The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-07-15
AFTER THE BATTLE.
strUction at the Carnegie Works Re-
paired-Frick's Views of the Case

! Everything oriet at Homestead Tho De-
/ struction at the Carnegie Works Re
paired-Frick's Views of the Case
HOMESTEAD. Pa, July S.-After the
carnage of Wednesday the town of
Homestead yesterday was almost as
l quiet as sleepy country village and
I the sad duty of decent inter1nent TO
: three of the striking workmen who
were instantly killed in the battle that
ragged fereely along the beautiful banks
OF the Monougahela was the chief re-
minder of the bloody combat
The strikers are masters Of the si.ua-
! ton and the best evidence that they
could produce of their intention to pro-
tect property and not turn the town
/ into hell where anarchy and destruc-
/ ton rule lies at the scene of Wednes-
| day nights battle, where the immense
| plant of the firm of Carnegie, Phipps *
Co. stands practically uninjured.
! The ruin that was incident to prepar-
alton for warfare has been repaired,
I the disnantled fence around the works
has been rebuilt. the yard has been
/ cleared of all debris. and inside the
works the old watchmen of the firm
! peacefully perform their customary pa
/ troll.
FRICK's VIEWS OF THE CASE.
I PITTsBURGH, Pa. July s.-H. C. Prick,
I chairman of the Carnegie Steel Co, was
interviewed as follows by George y.
Mccain. the correspondent OF the Phila-
delphia Press:
What was the basis of the differ
/ ences existing between the Carnegie
/ company and their men. Mr.. Friclx?''
/ There We're three points upon which
we differed. The skilled workmen in
( the Amalgamated association work
under what is known as a sliding
scale As the price of steel advances the
I earnings of the men advance; as the
/ prices fall their earnings decrease in
/ proportion. While thereais no limit 70
an advance of earning on the scale.
. there is I point at which the decline
stops Il is known as the minimum and
the figure heretofore has been So per
ton for Xxi Bessemer billets We be-
; lieve that if earning based on the sell
+ ing price of steel can advance without
I limit the workmen should be willing to
/ follow the selling price down 20 a reas-
enable minimum and so this figure was
finally fixed by the Carnegie company at
the rate OF S2S instead OF So. The reason
for asking this upon our part was that
/ the Carnegie company has spent large
sums in the Introduction of new ma
+ chirery in its Homestead plant by
means of which the workrnen We're en-
! abled to increase the daily output
thereby increasing the amount OF their
own earnings. We had originally
( asked a reduction to SD, but
/ subsequently agreed to compromise
( the rate AZ S23. The Amalramated
association was unwilling TO consider n
, reduction below S25 on steel billets,
notwithstanding the fact that the i'm
proved machinery would enable their
members even at S23 to earn more than
is paid in other Amalgamated mills
This was the first point at issue.
Under the present Amalgamated
! system the date OF expiration of the
sliding scale Is June SO, annually. We
ask that this date be changed to De-
/ cenber 81 (same as at Edgar Thomp-
SOM for the reason that the change
would permit US 70 take our estimate
upon the wages that we must pay dur
ing the year beginning on January l. so
that we would be enabled 10 make con-
tracts for the year accordingly. This
point the Amalgamated association re-
fused TO accede and demanded the old
date
Why did the Carnegie company call
upon the Pinlertons for watchmen to
protect their property?"
We did not see how else we would
have protection. We only wanted them
for watchmen to protect our property
and see that workmen we would take
to HomesteaG-and we have had appli-
cations from many men to go to work
We're not interfered with"
Did you doubt the ability of the
sheriff TO enforce order at Homestead
and protect your property?"
Yes, sir. with local deputies"
.'Why?"
For the reason that three years ago
our concern had an experience similar
to this We felt the necessity Of a
change at the works: that q scale should
&c adopted based on the sliding price Of
bilIets and veaslled the county author
tiles for protection. The wo-kmen be-
gan tactics similar 70 those employed in
the present troubles. The sheriff
assured the member OF the firm
that there would be no difficulty.
that he would give them ample
protection ard see that men Who
we're willing 70 work We're not inter-
fered with. What was the result? The
posse taken up by the sheriff-some-
thing over 100 men-were not permit
ted TO land on our property: We're driven
OF with threats of bodily harm and it
looked Is Il there was going 10 be great
destruction Of life and property. That
frightened our people and an agree
nent was made and work resumed.
We did not propose this time 70 be
placed in that position"
The Pinllerton men. as generally
understood. had been summoned after
all arrangements made with them to be
on hand IN case OF failure By the sheriff
20 afford protection. Is that a fact or
not?''
The facts concerning the engage
ment Of the Pinkerton men are these:
From past experience. not only with
the present sheriff. but with all others,
we have found that he has been unable
70 furnish US with a sufficient num-
Der Of deputies 10 guard our property
and protect the men who We're anxious
TO work on our terms