The Lamar register., 1892-07-09
TWENTY-FIVE KILLED
WAR IN Pennsylvania
Between Force of Pinkertons and
Locked Out Iron Workers at
Homestead.

ettdu, iitai ANtspuiS Vh ehN SsA-
The riot was the elimination of the troubles |
which have been brewing at Homestead for
the past MONTH The Carnegie company sub |
rnitted a scale to govern their employees in the
steel plant, and announced that it was their
ultimatum The scale nsde sweeping re-
ductioh in wages OF skilled men, and II was
officially announced that unless terms were
complied with before July the places of the
workmen would be filed by others.
The men stated they would never submit to
the proposed reduction and announced their
determination to resist any effort on the part
Of the Carnegie company to start up their
plants with non-unon men.
The contest was precipitated by the work
men at Homestead by hanging Ii. [. Friek,
president of the company, in etiigy. aud in re-
tsliation the company ordered the Immediate
shutdown Of the big works two days before
the time provided by the contract under
which the men were working.
The employees a: once proceeded to organize
for the defense and the company erected
high board fence around the entire works,
giving them the appearance of an immense
stockadc, the sides being pierced with port
holes and protected with wires which could
he charged with electricity. Inside the stock
ade every preparation was made not only to
house workmen but to carry on defensive
warfare.
On the 9TH the Carnegie company Runounc-
cd their intention TO proceed to make repairs
and the officials asked the sheriff to appoint
deputies to protect their property. The sher-
i'll sent a small squad Of men up TO the works,
but the strikers assembled In force and noti-
fed them to get out Of town as no disorder
was intended and that no damage would be
done To any property. They even offered 10
be sworn in deputies and to give bonds for
their faithful performance OF their duties as
conservators of the peace. When this offer
was declined the advisory committee, which
had been directing the action of the work
men and which had held the turbulent
spirits among the workmen in check, was inn
mediately dissolved nnd all the records OF the
committee promptly destroyed.
The Developments OF the 6th showed that
the applications made for assistance Of the
| sheriff we're merely for the purpose Of cover
| ing what was Intended TO be coup dc main
| on the part Of the Carnegie company in the
elandeztine introduction of a body OF Pinker-
ton detectives into the mill inclosurc. The
detectives had been rendezvoused some five
or six miles below the city on the Ohio river,
\ at which place two barges had been prepared
| for them. The holds Of the barges were tiiled
| with hunks, cooking arrangements and other
accommodations, and as an extra precaution,
as il in preparation for the siege to which
| they were subjected to-day, were lined with
heavy steel plates on the inside, while the
whole back deck was protected in a similar
manner.
1t was the intention that the men should
reach the works about 3 o'clock in the morn
| ing, but the guards which were on duty along
the river got word OF the threatened invasion
| of the hated Pinkerton men and prepared TO
receive them. The barges were towed up the
river Icy tow boat, but long before the
| Pnkerton men reached Homestead, thoIs-
ands Of strikers had gaihe,-d on the banks
| of the river ready to give them warm wei,
! 80 -.en the boats attempted to land,
- Surkmen broke through the fence sur
rounding the mill and entrenehing themselves
behind piled up steel billets prepared 10
resist the landing of the detectives.
By o'clock in the morning an effort was
made to land the detectives, but the stfikers
met them and fierce battle was preeipitaied,
both sides exchanging heavy yolley u ahois-
| The detectives were all armed with Winehes-
tiers, but at The point where the atleidat %
| land was made there was steer end ankuent.
and fhof were compelled . 20 IN single Gle,
aud we're soon driseil,aeS u the boats by TIE
stea..s fEe frosthe shore. The noise of the
batf.e spread about the borough Ike wild fire
| and .houeands Of men. women and children
thru ged to the river bank TO witness the
| tight In progress The Plnkerton men were
IetermIped to land, and they poured volley
after voiley into the ranks OF the strikers,
many of whom were stricken down by the bull
lets, some of them being fatally injured and
Others killed outright
As the battle progressed the strikers took
up position behind a breastworks hastily
constructed OF steel rails and billets, and from
this place of safe refuge were able to pick OF
the detectives as soon as they appeared on the
deck of the boats.
In the meantime Captain Helm and Super
intendent Kline of the Pinkertons were dis
abled and the fire became so fierce that the
crew of the tow-boat hastily cut loose from
the barges and steamed up the river carrying
as many OF the wounded as they could reach
10 Braddoek from which place they were sent
down to the hospitals at Pittsburg. Seven of
the force were thus cared for, while the
strikers that fell wounded were carried to
their homes at Homestead, the dead being
carried to the undertaking establishments in
the town.
| As soen rs Gay broke the strikers Sc
cured a small brass ten-poundcr cannon and
planted it within the steel-built embrazure so
as 90 command the barges which were moored
at the river bank At the same time the
force of 1000 men took up position on the
opposite side Of the river and planted a can
non which they protected with breastwork
| of railroad ties. The fire from both sides as
kept up, the barges having been pierced.
Shortly before o'clock the cannon were
turned on the boats and for several hours an
awful bombardment was kept up. The stout
oaken timbers forming the sides of the boat
| we're splintcred, but the heavy steel plates on
the inside prevented the balls from penetrat-
| ing the interior. Many Of the strikers, how
| ever, were expert marksmen, and they sent
shot after shot into the portfolios of the barge
and inflicted terrible injury on the imprisoned
| men. When 1t was found that little impress
| sion could be made by the cannon on the
| boats, an effort was made to fire the barges
| and thus compel the detectives to leave the
| nr sufT fba fara ,f