Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-12
RIFLES AT RAINEY'S.
Armed Detectives Guarding the Men
at Work in the Coke Region.
SERIOUS TROUBLE IS EXPECTED.
Carpenters Asked to Support the Braddock
Wire Strikers.
MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL ITEMS

A mass meeting of coke strikers was held
near Lemont yesterday and the situation
fully discussed. Master Workman Peter
Wise, who is at present attending the
Columbus Convention, sent letters to Secre-
tary Dehaven to admonish the strikers to
remain firm. He will return home as soon
as the important business of the convention
is transacted to take charge Of tine strike.
The bumpers at various mines throughout
the region who wanted to strike Tuesday are
at work, having needed the admonitions of
Secretary Dehaven. the situation has as
sumed q peculiar aspect at the Stewart
works of the Stewart Iron Company. It
seems that Superintendent V andusen check
mated the movement to strike by notifying
all the employees that the plant would be
shutdown owing to the depression in the
iron trade, and that when they decided to
resume each miner would have to stand an
examination as to his competency, lest their
services be summarily dispensed with.
The Men Are Exercised.
The men were much exercised over the
notices and inaugurated strike. The strike
excitement has caught the blacksmiths at
several points throughout the region, and
committees have been swarming the district
office to find out whether or not they shall con-
tinue working. The operators, at least the
larger ones, are apparently not disturbed over
the strike. They view the situation complac-
emily and think few weeks shutdown will be
instrumental in improving the coke trade.
The employees of the works of James Coch-
ran, Sons Co. and Brown Cochran. num-
bering 600 ceased work yesterday and Joined
in the fight 1t was reported that the strike
had been broken in the southern end OF the
region by the employees Of the Lemont and
Mount Braddock plants resuming work. Care
ful investigation revealed the fact that the en-
ployes there were working through misunder-
standing, and promise to be out to man this
morning.
At Lemont the ovens were being charged,
which accounts for them being az work. There
was also some opposition among the men at
Laughlin's plantsnear Broadford to strike, but
after couple of meetings were held, all dissat-
lsfactlou was allayed and the men decided to
strike last night.
More Meetings for To-Day.
A meeting of the strikers of the Cochran
plants, together with the employees of the Fort
Hill and PAUL plants of Rainey, will be held at
Vanderbilt to-day. This meeting is expected
to develop a decided sentiment among the
Rainey men for strike.
The miners at the Rainey works have so far
refused to join the strike. bat all tie leaders in
the movement are at work among them, and
the pressure is becoming SO strong that 1t IS
generally thought they will come out before
long. II they persist in their stand there is no
telling what may be the result. The feeling is
already very bitter. and bloodshed is not in-
probable if they 10 not join the strikers
Some 40 or so Pinkerton detectives are now
on duty at the works, and Ralney has asked
help from Sheriff Mccormick, of Fayette
county.
A fight occurred at Fair Haven Tuesday
night between two Hungarians named Mutzaic
and Kurtota. which is the outcome of the
present trouble. The men duarreled because
one of them wanted to work. and in the fight
which followed, Kurtota was probably fatally
injured. His little daughter. who happened to
be with her father at the time, was tadly hurt.