Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-18
GONE ON A MISSION.
O'DonnelI Leaves Homestead
on Mysterious Trip.
A GIGANTIC LABOR WAR BREWING.


Indications That the Trouble VIII
Spread to the Railways as Well as the
Building Trades-Mechanfcs and Others
at the Mills Decide to Support the Iron
workers - Duquesne Men Resolve to
Remain at work-strikers Saneuine of
Winning the Fight-Radical Resolu-
tions Passed at Chicago.
PITTsBURG, July S.-Important develop
nlents in the Homestead trouble are likely
tqsbe brought about within the next forty
eight hours. Last night Hugh O'Donnell,
who is looked up to by the strikers at that
place as their absolute and only leader,
started eastward to fulfill mission
which, as he himself admitted, may have
vital effect upon the present situation.
O'DonnelPs departure from Homestead
was attended with considerable secresy.
Less than a half hour before leaving and
in the hearing of number of people on
the street, he told one of the mill men
who wanted to have a talk with him that
he would meet him at s O'Clock. The
regular Sunday evening train leaves
Homestead for Pittsburg at 7:10
CorraIed by "A Press Fiend.
He stepped aboard the train some dis
tance up the track and took a seat away
from any window, but after the first sta
tion had been passed found himself visa
Wis with a United Press representative.
He was at first disinclined to say anything
concerning the reasons for his sudden
departure from the town, but finally made
the admission that he was bound on a very
important mission and did not expect to
returp nptil Wednesday, ba aarIiaSt
Il cannot say where 1 am going or what
am going for" he said. "If am success
tul the facts will be known very quickly,
and if l do not meet with success, then the
least said about the matter the better"
"If you gain the point you are after will
it have the effect of bringing the strike to
an early closer" Mr.. O'Donnell was asked.
Il certainly believe that it will have that
effect" was the ready response.
Speculation to His Mission.
He boarded the fast express at the Union
station in this city and left for the east at
500. Several prominent mill men from
Homestead who were in town la, sr
declared themselves as entirely ignorant
regarding what is in the wind. Some of
them We're of the opinion that the advis-
ory committee which had a prolonged
conference at Homestead yesterday after
noon, had empowered O'Donnell to submit
some proposition other to Governor
Pattison looking To withdrawal of the
troops. Others thought that he might be
en- route TO New York to meet with such
memb bers of the Republics national com
mittee may be still in that city and to
solicit their good offices in the direction of
bringing the trouble to an amicable end
ing. Every man admitted, however, that
something vital lay behind O'Donnell's
sudden journey.
Concluded Simply to Sympathize.
The failure of the mill workers at
Duquesne to order sympathetic strike at
thei r meeting yesterday afternoon had a
depressing effect upon the sympathetic
strikers" of the Carnegie Union mills at
Lawrenceville, who had confidently
expected that the men at Duquesne
would follow their example and quit work
instead of contenting themselves with
passing resolutions of sympathy. The
leaders of the Union mill men say that
theslatter have plenty of backbone and
viii stay ont until the Homestead mater
is settled, but many of the men do not talk
quite so defiantly and in private conver-
sation admit that Srievous error mas
been committed and that they would be
glad to return to work if they dared to-
The Meeting Duquesne.
There We're 400 of the Dug quesne en-
ployes at the meeting referred to, and
they were addressed by William Carney,
McLuckie, and other Amalgamated men
who urged them to strike. The Home
stead men had taken the initiative in free
ing the workmen all over the country
from slavery, and those workmen would
have it all their own way next November
for there was enough of them to change
the political status of the United States
The speakers We're listened to, but it was
resolved to simply sympathize. and give
financiBl support.
Didn't suit the Strike Leaders,
This was not satisfactory to the strike
leaders, and they made impassioned
speeches, in which the men were warned
that Carnegie would lower their wages
next. After the meeting Carney and 9TH
ers went among the men and asked them
to keep away from work today.