The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-07-20

Owe have in evidence the scale Of wages
under which the laborers worked for thrcs
years, beginning In 1889 aud ending on June
3d. Are you familiar with that?
Ayes, sir.
Q.-And do you know anything about the
proposed scale, out Of which the present
differences between the Amagamatcd as
sociation and the company arose?
Ayes, sir
.Q.-Do you know anything about the
changes proposed by that scale?
A.-fes, Sir; the company desired TO
make some changes the chief of which
were the minimum basis, and the time at
| which the scale should expire. The differ
ence in the minimum basis was between $2j
and S23. Ii was S22 at first, but the COM
pany afterward came up to the s23 basis.
In the other matter the company desired 10
have the scale expire at December 81 instead
OF June 30, as is now the case. Four de-
partments of the mill were affected by the
proposed changes In the scale.
Q.-How many men in the four depart
ments OF the mill were affected by this
change?
A.-About 400 as nearly as can tell.
,Q-Why did the company seek these
changes2
Ave were paying more money than our
competitors for the same work We had
machinery that enabled the men to make
the highest wages of any laboring man In
the country, and we thought it only fair
that they should be content with less
Q:-You may now state what you know
of the trouble between the company and
the Amalgamated Association.
A.-The trouble began some time before
the works closed. When it was learned
that the company would not sign the scale,
murmurs of discomfort were heard all
around. One morning in the latter part
of June Mr. Frick and myself went into
the mill yard and found effigies of our
HANGING
down.
Q.-Was this trouble about the building of
the fence around the works.
Al think not. The fence has been
around the works for three years, but the
company has recently acquired other proper
ty which 1t has also fenced in.
SOME PERTINENT FIGURES.
The next witness was Oscar Colbfesh an
employc of the ll9-inch plate mill His
testimony was important from the fact that
he gave the committee some points as to the
actual reductions made in the proposed
scale. He said he could give some figures,
but not the exact percentage. In heating
and rolling the reduction amounts TO about
: per cent. The hard work he said. comes
in at the shears and rolls; for instance, the
table man under the new scale would have
his wages reduced from 800 to s67 on | 900
tons, difference of S33 That job, he said
Is cut most of all, although the hardest
work; it formally paid 10 cents n ton at
S26.5O. They propose to pay cents u ton,
but reduced to the minimum it brings il
down to 9 67-l00 cents per ton.
Under the old scale, the witness testified
that he could make at 800 tons, the usual
work per month, sll5.45. BY the new
scale he would get S92, a reduction of
si945. The average amount made last
year by men in that work was $3.50, he
stated. As the shearers. under the old
scale they received 1900 cents u ton,
whereas under the new the rate would be
, 27-lOO cents a ton, the witness said. The
labor cost of ton of steel, said the witness.
is $3.50.
MI. PRICK CALLED AGAIN.
II. Q. Frick was again sworn, the time