Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-07-21
The Order of Superintendent Potter
Had No Effect on the Rome-
stead Strikers.
Carnegie Company Has harges
Against 215 Men Sufficient TO
Convict Them of Murder.
The Scene of the Trouble is Bscom-
ing a Mecca for Worthless
Tramps.

HOMESTEAD, Pa, July 1s.-There
seems to be some foundation for the
rumor that men are coming from En-
gland to work in the Homestead steel
works-that is the operatives here be-
lieVe that there is and are indulging in
considera BILE speculation over the mat
ter
They point out that there were two
brothers named Mcconnell working as
foremen in the mill aud coming from
England who have disappeared and
have not teen seen for three weeks.
Many of the locked-out men believe
the brothers have gone into the steel
manufacturing district around Sheffield
for the purpose of inducing skilled
wOrkmen to come and work in the
Homestead mill.
This story has received such credit
and currency that the Homestead peO-
pie are gravely discussing what legal
steps should be taken when the En-
glishmen arrive. The foreman was
spoken to, and he ridiculed the report
and said that plenty OF men could be
secured in the United States, so that
no necessity exists for going out of the
country. This foreman said that part
of the works would assnredly be in OPP
Grafton by this afternoon but declined
to state where the men were to come
from.
The mass meeting at Duquesne yes
terdav afternoon was as satisfactory
as the locked out men here expected.
They say that it was never thought
that the men OF Duquesne would come
out. They have not yet revived from
the very serious defeat they met with
when the mill was made non-union.
The resolutions of sympathy were
gratefully acknowledged, especially
the one pledging the Duquesne steel
workers not to leave their own plant
and go to Homestead if ordered.
There is large body Of irresponsi-
BILE and reckless men in the town, all
of them passably well armed and all
of them having easy access to a great
many saloons, where inspira ton for
deeds of "derring-do'' is to be had
quite cheaply. A great many of these
cannot speak English and only under
stand that the troops here are for the
purpose of tyrannizing over them; hey
find the more intelligent classes also
Directing to the presence of the troops,
and a very small accident might bring
about a very grave consequence.
The Fourth regiment, Col. Case, $50
strong was brought over the river into
Homestead this morning and given the
days tour of provost duty. This makes
4, 100 men on duty on this side to-day,
and it is understood that three other
of the north-bank regiments will be
brought over day by day until the
mills have opened for work.
At o'clock this morning the watch
men threw open the main gate in the
two miles of fence that surrounds the
great steel mills of the Carnegie COM
pany and peered into the dense fog
outside to see if the men in the me-
chanical departments were beginning
to arrive, but not one of the skilled
mechanics reported at the office, and,
despite the official notice of
perintendent Potter, work did not
commence at the usual time today.
These mechanics are not only experts
in their several lines, but they are
familiar with every machine and every
furnace in the Carnegie works. To fill
their places will be extremely difficult,
as the appliances at the Carnegie mills
are in advance of those of any steel
works in this country. Even if men
capable of doing the work are found,
it will be no easy matter to induce
them to work under guard.