The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-21

PlrrsnUnou, Pa, Nov. 9o,--ThO great
strike Mt Carnegies Homestead Steel
Works has been declared oil. After a
five months struggle which for bitter
ness has probably never been equalled
in this country, the army OF strikers
finally decided to-day 10 give up the
fight. This action was taken at u meet
ing Of the lodges OF the AmalGamated
Association this oiternoon, the vote
standing l0l in favor OF peclaring the
strike oil and 81 against. Among those
present at the meeting were Vice Presi-
dent Carney, Secretary Eilgam, Troas-
urcr Madden and David Lynch, OF the
advisory board. Tho officials address
ed tic members and in plain wards told
them the strike was lost and told them
to take steps to butter their condition.
The remarks met with considerable OPP
position, but when the vote was taken,
il showed majority oil ten III favor OF
declaring the strike oil.
Those who We're in favor OF calling
the strike Off we're jubilani, while those
who were against il were badly put out.
Most OF the latter were men who were
obstinate, and many OF them were men
who had either applied for positions in
the mill and had been turned down, or
felt sure that their names were on the
black list and could not get positions,
A member OF the advisory board said
to-day that he had been trying 10 get
the strike declared of for some weeks,
as he knew it was lost and it would
have been better for the men as great
many more OF them could have gotten
their places back.
Those who cannot get back are in a
bad fix, as the relief funds will be stop
ned and many hundreds of them have
nothing to live on. The people in
Homestead, especially the business
men, are highly elated over the decla'
ration to call the strike of, for il it
had continued much longer it would
have ruined the town. Many business
hou,o os have fallen into the hands OF the
sheriff since the strike has been on.
Business is expected to resume its nor
nal condition soon.
The Homestead strike has proved one
OF the most disastrous in the history OF
tho country. 1t originated from re-
duction in wages in the departments
where the members Of the Amalga-
mated Association OF iron and steel
workers we're employed. The hitch was
on what is known as the sliding scale.
1t is scale which regulates the mems
wages by the market price OF steel bill
lets. Nearly every mill in this vicinity
signed the scale including other mills
OF the Carnegie company. At the re-
iusal oil the firm to sign the scale for the
Homestead mill a lockout occurred by
the Amalgamated Association and they
were joined by the mechanics and III
horers, who struck out OF sympathy
only, their wages not being reduced.
The strikers were determined to keep
non-union men out OF the mill and
adopted military diGcipline.
The story Of the arrival and bloody
fight with the Pinkertons on July 6, tho
subsequent riotons proceedings, and the
calling ont OF the national guard and
its departure after three months duty,
is too well known to retell. For six
weeks the mill has been running al.
most as wei! as before the strike. I'm
iii within the last week the strikers
steadfastly refused to admit defeat.
The news OF to-days action was re-
ceived with dismity by the strikers in
the two Lawrencevillo mills. These
men were sympathi2ers and went out at
the time the mon at Beaver Falls and
Duquesne men struck. The Duquesne
men gave NJ tho fight iu three weeks
and the Beaver Fails strikers decided to
90 back Yesterday. The Lawrence men,
however, we're ateadtust and had no in
tention OF giving i'll. They are now in
the position OF striking for no cause.
They are very angry ut the Homestead
men and will probably declare the
strike of tomorrow.
Tho strike at one time involved near
ly 10000 men and the loss in wages will
reach, it is said. in the neighborhood OF
two millions. There is the loss to the
firm, which cannot be estimated, but
which conservative people put at least
double tho amount lost by the men in
wages. To this can be added nearly n
half million dollars paid to the state
troops and the costs TO the county OF Al
leCheny for the riot, treason and other
cases growing out OF the strike.
At least thirty.fve deaths were
directly or indirectly caused bv the
strike. Besides three killed IN the
battle OF July 9, many soldiers con-
tracted fever, which resulted fatally
and one soldier was shot accidentally by
acomrade, another killed by the cars,
several non-union men died from fever
and several were killed in the mill,
and one was killed by another non
unionist. Tho attempted assassination
OF Chairman Frick, OF the Carnegie
Company is also indirectly credited to