they been given the opportun-
itN Manager Lynch, of the Frick Company
was seen this afternoon, and said:
Overwhelmed With Mems Applications.
My instructions were not to attempt to start
our works until about the lst of May, but as |
we were receiving applications from men daily |
10 60 TO work, and as the company had decided |
on the scale OF wages we would pay, could
see no good reason for keeping them out.
When the notices were posted last evening 1 |
HAD no idea SO much work would be done for |
at least a week. l expected only few men to |
work, and made no effort to start. You can i'm |
agine nv surprise when 1 received those notices
this morning that out OF Il Of the works where |
the scale was posted Ten are working. Among |
these ten are MorewoOd, West Lesenrng Req
stone and Jimtown, four of our largest plants
The Mutual works of the United Coal and Coke |
Company started in full, as did the Colebrook |
works OF the Mcclure Company.
I'VE did not post the scale at eight of our /
works. Tor the reason that we have not orders |
enough to take the product of all and must |
defer starting some until the demand increases |
You Will remember that we had only so per /
cent OF our ovens running when the strike |
started Manager Brennan of the Mcclure
Company, said: I'VE are shipping 10 cars of /
coke today
Almost Riot at Leisenring
The movement OF the Frick Company to start
their works at their own terms almost culmin-
ated in a riot at the Leisenring No. works to-
day. A number or men went to work there.
aud the strikers decided to hold mass meet
ing in order to get the men to quit work Sew
eral speeches were made and resolutions passed
that the men who were working must be forced
to quit.
Some 70 or 100 of the strikers gathered nm
clubs and stones and made raid on the works,
driving the men away Stones and ali
sorts of missiles flew everywhere |
and several men were struck. but not
BADLY injured. As soon as General Manager /
.ynCh was appriSed of the occurrence he tele- |
-raphed TO Sheriff Mccormick for assistance.
That officer responded, and tonight the works
ire amply guarded by strong force of depu-
les.
A special to THE DISPATCH from Mt. Pleas.
INT says: The Grand Opera House here to-day
vas crowded with strikers, who held a mass
meeting. Messrs Penna, Wise, Dismon and
|
eCelved. Speeches were made in English |
Ierman and Slavish. The following resolution
vas adopted:
Resolved, That we consider the scale as pre-
ented by the operators of the coke region 10
heir employees as an insult not only to the
miners, but to all who earn their bread by the
weat Of their brow: and be it therefore
Resolved That we consider the scale as pre-
'Osterous, and that our intention is to remain
die for oneyear rather than accept such terms;
nd. be it
Resolved, That we respect our officers as eff
lent 10 look after our interests
The affairs in the cuke region have undoubt-
dly reached crisis. Some of the men have
ertainly accepted the new scale of per cent
eductiOn, as the operators expect to have their
'orks IN full operation by the old men this
eek
MAN TLJrpcr |