Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-07-16
Bloody Battle Fought Between Pink
ertOns and WOrkmen at Home
stead, Pa.
LOeked-0ut Lab0rers Resent an At
tempt to Put New Men On
the Ground.
Dozens OF the Belligerents Killed OF
Terrible Posi-
billties.


this time, as during the fearful scenes
which we're witnessed during the riots Of
1887, blood has been shed, life jeopardizad
and valuable property placed in danger
This time there was no destruction of
property, but the mob was thoroughly or
ganized, well disciplined, and had suffi-
cient officers at the head to conduct oper.
ations, The force compri sed all the men
employed in the extensive plants Of the
Carnegie Iron and Steel company at Home
stead, eight miles east of Pittsburg, and
the battle, which for bloodthirstiness and
oIdness of execution hes not
cen exceled in actual warfare,
aged from 4 O'Clock in the
morning until FIVE o'clock this afternoon,
and only ceased when the force Of Pink
ertons brought to suppress the strike UNI
conditionally surrendered leaving their
arms on the barges in which they had
been transported to the works. The riot
todao was the elimination of the troublea
which have been brewing at Homestead
for the past month. The Carnegie com
pany submitted a scale which was 10 gov
ern the workmen IN the steel plants and
announced that it was its ultimatum.
The scale made sweeping reduction in
the wages of skilled men, and
it was officially announced
that unless the terms were
complied with before July lst the places
of the workmen would be filed by others.
This was followed by a peremptory refusal
on the part of the company to recognize
the amalgamated ASSOCIATION. The men
announced their determination to resist
any effort on the part of Carnegie to run
the plants with non-union men. The
trouble was precipitated by the workmen
at Homestead hanging II. G. Frick, presi-
dent Of the company, in ethgy, and in re-
taliation the company ordered the imme-
diate shut down Of the big works, The
employees at once proceeded to organize for
the defensive and the company erected a
high board fence around the entire works,
giving them the appearance Of immense
stockades, the sides being pierced with
port holes. Yesterday the Carnegie com
pany announced its intention to proceed
to get ready TO make repairs, and the Of
6ciaIs asked the sheriff to appoint depu-
ties to protect the property, The sheriff
sent a small squad of men up to the works
but the strikers assembled in force and
notified them to get out of town, that no
disorder was intended and no damage
would be done the property. They even
offered to be sworn in as deputies and give
bonds for the faithful performance of the
duties as conservators of the peace. When
the offer was declined an advisory com
mittee, which had been directing the &C
ton of the workmen and holding the turbu-
lent spirits anon them in check, was
Immediately dissolved, and all the records
of the committee were promptly destroyed.
A Coup de Main
Developments today showed that the APP
plications made for the assistance of the
sheriff were ali merely for the purpose of
covering what was intended to be coup
de main on the part of the Carnegie com
pany, in olandestinely introducing a body
of Pinkerton guards into the mill en-
closure, These men had been rendez-
voused some five or six miles below the
city on the Ohio river, at which point two
model barges had been prepared for them
The barges were filed 10 with hunks,
cooking arrangements and other
accommodations, and as an ex-
ira precauton, as if in preparation
for the siege to which they were subjected
today, we're lined with heavy steel plates
on the inside, while the whole bl2k deck
was protected IN similar manner 1t
was the intention that the men should
reach the works at 8 O'Clock this morning,
but the strikers on duty along the river
got word Of the threatened invasion, halt
ed the Plpkerton men and prepared to re.
ceiye them. The barges were towed up
the river by :, but long before the
Pinkerton men had reached Homestead
thousands Of stTikers had gathered on the
banks Of the river ready to give tlem a
warm velcome. When the boats attempt
ca to land the Vorkmen broke through
the fence around the mill, eDtreuched
themselva behind the piles of steel
prepared to resist the landing BIZ
o'clock in the morning efforts we're made
to land the detectives. but The strikers met
them and fierce battle was preciplt4tsd
both sides exchanging heavy volley OF
shot. The Pinkertons we're an armed with
Winchester rifles, bat at the point where
the attempt = lard was MADE there was
steep embankmert and they were com