Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-11-26
DECLARED OFF.
Tho Amaigamated Association Decides 20
End the Homcstend Strike.

rho Anal gamated Association Decides 20
End the Homestead Strike.
HOMESTEAD, Pa, Nov. 21.-The great
strike at Carnegie's Homestead steel
works has been declared off. After
Ave months struggle, which for bitter
ness has probably never been equaled
in this country, the army of strikers
finally decided on Sunday to give
up the fight. The action was taken
at meeting of the lodges of the
Amalgamated association at Home
stead Sunday afternoon, the vote
standing lO1 in favor of declaring the
strike off and 91 against it. Among
those present at the meeting were
Vice President Carney, Secretary
Kilgallon, Treasurer Madden and
David Lynch, of the advisory board.
The officials addressed the mem.
bers and in plain words told them the
strike was lost and advised them to
take steps to better their condition.
The remarks met with considerable
opposition, but when the vote was
taken it showed a majority of ten in
favor of declaring the strike off.
Those who were in favor of calling
the strike off were jubilant, while those
who were against it 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 company's black list and could not
get ,,ositions. A member of the advis.
ory board said that he had been trying
to get the strike declared off 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 got their places back. Those who
cannot get back are in a bad fix, as the
relief funds will be stopped and many
hundreds of them have nothing to live
on.
The people in Homestead, especially
the business men, are highly elated
over the declaration to call the strike
off, for if it had continued much louger
it would have ruined the town. Many
business houses have fallen into the
hands of the sheriff since the strike
| has been on. Business is expected to
| resume it's normal condition soon.
The Homestead strike has proved one Of the
| 1t originated from reduction in wages in the
| departments where members Of the Amaga-
| mated Association of Iron and Steelworkers
| were employed. The hitch was on what is
| known the sliding scale 1t is scale which
| regulates the mems wages by the market price
of steel billets. Nearly every mill in this
vicinity signed the scale, including the
mills of the Carnegie company, At the
| refusal of the firm to sign the scale
J for the Homestead mill lockout oc
| Cured by the Amalgamated association and
| they were Joined by the mechanics, who struck
| out OF sympathy only, their wages not being
reduced. The strikers were determined tC
| keep non-union men out OF the mill and adopted
| military discipline
The story of the arrival and bloody fight with
the Pinkertons on July 8, the subsequent riot
Gus proceeding and the calling out of the ma
tional guard and its departure after three
months duty, is too well known to repeat. For
six weeks the mill has been running, but until
| within the last week the strikers have stead
fastly refused to admit defeat
The strike at one time involved nearly 10 00t
men and the loss in wages will reach, it is said
in the neighhorhood of s2000,G00 Then ther,
is the immense loss TO the firm which canno
be estimated but which conservative peopl
put at least at double the amount lost by thu
men in wages. To this can be added nearl.
$500, 600 paid to the state troops and the cost
to the county Of Allegheny for the riot, treason
and other cases growing out OF the strike
At least thirty-ive deaths were directly o
Indirectly caused by the strike. Besides thos
killed IN the battle of July many soldier
contracted fever which resulted fatally, on
soldier shot accidentally by q comrade, an
| other was killed by the cars, one striker com
mitted suicide, one drowned, one was killed b.
the cars, several non-union men died from feve
and several were killed IN the mill, and one wa
murdered by another nonunlonist.
The attempted assassination of Chairma
Frick of the Carnegie company s also indirectl
credited to the strike.