Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-07-14

PITTsBURG, Pa, July I'll. c. Frick,
chairman of the Carnegie Steel company,
was interviewed this evening as follows by
the correspondent of the Philadelphia Press.
He said: "There were tn rec points upon
which the company and the men differed.
The skilled workmen in the Amalgamated
association work under what is known as
sliding scale. As the prioo of steel advances
the earnings Of the men advances as the
prices fall their earnings drop in proportion.
While there is no limit to an advance Of
earnings on the SCALE there is point at
which the decline stops 1t is known as the
min muin, and the figure heretofore hns
been S,25 PCT ton for 4xi Bessemer blllets
we believe that If earnings based on the
selling price of steel can advance without
limit the workmeu should be willing to fol-
low the selling price down to reasonable
minimum. and so this figure was finally
fixed by the Carnegie company, at the rate
oil Se3, instead of $50 The reason for ask
ing this upon our part was that the Car
negie company has spent large sums of
money in the introduction of new machinery
in its Homestead plant, by means of which
the workmcn were enabled to increase the
the daily output thereby increasing the
amount Of their own earnings. We had
originally asked g reduction to 1922 but sub
sequently agreed to compromise the rate at
T23. The Amalgamated association was
un unwilling to consider q reduction below
Sl4 on stoel bilets, Notwithstanding the
fact that the improved machinery would
enable them, even at %23 TO earn more
than is paid in other mills.
Under tine present system the date of
the expiration of the sliding scale is June
30 annually. " Q asked tho date be changed
to December 81, for tho reason that the
change would permit us to make our estimate
upon the wages that we must pay during
the year. beginning ON January |, so that
would be enabled to make contracts for
the year accordingly. This point tho Anal
ganaate1 association refused to concede and
demanded the cid date The third PROPOSE
ton was the reduction on tonnage rates in
these departments in the mills where the
improvements | have spoken OF have been
made. We asked no reduction in any de-
partmert at which the output had not been
greatly increased by reason of our expendi-
lures for improvements since the scale OF
1889 went into effect. We are prepared to
show that in nearly every department under
our proposed reduction in the tonnage rates,
the skilled workmen would make more
money than they did when the scale of 1899
went into effect
uiS luc lucu WIZ are LlihluB Tue
largest wages in the Homestead mill were
tao ones who most bitterly denounced tue
proposed revision OF the SCALE for cut OF
the $500 men employed in every department.
only 3aj were directly affected b. tho re-
duction. Finding that it was impossible
10 arrive at any agreement with the ANAL
ganaated officials we decided TO close our
works at Homestead. "
''Why did the Carnegie company call
upon the Pinkerton's for watchmen to pro
tect their property -
1--WE did not see how else we would have
profession. We only wanted them for
watCSmen to protect our property and see
that the workmen would take to Home
steao-and We have had apDlica lions from
many men to go there to worE-were no.
interfered with We doubted the ability Of
the sheriff aud local deputies to enforce
order u Homestead and protect our prop
crty. Three years ago our concern had an
experience similar to this. We felt the
necessity Of change at The works; that
gcale should be adopted based on
the sliding prices OF billets, and We
asked the comfy authorities for protection
The workmen began tactics similar to those
employed in the present troubles The sheriff
assured the members OF the firm that there
would be no difficulty, that he would give
th9m ample protection and see that men
WHO were willing to work were not inte:-
ferred with. What was the result The
posse taken up by the shertr-something
over 100 men-were not permitted to land
on our property, were driven of with
threats Of bodily harm, and it looked as if
there was going to be great destruction of
life and property. That frightened our peu-
pie and an agreement was made and work
resumed. We did not propose this time to
be placed in that position. -