The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-13

'SSSIlst 'S"@hat business is the Association
engaged ir?" ~,
Thomson, Bessemer, Homestead and
Duquesne steel works, tho Lucy Fur
mace, Keystone bridge works, the Up
per and Lower mills, Beaver Falls
mills Scotia ore mines. Larlmer aud
Youghiogheny coke works. We en-
ploy in these several establishments
about $4,000 men"
"How many.men do you employ at
Homestead|
ABOUT $500. The concern was en-
gagged in the manufacture OF armor
plate for the government. The contract
calls for about 5000 tons OF plates rang
ing in thickness from 4 TO 20 inches.
Mr.. Frick produced the payroll OF the
119.inch mill for the month OF May last,
which contained the name OF every man
and boy employed in that department,
tho number of days he worked, and the
amount he received. The wages ranged
all the way from $40 to $2T5 per
month. The wages OF the rollers
were the highest. These aver
aged from $3.50 to S275 for the month.
The heaters from $lS5 to $3.50. Heaters
helpers about $3.50; trainihen from S9I
to Sl2O; head shearers, Sl00; shearers'
helpers, sos; guagers, SIS. and variety
OF other men averaging about 80: me
total amount paid in wages TO this de-
partment for tho month OF May was
$50, ,2O9 95.
Mr.. Oates-Now, Mr.. Frick, you have
spoken OF the earnings OF several skilled
workmen upon what basis are these
men paid?
Mr.. Frick-Upon the basis Of con.
tract made July ]. 1850, which was to
run for three years, expiring July !,
1892. It is known rs the sliding scale
system. The rates when agreed to were
to continue three months, determined
upon the average selling price OF steel
billets, and the average price OF one
ton to be the basis for the next three
months, tho standard grade AKA to be
the basis OF price.
HThis scale was based on steel billets
at S26 80 per ton. On that basis tho
rate per loo tons for the heater, first
helper was So OF, and his daily earnings
we're 81 SO. In the proposed scale for
lS92-03 this rate was not changed, but
with the increased tonnage made possi-
bic by the introduction Of new ma
chinery his daily earnings would be
over five" !,
MIR. Frick, then detailed the negotia-
tions with the men on the new scale
and the failure to agree. BY this scale
only 1926 out of the entire $500 men
employed were affected.
The men presented scaie which in
almost every instance called for an ad-
vance.
MIR. Frick stated that the proposed
reductions were basod on the decline in
prices during the three years. Tank
steel planks were reduced q per cent;
beams and channels 80 per cent, and
steel billets IL per cent. Tie reduction
in wages was about 10 per cent.
MIR. Frick attributed the continual
decline to overproduction and the re-
duction in the tariff.
There had been decrease, he
thought, 10 tho importation OF the art.
icles upon which the mon were affected
by the proposed new scale. He could
not approximate the difference between
the cost OF labor per ton in Europe and
here. :,
Mr.. Taylor-Would you object to tell
the cost OF a ton OF steel, including ev-
srything?
same objection.
Mr.. Boatner-You don't propose to
give away any OF the secrets OF the
trade?
MIR. oates-You state that after the
sheriff failed you employed the Plnker-
tons. Did you appeal to the governors
Mr.. FricE-No, sir. The experience
OF past years was that the sheriff was
powerless. We concluded to employ
our own watchmen, put them on our
own property, and have them stay
there to protect it. We hired
them and agreed to pay them 50 pei
day and we secured 800 of them on
Juno IA We concluded it would be
necessary to protect our own property
and employ now men,"
Mr.. Boatner-Non-union men2
Mr.. Frick---We did not care whether
they were union or non-union, SO on
June 25 we wrote the following letter tc
the Pinkerton agency in New York:
"DEAn SIR:--We will need 800 guards
for service ut our Homestead mills as q
measure OF prccaution against interfer
ence with our plant to start the
operation OF the work July 9th
1892. The only trouble we anticl
pate is that an attempt will be
made to prevent such OF our men,
with whom We will by that time have
made satisfactory arrangements, from
going to work, and possibly some dem
onstration OF violence upon the part o.
those whose places have been filled, OF
most likely by an element which il
usually attracted to such scenes for the
purpose OF stirring up trouble.
1--WE are not desirous that the mon
you send shall be armed, unless tho oc'
casion properly calls for such q measure
later on for the protection OF our en-
ployes and property. We will wish
those guards to be- placed upon our
property, and there to remain unless
called into other service by the civil
authority to meet an emergency that is
likely to arise.
"These guards should bo assembled
at Ashtabula, Ohio, not later thar
the morning OF July 5, when
they may be taken by train tc
.Mckee's Rocks or some other point
upon the Ohio river below Pittsburg
where they can be transferred to boat!
and landed within the enclosure OF on
premises at Homestead. =" .
As soon as your men are upon thl
premises we will notify the sheriff, ant
ask that they be deputized either a
once or Immediately upon an outbreal
OF such character as to render such
step desirable.