Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-07-15
THEIR WORK FINISHED.
The Congressional Committee Completes
the Homestead
INVESTIGATION AND GETS OUT
Of Town-Thers Will Be No Minority Report
They Will Give the Pinksrion System Some
Further Research-The Testimony Taken
YeStsrdsy-SUpt. Potter Examined.

OdLeS SdlU ne WOulU uulSu bO-udJ'
One Of the committee said that the
present Investigation would do much to
help the passage OF a compulsory ar
bitration law, and also an anti-Pinker-
ton measure, both OF which have already
been introduced. Most of the commit
tee favor both of these measures, and
the report which the committee will
submit will doubtless contain favorable
for both measures.
The compulsory arbitration bill is not
favorably looked on generally by manu-
facturers.
The first to arrive this morning were
P. c. Knox and Burgess McLuckie, tol-
lowed by Mr.. Frick. Mr.. Bynum was
the first one of the committee TO. ar
rive, but they were all on hands by 9:l5.
The labor side was well represented,
and when the hearing was resumed
there were about 40 persons present
Chairman Oates said: 81 wish to cor
rect an error. 1t was stated that this
was divided on this question
and that there would be minority re-
port. Such is not the case. So far as
l know there will be no division on this
question, and we all look on this mat
ter in the same way"
Mr.. Taylor added: Eyes, l agree
with our Chairman. We are united on
this question and are here only to as
certain the facts In the case"
SUPERINTENDENT POTTER.
General Superintendent Potter was
the first witness, aud he testified that
the Homestead mill was different from
other mills in that the firm hired and
paid the men. There were no helpers
hired and paid by the men. By reason
of machinery there is less responsibility
TO the men. The witness described to
the committee the various classes Of
workmen affected by the proposed
scale. He then described the various
processes employed by the firm. He
said the Homestead mill was the finest
in the world and by reason of i'm
proved machinery the output was
80 per cent. greater than any mill in the
world. The 119-inch plate mill has no
equal, and all the facilities and auto
matte machinery have no equal, and by
reason OF this the output is greater than
any other mill. This runs from 10 TO so
per cent. over other mills. Ia the plate
mill the output was so per cent. greater
and the labor required 80 per cent. less.
The proposed changes In the scale were
in the minimum, which was to be S23,
the time of expiration and certain re-
ductions. The proposed reductions
would average u per cent. Only $50
men in the four de partments were at
feCted. Some of the men would get
more and some the same, The company
was paying more than any competitors,
and by reason of improved machinery
the output was increased and the labor
leSsened.
1--WE were paying more money than
any Of our competitors for the same
class Of material" said the witness.
"Well, " said Mr.. Oates, "if by means
Of the improved machinery the COM
pany could make the output for less
money shouldn't it be willing to pay
more?"
II do not know that that is fact.
A few days before the troubles we
found Mr.. Frick's and my eiligieS hung
around the mill, and on July ! all the
foremen were stopped by crowd Of
our workmen.
"You are not a member Of the Anal
gamated Associations"
"NO, sir, am not"
"Were those men who stopped your
foremen members Of that Association?'
THE GREAT RIOT.
eyes, sir, most all of them. On July
3 l left the mill and went back on the
boat which took up the barges. l met
the Darges at Bellevue aud put the men
on. | saw Col. Gray and received his
letter and learned he was the represen-
tative OF the Sheriff. When we ap-
preached Homestead we saw a crowd
and shots were fired from the shore
which struck the boat. The crowd fol-
lowed us up and when they reached the
fence the crowd broke through it and
the firing ceased as we turned toward
shore. As the men started to move
the shooting was renewed from
the shore; our men replied
and then called TO them
TO stop shooting and our men stopped,
but the men on shore kept up the fire
for several minutes when it ceased. A
was held and we decided TO
take our wounded TO Port Perry. We
thought in an hour or two we could
make a peaceable landing"
Mr.. ByHum-If the output is 80 per
cent. greater then the labor cost is only
one half so much, is IL not?
''No, sir; that does not follow, because
the improved machinery is very expen-
sive and the men get the benefit of the
increased output as they are paid so
much per ton."
Oscar Colfsh, who worked at the rolls
in the 1l9-inch plate mill, testified that
on the reduction proposed he could not
give the exact percentage, but he could
give the difference on two or three Jobs.
In heating the reduction is only per
cent. The greatest reduction is at the
rolls and Shearmen, where the hardest
work is. In my job" he said, 1--WE will
be reduced on 1000 tons Of steel $50.
We used to get 500 for it, but the pro-
posed scale will give us only S67 for
1 900 tons. On 1900 tons, an average
months work, on the old scale l would
make sl41.45, under the proposed scale
| would get only 500, reduction OF
S49.45 in the month. The average
months pay last year TO me was $3.50.
The shearman's helpers used to get $50
per month, by the new scale they will
get Sl.s5 per day. To heat, roll and
shear ton of steel costs S1.59. Thisis
rom the slab. Before il reaches the
heater there is a good deal OF work Oh
Il"
IcOnttnued on Fourth P00s.l