Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-29
MONEY FOR STRIKERS
The Coke Workers Have Hope From
The Columbus Meeting.
READY CASH ISN0W A CERTAINTY
Conflicting Reports as to the Number Of
Men Who Are at Work.
OBJECT TO SOLDIERS AT EFlCTl0NS
READY CASH ISN0W A CERTAINTY
OBJECT TO SOLDIERS AT EvICTIoNs
pRon A STAFF cOnRrsroNpENr. ]


trict Master Workman, to-day returned
from Columbus, and it is claimed he brought
with him several thousand dollars to dis
tribute among the needy miners and cokers,
and more is to follow 1t is believed now
that the eight-hour strike Will not interfere,
more money can be secured to carry on the
coke war.
The strikers ore jubilant at the outcome of
the Columbus meeting, and some say that
the eight hour business is not wanted, any
how. An operator said while In CONVERSE
tion with The DISPATCH representative
that he believed that the failure of the May
l strike to materialize would be bad in this
affair. He would not admit that the men
could possibly win, but said he thought
they would spend their money and hold out
for nothing. The eight-hour strike would
not greatly affect the coke region as to hours,
because very Jew OF the men work longer
than eight hours and some do not put in
that much time. Very few men work by
the day, and those why do are not confined
to any number of hours, but do a certain
amount of work.
More men are reported as having gone to
work to-day than any day since the strike
was inaugurated, but inside Information
shows that the figures are more than usually
exaggerated by the operators. For instance IL
is claimed that 40 men went to work at More
wood when there were only TO- 1he report
from Adelaide says there was 60 new men, anu
at the same ratIO it would be Is. AT Kyle 10
new men are reported, which is proDaply "a,
the fraction probably being boy. Since the
operators have the best OF this tight Just at
present they ought at least give Out the correct
figures, or after while the people at large
won't believe anybody is at work 1T all.
Painter had an increase, and increases are
reported from nearly all the works. The Nc
Glure people say Painter will be running full
before the close of the week, 1t is reported
that West OvertOn had an increase, but
striker from there says that only two men and
a couple of bosses were on duty. Manager
Lynch, of the Frlck company, says he HAD a
carload of new men today but would notsay
where they came from, as he expects as many
more from the same place.
OF course, the labor officials say that while
there was an increase at various plants, the
above figures are greatly exaggerated. They
make their usual defiance, anG declare that
they are bouud to Win. AS the elght-hour
strike money will probably be poured into the
region they will be able to stand out great
deal longer than they otherwise could, but it
Will require much better coke market than
there is al present for them 10 win. The iron
market was overstocked last year, and If the
iron business is bad 1t will have a bad effect OH
the coke trade. Many big iron mills are not
rdnnins, or only on short time, and that pre-
vents the coke market becoming very good,
thus holding the end of the strike OF. The
iron mills here are talking of closing down en-
tirely for the present
The Strike Eventually Settled.
AS the matter stands now the strike may be
considered virtually settled, as the operators
IIt1,a ool-a
ply the trade and that is all that Is needed
at any time, If they can continue to do SO
that is all they ask, and they can hold out
against the men until doOmsday. Just as
quick as the trade cam OF be supplied the men
will have the advantage, but The prospects for
a good trade are not bright, and therefore the
prospects for the men winning are not bri ght.
However, they may hold on and win.
A long strike is a very bad thing fora COM
munity and this one has put large number of
small dealers in the coke region very near the
edge of bankruptcy. Notwithstanding the
company stores the men purchase great deal
of stuff from other dealers and now that the
men are not drawing any wages they purchase
very little OF anything. 1t shuts off 4 revenue
of considerably over Sl5,0UU day in this region
from the laborng men only, and whenever they
suffer, dealers of all kinds must suffer also.
Even the hotel men murmur at the TACT that
very few commercial travellers find it to their
interest to visit the region at present.
That there Is dissatisfaction in the ranks of
labor is evidenced by little scene in headquar-
tiers. One of thes strikers, who is more noted
for his candor than for any special line OF
policy, told a leader that when he got in any
cash he had better hold back enough to pur-
chase a carpet bao.
why so T' inquired the leader.
If 1 am not mist AIKEN you will need it before
very long" replied the striker. who evidently
don't believe they are going to win.
Status of the Independents.
The action of the independents" owners of
small plants, is going to figure somewhat in the
wind up of this affair. One operator had an ap-
pointment to meet the Scale Committee today
but on account of some hitch did not appear at
the appointed hour. Others are said to be
ready to coDcede the old scale and break away
from the ranks OF the larger companies. In the
old days the operators formed trust, but there
were always few who broke over. Now the
Frick and Mcclure companies have pretty
solid hold aud can carry nearly the whole
region with them. However, if the independ-
ents make break 1t viii give the strikers a
good advantage.
An operator is authority for the statement
that the last meeting of the Executive Board of
the District was called to declare the strike of
but no one had the nerve to take the intiatory
step. The same operator says that he don't
believe the strike will ever be declared off, but
it will gradually break up and the men will re-
turn to work few at time. The labor
leaders deny the above, and 1t is certainly
probable that If they really believed the strike
lost they would not pour SO much money into it
as they now are.
Kicking Against the Soldiers.
At labor headquarters to-day there was many
a perhaps righteous kick made on the fact
that the soldiers have been used in police duty
at the evctions in Fayette county Sheriff Nc
Cormack's deputies had a guard constant
ly on duty in the evictions yesterday though
committee from labor headquarters was ready
to make the eyictiOns peacable without the
military display. This has somewhat angered
the labor people, who say they were ready to
keep peace but were denied the privilege. How
ever, this trouble will not occur again. 1t was
contrary to the orders of General McCelland
and Captain FraSher, neither of whom was on
the field General McCleland's Telegram to
the Captain last week, after the Leiseuriug
affair, was clear order that the military was
in no way to assist in the eyictions nor to do
any police duty. 1t was rather mistake than
disobedience of orders on the part of the young
man In command yesterday. The military will
hereafter be kept in clnse proximity to the
deputies but will not stand guard A larger
force of deputies Will probably be used in the
evictions hereafter. General McCielland was
in the region yesterday and to-day, but went
to PIttsburg last evening.
The Socialists of the region are making great |
preparations for another blow out here. May
j they will hold a monster meeting and they
say they will raise the red flag in any event. |
The leaders OF me movement here were re-
fused the use of the Opera House, and pro-
fessed great indignation. A large meeting of
the order was held at Dawson this afternoon
and. though inflammatOry speeches were made
everything passed of smoothly. Jonas and
Delaber, the speakers. will leave tonight for
New York. They say that when they return TO
the East they will call meeting, and proceed
to raise money for prolonging the coke strike.
PARKER.
FORAKER EMPHATICALLY DENIES.
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