Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-14
ASKING MANY QUESTIONS.
The Congressional Investigation Into the
Troubles at Homestead.

PITTsBURG, Pa. July H.-Representative W.
d. ByEum of Indiana was the only prompt mem
Der Of the congressional committee inyestigat-
ing the causes Of the Homestead strike and riot
this morning. He was in the committee room
at O'Clock and spent the half hour Whiting on
his associates in reading the papers. The labor
element particularly well represented. II.
g. Prick. chairman of the steel company. and
his attorneys were early on hand. Mr.. Prick
carried huge bundle of data. Judge Taylor
discussed the doings Of Congress yesterday
with Mr.. Bynum and Chairman Oates COM
plaeently read his mail.
Chairman Oates announced in the opening
that the committee so far had searched only for
facts and we're not ready 20 make report. He
declared 1t likely there would be no minority
report.
DETAILS OF STEEL MAKING.
General Superintendent Potter was the first
witness. He described the general details Of
steel making and the work performed BY the
different classes Of workmel. He said that the
Homestead mills were the finest in the world
and workmen made so per cent more wages
than II any other plant. He said the average
reduction proposed By the company, which pre-
ripitated the strike was IL per cent. About
800 men were affected. This reduction was
made because laborers were getting more wages
than in any other mil, and the introduction of
improved machinery increasing the amount Of
product increased the wages.
The first disturbance that occurred was before
the mill shut down. when he and Mr. Frick were
hung in elhgy- When one o. the clerks of the
committee went to tear them down he was
drenched with water from hose. On the
morning OF July l some Of his foremen and
men were stopped by others who tried 20 keep
them out of the mill. On July he left the
mill and returned on the boats Tide and Little
Bill on July 6, when the Pinkertons were taken
a. - IL lx-n
Sheriff Gray.
STRIKERS FIRED FIRST.
As they drew near Homestead they saw the
banks crowded with people shouting and firing
shots. He cautioned Deputy Sheriff Gray not
t. let the men commit any overt act. The
crowd ran along the bank. following them up.
He thought that they would so 20 further than
the fence Of the Carnegie works. They landed
the boats within the wo-ks. The strikers broke
through the fence and commenced firing on
them Deputy Gray pacified the Pinkertons
until the firing became heavy from the shore.
When they returned the shots he ordered them
to quit. Three or four Of the Pinkertons were
wounded The detectives then began getting
out all their arms. They then held consulta-
ton and decided 10 allow the barges TO remain
while they took the wounded men away on the
boat. As they thought the crowd would dlsperse
and they could make peaceful landing in q
few hours. tie did not feel disposed TO make n
forcible entry, a. he had letters from dr. Prick
telling him to not commit any overt act.
David Lynch. boss heater in the plate mill.
was called up for a conference with Chairman
Oates. who wanted technical information con-
corning the plate mill.
THE REDUCTION " WAGES PROPOSED.
Austin Colblesh. a roller in the l19-inch mill.
the next witness, was asked by Mr.. Oates what
reductions the company proposed and who it
partment the reduction amounted to per cent.
In the shearing department. the greatest reduc-
tons were proposed. In one case the new scale
proposed a drop of S33 to 1000 tons. Under
the old scale on 1900 tons at S25 he made
Slil.45. At the reduction he would receive
$50 shear helpers would now make 81. SO for
eight hours Formerly their pay was one-third
more.
"How much is the labor cost Of producing
ton Of steel?" asked Judge Taylor.
About s1.52. That is only for skilled
labor"
ANOTHER STORY OF THE FIGHT.
Capt. F. Kennedy of the steamer Little Bill
was a watchman on one of the Pinker,on barges.
He detailed the arrival of the Pinker.on
guards and their trip up the Monongahels
river Near Homestead they met the strikers
river patrol, who fired skyrocEet 10 give
warning. Cp at the wharf, he said men and
women mingled broke down the fence and
fired on the barges. This party fred first.
The Pinkertons held their fire until three of
their number were injured. The Pinkertons.
he said. were greatly frightened.
II suspect they were" agreed Mr. Oates
In answer TO Mr.. Boatner. Capt Kennedy
said about fifty Of the Pinkertons were good
shots and easily picked off the strikers The
Others were arrant skulkers. The witness at
tempted 10 initiate Dir. Bostner ssouthern drawl
and was tayed IN his examination for his palms.
Andrew Huff was the next witness He was
on one of the barges during the fight. When
the firing commenced from the shore only few
of the Pinkertons tried to land. He came
away on the Little Bill when the wounded were
brought to the city.
VIM Weihe. president of the Amalgamated
Association. was then placed ON the stand.
He said there we're 200 skilled workmen in
the association They were of different nation
aiiries. but the majority were Americans. The
association did not countenance an act of vio-
out non-unlon men
CHAIRMAN PRICK QUESTIONED.
Chairman H. C. Prick of the Carnegie Steel
Company was then Questioned by Mr. Oates,
who said that some of the workmen had testified
that the poorest paid men and those who had
the hardest work suffered most under the re-
ductioS- He selected the wages during the
month of May. just before the trouble. admit
ting, though. that the wages we're a little large.
Out Of 300 men employed on the 1l9-inch plate
mill only so were reduced In 1882 296 men
were employed in the same department, and by
the change in the scale then 1856 we're affected
and 100 were not. More men were affected by
the sliding scale than any other.
In the armor plate mill ont OF 1j7 employees
hfty-one are reduced. lie said that Burgess
HeLuckie had stated yesterday that the COM
pany purchased the Allegheny steel plant SO as
TO control the price of billets and cut down the
wages of workmen. This vas absurd
The pay roll at Duquesne is 500 900. Only
40 per cent of the wo-kmen were affected BIZ
the sliding scale. These men produced 200 600
tons OF billets monthly. II billets were reduced
81 ton this would mean loss of $50 900 and
this could be otfse; only by a gain OF So 200 in
tie Homestead mill Mr.. Prick said Mr. Nc
Luckie was poor financier
lie was asked why he proposed a reduction of
wages He stated that the fin. reason was re-
doced prices received for the product and sec
ond, the increased tonnage by introduction of
improved machinery. which increased the paw
OF the men. they being paid according to ton
naye.
viii you state the approximate cost of pro-
ducing steel biIlets!''
Il declined to answer that question the other
night do so now. / do not care to 20 into
the question Of cost"
what i the cost of the entire plant at
Homestead
About $500, 900, possibly ss.ooo, 900"