The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-07-18
PRICE ONE CENT
lHOMESTEAD'S FIGHT.
The Stubborn Contest Between
Capital and Labor,
PREPARING TO RESUME WORK
at Least That Is the Intention OF
the Company, but the Workmen
Claim Tint 1t Will be Impossible
TO Do Proper Work without Their
Aid-O'Donnel's Secret Mission.

20 Do Proper Work Without Their
Aid-o'DonneTs Secret Mission.
HOMESTEAD. Pa, July 1S.-The cham.
eleon is rivaled In its changing by the
situation in Homestead. A visit to the
little town today would not give an ade.
quate idea Of the many changes that
have been worked since the trouble be-
gan, and only the blackened piers of the
landing stage at the Carnegie mills, the
sunken hulks Of the Pinkerton barges,
the presence of thousands Of idle work
men and the big military camp on the
hill overlooking the gigantic plant bring
to mind the scenes enacted here since
the beginning of the month. Men who
saw the terrible battle of July 6 speak
of it rs something that happened months
ago, so many have been the exciting in
cidents that crowded upon one another
since that time. Civil law passed out of
existence and unauthorized bands of
armed men took control Of the town and
ats vicinity.
Then followed period in which the
Amalgamated assumed charge and man
aged to restore something like quiet,
leading up to an attempted assumption
of the reins of government by the bor-
ough authorities. But the borough Off
cials failed In the undertaking and for a
few days it was hard to tell whether the
civil authorities, the advisory commit
tee or the rank and file of the strikers
were the real representatives Of govern
ment. Rands of unauthorized working
men ordered the arrest of inoffensive
strangers on trumped up charges of sym
pathy with the Carnegie interests, and
the special police Of the borough brought
the accused parties, not before the town
authorities, but before the advisory COM
mittee. There were three tribunals of
alleged justice, and it should be said, in
Justice to the advisory committee, that
II was the best of the three. Then Gov
ernor Pattison ordered out the state
troops, and after few conflicts of au-
thority they were recognized as the real
rulers and the true dispensers of the law.
A Crisis at Hand.
Today the situation Is on the eve Of
Nd crisis. The Carnegie company will
endeavor to begin repairing operations
preliminary to reopening the mills, and
!. has asked the workmen, mechanical
and repairing force, to return to their
old places. These workmen met yester-
day and decided to remain out It has
also given public notice that such
former employees of the Homestead
plant who are satisfactory to the COM
pany may file Applications for employ
ipent by 8 O'Clock on Thursday evening.
These offers foreshadow a change in the
situation, for they show the determine
ton Of the company to start its mills,
and are believed to be preliminary only
tp the employment of non union men IL
they fail to have the effect intended.
When the offers became known the
news created the greatest excitement
among the locked out workers, but
from outward appearances the men
were uniufuenced by them in their de-
termination to fight the battle until the
bitter end. Those who would express
themselves on the subject said they
you'd not return to work until the
Itonpaay acceded to tie demands of the
Amalgamated Association.
The Day Laborers' Attitude.
The meeting of ex-employes of the Car
negie mills who are not members of the
Amalgamated Association was called
by members of the mechanical depart
ments, but included all daily wage earn
ers. These men number about two
thousand, and include the Hungarians.
The meeting was attended by about o
thousand men. Hugh ODonnell, of the
AmalgAmated Association, addressed
the men by special invitation. He did
not advise them in any way, but merely
stated the condition of affairs, leaving
bis hearers to decide for themselves.
The following resolutions were passed
unanimously.
Resolved. That we are in sympathy with tho
Amalgamated Association and pledge our
belves 10 stand with them to the end
Resolved, That we consider 1t an injustice
70 the mechanical department and day labor
prs and an insult to their manhood to ask
In this land Of the free all men should be free.
The Men Confident.
Today the men appear to be firm in
their discrimination, and it unity is re-
kAined and the old men refuse to work
the starting of the mills by non-union
workmen, will be the only move left for
the Carnegie, company. From now till
Thursday the crisis will hang in the bal
ance, and then better opportunity will
be given to penetrate the mist that en-
velops the situation. 1t is claimed by
the leaders of the strikers that the
Amalgamated Association holds the
winning hand, no matter what may
happen. II the mills are started by nom
nnion men they contend that the mis-
takes that will occur and the financial
losses consequent on them will cause the
company TO shut down the mills in sheer
self interest The quality of the product
turned out by the unskilled labor will
be so inferior, say the leaders, that it
cannot find market
If the product is ready for shipping it
Is claimed that greater difficulty will
confront the company in the refusal Of
railroad men to handle any material
turned out from the Carnegie works.
n q q N N4N.n pRaF.w II
freight handlers have been received in
his connection that the Amalgamated
Association feels confident of preventing
The product of the Carnegie mills made
by non unions men from being carried to
bheplaces stipulated in the contracts
Even If this fails the locked out workers
Blaim they have another trump card to
play. This is the action of unions of
carpenters and of many organizations
composed of men engaged in the con-
Btruction Of buildings and other struct-
nres in deciding not to perform work on
any erection where products OF the Car
negie mills are used. With these and
bther circumstances to support them the
locked out workmen of Homestead, with
strong financial backing, hope to bring
The Carnegie company to the terms die
lated by the Amalgamated Association.
Cost OF the Strike.
Both sides admit that there is no imme-
niate prospect of settlement OF the
ltrike, and already the cost is consider
able more than one million dollars.
Every day that the works are idle costa
the Carnegie Company $50, 900. II i,
nineteen days since the workmen went
out and the wheels stopped moving,
That means loss of $3.50, 900 to the
company. The militia have been under
arms one week, and at 1000 day
pave cost the state of Pennsylvania
Ii0,000. The cost to tho company and
20 the state now foots up 81 900 900, and
y plling up at the rate OF $40, 900 day
IN addition to all this, the workmen lose
their wages and ten men have lost their