Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-12-02
The Homestead strike Declared on:


HOMESTEAD. Pa, Nov. 2l.-The
great strike at Carnagies Homestead
works has been declared off. After a
five months struggle which. for Bit
terness has probably never been
equaled in this country. tine strikers
finally decided to-day to give up the
fight This action was taken at q
meeting OF the lodges OF the Amalga-
mated association at Homestead, the
vote standing l0l in favor OF declaring
the strike of and ninety-one against
IT, Among those present at the meet
ing were Vice President Carney, Sec
rotary kilgnllon, Treasurer Madden
ana David Lynch of the al visory board.
Inc officials addressed the menu ers
and in plain words told them the strike
was lost ami advised them to tako
steps to better their condition.
The remarks met with considerable
opposition. but when the vote was
taken it showed u majority OF ten In
favor OF declarsng the strike oil.
Those who were in favor OF calling
the strike of were jubiiant. whilo
those who were against it were badly
put out. Most OF the latter were men
VINO were obstinate. and many OF them
were men who had either applied for
positions in the mill and mad been re-
fused or felt sure their names were on
the company's black list anu could not
get positions. A member OF the ad-
visory board said TO-DAY that ne HAD
been trying to get the strike declared
of for some weeks. as he knew 1t was
lost and it would nave been better for
the men, as great many more OF
them could have gotten their places
DacK.
Those who cannot get back are in q.
bad fix. as the relief funds will DO
stopped ana many hundreds OF them
have nothing 10 live on. The people
i'll Homestead, especially, are nigniy
elated over the declaration to call tho
strike of. for If it mad continued mucn
| longer IL would nave ruined the town.
| Many houses have fallen into tho
| hands OF sheriifs since the strike has
been on. business is expected to re-
The Homestead strike has proved
one OF the most disastrous in the his
tory OF the country. 1t originated
| from a reduction in wages in the de-
partments where embers of the Anal
gamated Association OF Iron and Steel
Workers were employed. The wages
were on what is known as the sliding
scale This scale regulated the price
OF wages by the market price OF steel.
Nearly every man in this village
signed the scale including other mills
OF the Carnegie company. AT the re-
fusal OF the firm to sign the scale for
the Homestead mill lock out occurred
oy the Amalgamated association ami
they were joined by the mechanics and
| laoorers. who struck out OF sympathy
only, their wages not being reduced.
The strikers were determined to
keep non-union men out OF the mills
ana adopted military discipline. The
story OF the arrival and bloody fight
with the Pinkertons on July q. the
subsequent military proceedings and
the calling out OF the national guard
and its departure after three months
duty is too we'll known to repeat
| The strike at one time involved
nearly three thousand men and the
loss in wages will reach it is sup
posed into the neighborhood OF 81
| 600. 900. Then there is the immense
loss TO the firm which cannot be esti-
mated. but which conservative people
put at least double the amount lost by
the men in wages. To this must be
added nearly $500, 900 paid to the state
troops anu the costs to the county Of
Aiiegheney for the riot and other
cases growing out of the strike.