Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-17
IMPORTED LABOR COMING.


The Steamship Switzerland, of the Red
Star Line. Said to Be on Her Way to
Philadelphia With a Large Number of
European Iron Workers.
Atelegram from Philadelphia to Presi-
dent Weihe, of the Amalgamated Associa-
tion, yesterday afternoon announced that
the Red Star Line steamship Switzerland,
owned by Peter Wright & Sons, of Phila-
delphia, and now due in an American port
from Europe, had on board large number
of imported iron workers, whose intention
was to apply for positions in the Home
stead works.
In answer to the telegram, instructions
were telegraphed to Amalgamated men in
New York and Jersey City to keep sharp
lookout for such steamer, and if the re-
port concerning the imported iron workers
was true to notify the national lodge of
this city at once.
Late last evening a message was received
from New York stating that, although the
Switzerland was overdue, it had not passed
the breakwater, and it was thought very
possible that the vessel had gone on to
Philadelphia without stopping in New
York. Upon receiving this communication
one of the officials of the Amalgamated
Association in his city notified their men
in the Quaker City to watch for the
steamship and to report just as soon as it
passed Cape May and entered quarantine.
A Legal Fight Promised.
The locked-out workmen at Homestead.
some of whom learned of the Switzerland
and its European passengers, are greatly
exercised over the report. In case it proves
true the Amalgamated officials are search
ing for some means to prevent the strangers
from landing. They claim that if the men
are allowed to land in this country it will
be in direct contravention of the Imported
labor law" and the Amalgamated Associa-
tion intend to make strong fight in the
matter.
While the officers of the association were
busily engaged in discussing the message
from Philadelphia, one of their men en-
tered the Office and said he had learned that
a detective from Kansas City was in Pitts
burg and had asked to be directed to the
office of the Carnegie Steel Company. Here,
it is said, he offered his services to the COM
pany and claimed he could supply them
with all the private detectives they needed.
Upon hearing this, men were dispatched to
the different hotels in the city to see what
could be learned of the strange detective.
Found More Than They Looked For.
In two hours time the messengers re-
turned and handed in their reports. Each
one had different name and address for
the suspected man, and they now begin
to think that the city is full of strange de-
tectives.
During the evening of yesterday a num-
Der of communications expressing sympa-
thy for the locked-out Homestead work
men from labor organizations all over
the country were received at the
Amalgamated Association headquarters
They were from the following assemblies:
United Boot and Shoe Workers Association,
Philadelphia; International Association of
Machinists, nittsburg; District No.
United Mine Workers, North Lawrence
vile, o.; Union No. 72 Brotherhood of
Painters and Decorators, Pittsburg; United
Labor League, Wilmington, Del; Central
Labor Union. GAINESVILLE, o.; Lodge
No. A. A. of ]. and S. W., Chicago;
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and
Joiners, Pittsburg; Mutual Lodge No. II,
A. A of I. and S. W., Joliet, ILL.,, and the
International Machinists' Union, New
York. Letters from individuals follow:
James H. Wood, Detroit; William Griffiths,
Cincinnati, and Stephen S. Brown, Hesh-
burn, Pa.