The morning call., 1892-07-14
TELLING. THE STORY.
The Millmen Before the Committee of
COugressmen.


PTrTsBURG, July 13.-The investigation
INTO the troubles at the Carnegie works at
Homestead by the Congre >sional commit
tees was continued this morning with the
further examination of Frick. He de-
tailed the arrangements with the Pinker-
tons 10 furnish guards for tile Homestead
property. He said the arms were con-
signed TO the Union Supply Company,
who delivered them to Captain Rodgers
OF the Pinkerton force. Frck was not
snre, but supposed he had something TO do
with furnishing the arms. He could not
be brought 10 answer more definitely. He
believed the Pinkertons advised that arms
would be needed, but arms were not stipu-
lated in the employment OF the guards.
Flick said the wages paid at Homestead
were higher tnan at any other place.
Chairman Boatner of the committee de-
clared the scale Of wages paid as explained
by Frick, was the highest wages he ever
heard of.
Captain Rodgers was then called, lie told
of the trip to Homestead. acc ompanied by
Deputy Sheriff. who went in an official
capacity. He then detailed the story Of the
eight at Homestead, and said the strikers
fired first.
toiltii httlcdly lcotlueu ludt llle (dIne-
gle Company notified him one week before
the men went out that there would be trOu-
bic; that they were arranging to send 900
men TO Homestead and wanted them depu-
tized.
The Sheriff detailed at length his efforts
to secure posse. He was notified the night
the PinkertonS went up and he tried to per-
suade them not to send them, as he feared
trouble. The Sheriff said he had not au-
thorized Colonel Gray TO deputize the Pink
ertons. lie did not 90 TO Homestead on the
day of the trouble, because il was useless.
Deputy Sheriff Clusey then took The stand
and told his story of how the deputies had
been driven out by the strikers.
President Weihe was the first witness on
the side of labor. He reviewed the sliding
scale and the failure to reach an agreement
with The company. Reductions, he said,
had been proposed in most departments,
and the men objected because they did not
think the reductions necessary. The re-
ductiOns would average Is per cent, "a near
d he could estimate. The labor cost of
In reply TO Judge Taylor. as to
why the men thought they had
right to take possession of the mill,
Weihe said there may be some who think
so. but they are not so taught in the a>SO-
citation. Judge Taylor expressed estonish-
ment and said that there seemed 20 be some
queer ideas of the rights of property among
the woTkingmen.
Weihe said they hadn't offered 10 arbI-
tTate the question until after the trouble.
He could not say whether or not the assO-
citation was willing 10 aTOitrate. Person
ally, he was in favor Of an arbitration law,
but If IL was compulsory all parties should
be made to exhibit the books.
O'Donnell was the next witness. He SAID
that when the strike was ordered the lodges
held joint meeting and appointed an adj
Visory committee TO have the men placed
around the fence TO keep out irresponsible
people. The men were instructed to use
only moral suasion. They were not
Instructed to keep any one out of the
mill. Witness repeated the story OF
the battle and of the efforts to prevent
firing by the crowd on the shore. His
wages were Sl44 per month. working eight
hours, under the old scale. Replying TO a
question as TO why the laboring men hate
the Pinkertons, be said the chief objection
TO them was that they feared they would
bring In union men.
William Roberts, x-vice-president OF the
Amalgamated Association, said there was a
gigantic conspiracy somewhere, abetted by
legislation. His idea was that after the
company based the wages on the price of bill
let's II had the tariff reduced on that article
tie charged the trouble to the Union Pacific
Railway and the Carnegies, with H. c.
Friek at the head Roberts said that
superintendent Potter had given as reason
Tor the reductions that some Of the men
were making too much money.
In reply to Boatner he said he felt sure
the matter could have been settled if the
conference had been carried on. The OBJ
lection to the termination of the scale i'm
January was that past experiences shows
that when winter comes on and the scale
expires the manufacturers take advantage of
cold weather to staTve the men into
submission. Roberts said he was in favor
OF compulsory arbitration. Witness further
stated tnat during the scale con ference Alb
bot. the former chairman OF Carnegie's,
sald; The quotations on steel bIllets were
81 lower than the market price" and in
sisted that the scale should be arranged on
that basis.