Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-08

\
{ "why?"
"For the reason that three wears ago our
concern had an experience similar to this.
/ We felt the necessity of change at the
works; that a scale should be adopted based
on the sliding price of billets, and we asked
the county authorities for protection. The
| workmen began tactics similar to those enl-
/ ployed in the present troubles The Sher-
T IN assured the members of the firm that
| there would be no difficulty, that he would
give them ample protection and see that
| men who were willing to work were not m
terfered with. What was the result?
The posse taken up by. the Sheriff
something over 100 men-were not
| permitted to land On our
I property; were driven off with threats of
bodily harm, and it looked as if there was
going to be great destruction of life and
property. That frightened our people. Mr..
abbott was then in charge of the Carnegie,
Phipps & Co. business, and was asked by
the Amalgamated officials for q conference,
which he agreed to, fearful If he did not do
50 there might be loss of life and destruc-
tfon Of property. Under that stress, in fear
Of the Amalgamated Association, an agree
ment was made and work was resumed. We
did not propose this time to be placed in
that position"
DIDN'T Depend On the Sheriff..
"The Pinkerton men, as generally under
stood, had been summoned aud all arrange
ments made with them to be on hand in case
OF failure by the Sheriff to afford protec-
tien. Is that q fact or not?"
'"The facts concerning the engagement of
the Pinkerton men are these: From past
Sheriff but with all others, we have found
that he has been unable to furnish us witha
sufficient number Of deputies to guard our
property and protect the men
who were anxious to work on
our terms. As the Amalgamated men
from the 1st of July had surrounded our
works, placed guards at all the entrances,
and at all avenues or roads leading to our
establishment and for miles distant there
from, we felt that for the safety of our pro-
perty and in order to protect our workmen
It was necessary for us to secure onr own
watchmen to assist the Sheriff, and we knew
Of no other source from which to obtain
them than from Pinkerton agencies, aud to
them we applied"
"We brought the watchmen here as
quietly as possible; had them taken to
Homestead at an hour Of the night when we
hoped to have them enter our works with
out any interference whatever and without
meeting anybody. We proposed to land
them on our own property, and all our
efforts were to prevent the possibilities Of
collision between our former workmen and
our watchmen. We are to-day barred out
Of our property at Homestead, and have
been since the LIST of July. There is no
body in the mills up there now; they are
standing silent mass of machinery with
nobody to look after them! They are in
the hands of our former workmen."
"Have the men made overtures for set
Element Of the difficulties since this trouble
commenced?'
Tho Firm RVfases 0vsrturss.
Eyes, sir. A leading sx-oAicial In the
Amalgamsted Association yesterday, when
this rioting was going on, called on the
Shelf and I am informed asked him to come
down to see me, stating that If he could get
promise that we would confer with the
representatives of the Amalgsmated As
sociation looking toward an adjustment Of
this trouble, that he would go to Home
stead and try and stop the rioting"
"Did you consider his proposaI?"
'.No, sir. told the gentleman who
called that we would not confer with the
Ama1gamated Association officials. That
1t was their followers who were rioting and
destroying .our property, and we would not
accept his proposition. At the same time
this representative of our former workmen
said that they we're willing to accept the terms
offered, and concede everything we asked
except the date of the termination of the
scale, which they insisted should be juno
30 in place of December 81"
"What of the future of this difieulty?"
ut is In the hands Of the authorities of
Allegheny County. IF they are unable to
cope with 1t, II certainly is the duty of the
Governor of the State to see that we afe
rkaI a. L
molested. The men engaged by us through
the Pinkerton agencies were sent I'D to
Homestead with the full knowledge of the
Sheriff and by him placed in charge of his
chief deputy, Colonel Gray, and, as we
know, with instructions to deputize them in |
case it became necessary.
Placing Blame ON the workmen.
eve have made an impartial investiga-
tion and are satisfied beyond doubt |
that the watchmen employed by us
we're fred upon by our former work.
men and their friends for % minutes before
they reached our property, and were fred |
Upon after they had reached our property. |
That they did not return the fire until after |
the boats had touched the shore, and after
three ofthe watchmen had been wounded, one |
fatally. After a number of the watchmen |
we're wounded, and Captain Rodgers in
charge of the towboat, at their request, had |
taken the injured away, leaving the barges |
ut our works unprotected, our former work.
men refused to allow Captain Rodgers to
return to the barges that he might remove |
them from our property, but fred at him
and fatally wounded one of his crew."
"You doubtless are aware, Mr.. Frick,
that the troubles at the Homestead mill |
have invited widespread attention, and as a
result Congress proposes to investigate the
trouble, as well as the employment of
Pinkerton detectives?"
II am aware of the fact, sir. While no.
body could regret the occurrences of the
last few days more than myself, vet it is my
duty, as the executive head of the Carnegie
Company, to protect the interests Of the as
sociation. We desire to, and will, protect
our property at all hazards. So far as Con-
gressional investigation is concerned, I can
say with the utmost candor that we welcome
The investigation proposed. We are pre-
pared to submit facts and fguers which Will |
uhprejudiced men of the equity of
bur position. More than this, believe
hat when all of the facts are known revela-
ions will be made which will emphasize
he justice of al our claims"
No Thought OF Politics.
''How do you regard the present troubles
i Homestead from political standpoint?
What effect wlh 1t have as q tariff issue In
he political campaign of the coming fall?
1--WE have never given thought as to
THAT effect our affairs might have on either
# the political parties We cannot afford
D run our business and run politics at the
anne time. 1t would prove very unproft-
BILE If we were to trim our sails to meetpo- |