The record-union., 1892-08-26

OF LABOR war IN August, 1S42. The
Moyamensing and Kensington weavers
struck for higher wages. Weakened
laborers were intimida.ed into striking,
much rloting occurred, and attacks were
made on the mills, in course OF which
looms and chains were destroyed. The
strike and riots lasted until January,
1913, when a settlement was effected. The
county refused to pay the Sheriff's posse
and litigation ensued.
In May, 1913, when the West Philadel-
phia brickmakers struck the Mayor and
Sheriff refused to call out a posse. As a
result the Gray's Ferry Road Brickyards
We're destroyed and a great amount OF
damage done,
The iron war in Pittsburg again broke
out in May, 1916. The boilers struck for
an advance of 81 per ton-from So to So.
The strike lasted until August, when the
men were successful, the bosses losing
heavily. From 1914 to lS4S eight import
ant strikes occurred in Philadelphia
alone, the men winning in majority of
cases. Losses to the strikers OF Sll 900,
ana to the employers of nearly $4,000
were caused by the strike and riots of
weavers in Fall River, Mass, in 1S4S.
Mills were closed five weeks, and consid-
cradle rioting and damageIto property oc-
Cured.
TARIFF FOR REVENUE ONLY"
In 1850 began the big iron strike at
Pittsburg. The trial of the tariff for
revenue only'' measures of 1916 had
brought about serious depression in the
iron trade, and the manufacturers pro-
posed to reduce the wages of puddlers,
boilers, refiners, scrapers and heaters. a
strike was the result. On February 18th
four mills started with imported work
men at reduced wages. Mobs filled the
streets, and fierce attack was made on
Browns mill, Wayne street. Men and
women Joined in the onslaught. The
women drew the bars from the CRATES
of furnaces used by the non-union work
mel, and with these did terrible execu-
ton. Arrests were made in great num-
Der, and heavy fines followed. The re-
suit was complete victory for the bosses,
nearly all the strikers returning to work
after six months idleness. From that
time until the war and the readjustment
OF the tariff, ironwOrkers' wages were
gradually reduced, almost to the starva-
ton point.
From 1850 to the outbreak of the war,
strikes were very numerous and uni
formly costly and unsuccessful. On
February Y, 1860, the great Massachu-
sets strike broke out. 1t became gem
eral throughout the State; mass meet
ings and huge demonstrations occurred
daily, ending in considerable rioting.
Finally the militia were called out and
the strikers quelled. They returned to
work in April, having lost in wages
alone 500, 900. During the early part of
the war strikes were few, and workmen
being scarce the employers conceded de-
mands readily. All over the country a
feeling against strikes was springing up,
and it was to provide against their recur-
renee that on February 5, 1865, the
United Sons of Vulcan, predecessors OF
the Amalgamated Association of Iron
and Steel Workers, fixed the first sliding
scale.
The new scale made wages for iron
boiling So per ton, when iron was at s!
cents per pound. The new idea was sue
cessful from the first. The manutactu-
rers readily adopted it, and even in Eng
land it was welcomed with warmth.
This sliding scale continued until July,
1867, when, iron having varied remark
ably in price during the interim, a
change was found necessary. The sec
ond sliding scale gravitated only between
and cents, and did not allow for the
rise or fall of iron over or under those
prices. By this means the mems wages,
while they were kept down to about ST
per ton, never sank below 50. The change,
although much reviled by the chronic
DIRECTORS at the time. proved very salts
factory, and STAYED off iron strikers until
the close of 1874.
Meanwhile, however, other branches
of organized labor did not possess their
souls IN peace by any manner of means.
The SplnnerS and WeaverS of Fall River
Mass, struck against the January reduc-
ton Of Is per cent. in 1868, The strike
lasted two weeks, was partially success
full, and cost the men $4,000. Seventeen
big strikes occurred in 1868 and 1869. one
OF them being that of the Workingmen's
Benevolent Association of Eastern Penn
sylvania, which failed after three months
From 1871 to 1875 there were no less
than seventy eight strikes of the Cigar
Makers Union, siXty-four of which were
directed against the reduction of wages
From 1873 TO 1876 many strikes occurred
in the cotton and wooden factories of
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Con-
necticut. Strikes in the printing, min
ing and other industries occurred in all
parts of the country, especially in the
States of Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indi-
ana, Missouri, Maryland, Ohio and New
York.
THE GREAT STRIKES OF 1877.
The great railroad strike of 1877 began
on the Is. and o. X. Il. at Martinsburg.
w. Va, it's Immediate cause being re-
duction of 10 per cent. in wages. This.
however, was but one of many griev-
ances. Employment was irregular,
wages were often retained for weeks
paid, and assessments We're even col
lected from trainmen on accidents. There
was rioting, destruction of property and
even loss Of life at MartinSburg, Balti-
more. and in various parts of PennsyI-
vania. The State militia at Martinsburg
and Pittsburg, sympathiZing with the
strikers, refused to fire upon them, so
lent them arms, and even Joined in the
riots. United States troops were prompt
ly ordered from Eastern garrlsons, and at
their appearance the mob fled. In Gin
cinnati, Newark, Ohio, Toledo and St.
Louis, armies of strikers succeeded in
closing most Of the factories, shops and
rolling mills. In Chicago the commu-
nists madea formidable demonstration.
For weeks the country was in state of
siege, and the State militia were under
arms in nearly all the Eastern and Cen
trail States.
The strike spread to the Pennsylvania
Central, Erie, Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern, PIttsburg and Fort Wayne.
Philadelphia and leading, Lake Erie
and about ten other railroads. The loss
to both sides was enormous, and proper
ty worth several millions of dollars was
destroyed. Plttsburg was the center of
the struggle, and a man named Ammon
acted as leader of the strike. On the
morning of July 19, 1877, the men in
charge of trains refused to take them out
of Plttsburg, and prevented the labor
ers from the yards from taking their
places.
The Sheriff of Allegheny County vainly
read the Riot Act and called for posse.
He was obliged to telegraph the Governor
for military to suppress the riot. In the
absence Of the Governor, who was in the
Far West, Adjutant General j. w. Latta
telegraphed Brigadier- General Pearson of
Pittsburg to assume charge OF the situa-
ton. General Pearson ordered out the
Fourteenth, Eighteenth and Nineteenth
Regiments, with Hutchinson's battery of
artillery. The Eighteenth Regiment.
under Colonel P. n. Guthrie, reported at
the Union Depot aboutnoon on July 10th,
80 strong. The Fourteenth and Nine