The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-07-20

/ for which they are suitable. inls notice
will be the last given 70 the employees of
the works, and after noncompliance with
this the places will be filed with non-union
men.
In addition to this general notice each of
the $500 locked out men received through
the mail this morning letter, Of which the
following is copy;
TIE CARSEGIE STEEL Co, LT'p,
HOMESTEAD STEEL WoRKs, July -.
DKAR SIR: Repairs viii be resumed on
Monday morning, July Is, 1892. We wish
you TO return 10 your old position. Work
10 commence at the usual time.
Respectfully,
J. A. Po-rgR, General Superintendent.
NO SIGNS OF DEsERTIoN.
This letter has reference more particularly
10 the mechanical department, which is with
the iron men in their fight, for sympath y
only. There is an idea that some of them
may return, though no one can be found
who viii admit the slightest wsyering.
There are no open deser;ions, and so far as
may be gathered from very general round
abandon the cause. They admit that the
presence ofthe military has made possible
temporary victory for the company, but
they say with some emphasis that it is
equally certain the military cannot remain
here all summer.
The threat Of the company that it viii not
re-engage those mos. active in the present
trouble is the weak point in the ultimatum,
for the reason that so far as the iron workers
are concerned, they have great deal of
respect for their leaders and may go to ex-
tremes for their sake. On the other hand
the majority oftbe leaders are of skill, who
ran command work elsewhere, and it may
be that they will not hold their fellows to
the loyalty which they would otherwise
receive.
Hope OF arbitration has fled, and with the
company holding almost every trump it is
difficult to conceive how the men may be
able to do single thing for themselves so
long as the town is practically under martial
law. The troops say it is not, but their
assertions are simply a quibbling over
terms.
A Congressional investigating committee
was sent to Pittsburg by the Democratic
House TO endeavor to make political capital
out Of this unfortunate affair. Carnegie
officials and representatives Of the
Amalgamated Association were heard at
length. The testimony adduced was a
surprise to the Democratic members. They
learned more than they ever knew before,
that the earnings of workmen in the steel
mills of Pittsburg are not on a starvation
basis, and that they are larger than those at
any manufacturing center in ell Europe.
The report of this committee viii prove a
very handy campaign document for the
Republican party in the coming campaign.
There has been much agitation fer the
past few days to have councils return to Mr..
Carnegie the gift of 81 100000, which he
made for the erection Of public library in
Pittsburg. 1t is urged that that monument
to Mr. Carnegie's generosity should not be
permitted to be built with money taken
from his workmen. A number Of the
councilmen favor the return of the gift, but
some Of them think it cannot be done. as
the money has been accepted and placed in
the hands OF commission.
The prospect of settling the trouble by a
conference is now more remote than ever.
A committee Of the employees Of the
Carnegie's city mills met Mr.. Frick and
endeavored to induce him to open negotia-
tions with the Homestead workmen, and
Mr.. Frick firmly stated that the time had
passed. he held the stand they had taken in
driving out the company's watehmen and
in assuming control of the mills had brought
about the stand the firm had taken.
The borough Of Homestead was prac-
tically placed under martial law on Thurs
day. This is the out come ofthe unwarrant-
ed arrest of strangers on Wednesday by
special policemen.
The employees of the Carnegie Union
Mills in Pittsburg went on a strike at noon
Thursday out of sympathy with the locked
out men at Homestead or because the COM
pany refused to confer with them. About
300 men are affected by the strike. The
Beaver Falls plant, which is closed for
repairs, was to have resumed operations on
Monday next, but the men say they will
not return to work unless the firm grants
another conference 10 the Homestead
workers. This action is not taken under
orders from the Amslgamated Association,
though sanctioned by it.
The striking mills are in the union and
the scales had Just been signed to the mems
satisfaction. Now, the question is whether
the contract is not broken by the men strik
ing. The men are afraid that the company
may take advantage of this point some
months hence, while they ars working under
the impression that the strike did not affect
their contract. The strikers action is not
approved by the leaders at Homestead.