The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-11-25
HON estead Strike Declared Off.

After a struggle of nearly five
months, which for bitterness has pro-
badly never been equaled in this coun.
try the great strike at Carnegie's
Homestead Steel Works has been de-
clared off.
This action was taken at meeting |
Of the lodges of the Amalgamated |
Association at Homestead last Sun
day, the vote standing roI in favor of
declaring the strike off and 81 against |
it. The officials addressed the mem
bers, and in plain words told them the
strike was lost and advised them to
take steps to better their condition.
The members met with consider
able opposition, but when the vote
was taken it showed a majority of ten
in favor of declaring the strike off.
Those who were in favor Of calling
the strike off were jubilant, while
those who were against it we're badly
put out. Most of the latter were men
who were obstinate, and many of them
were men who had either applied for
positions in the mill and had been
turned down or felt sure that their
names were on the company's black
list and could not get positions.
| HISTORY OF THE STRIKE.
On June 30, 1892, the lock out went
into effect owing to the inability ofthe Of
fcias of the Amalgamated Association
to arrive at an amicable basis for the new
scale of wages due to 60 into effect on
| July /. AT this time there were EN-
ployed in the homestead mills nearly
1000 men. OF this vast army of workmen
the Carnegie official averred that the
wages of only ISz men would be ad-
versely affected by the new scale OF
wages proposed by the firm. The
workmen declared that it was not SO
much the reduction OF the wages of a
few men as 1t was the principles OF
the Amalgated Association that were
at stake. AT that time the Carnegie
Company was employing union men
at all of its big iron ard steel plants
with the exception of the Edgar Ihom-
son plant at Braddock.
tricks ULTIMATUM.
Chairman Frick, alter numerous
consultations with the representatives
Of the Amalgamated Association,
found that a wage battle was inevi.
table, and with this conviction in his
mind he gave his ultimatum, which
Immediately brought on the strike.
The building of the fences, the laying
:, of steam pipes, the stringing of cleo
trio barb wires around the plant and
the general preparations for trouble
SO enraged the men that when on
, July 6 the two barges loaded with
Pinkerton detectives attempted to
make a landing the serious trouble
ensued in which the loss of a score or
more of lives, the manning of as many
more men, the burning OF the barges
and the calling out of the entire
Guard of Pennsylvania are now mat
!. ters Of history.
/, For the first time since the civil
war the complete Guard Of Pennsyl,
vania, numbering over 5000 men,
nearly all of whom responded
was called out. The order was call
ed cut. The order was issued by the
Governor on Sunday evening, July 10,
y and by 9 o'clock the next morning
. the troops were on their way tc
Homestead. Until about the middle
, of October the Second and Third
> Brigades guarded the works, while
the FIRST Brigade was held at Mount
Gretna for a few days. Since ther
the cost to the State for this protec
y ton has been officially estimated a
about $625, 5000. The town was ia
. ken complete control of by the mi
:, litla; but with the exception of few
u cases of disorderly conduct no fur
y ther trouble developed.
y The cost put upon Allegheny
county ty the strike is fixed at $aoo
900, the bulk of which will be needed
a to pay for the Sheriff's deputies anc
4 the prosecution of the strikers now
S under way:
d LOSS TO THE CARNEGIE COMPANY
l. The loss to the Carnegie Stce
: Company is vaIiously estimated a
5, from $I,ooo,ooo TO $500, 900. Ihl
l. sum covers the direct loss sustained
" by incapacitating the Homestead
J. plant and the canceling of the govern
meat contracts for armor plate, whicf
it is believed, has been done, although
n the Carnegie officials decline to giv'
& the facts.
:. The losses by the strikers through
It sympathy of the men employed at th'
" Lower and upper Union Mills, tn
n Beaver Falls and the Duquesne Mills
{ will easily swell the total loss to tn
i company to $S,ooo,ooo.
y The loss to the old employees has
IS averaged $I25,ooo month, making
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