St. Paul daily globe., 1892-07-03
tower at each corner that really G ives it
the appearance of

Barcn1al Castle
with bait lements. The fences are not
only arou nd the mills, but double par
allel row of similar fencing cross and
recrOss the grounds III an apparent use
less way; but a moments thought shows
that they are meant to serve as screens
for batteries, or rather stOckades, be-
hind which defending party of hund-
reds of armed men could be- sheltered
to protect the more easily accessible
mills. The mills cannot be approached
from any direction. by night or day.
without those who are OH guard at the
works seeing every move made by those
who approach. Large signs painted on
solid wood glare at the wayfarer
every few feet. warning him not
to trespass. In addition to the
hot aud cold waper pipes
inside the fences there are several Hat
cars fitted up with two tanks OH each,
filled with water, and supplied with
also have had pumps placed on the foot
rails, and, with several lengths of hose
that each car has coiied upon it, water
can be thrown to a great distance and
with considerable power. The firm
claims all these pumps, hose and water
pipes are for the purpose of protecting
the fences and mills from fire. Fire is,
indeed. about the only thing that the
Walls Around Fort Frick
have to fear. The name is given be-
cause it is due to II. G. Frick, chairman
of the Carnegie Steel company, limited
an organization that yesterday succeed
ed to all the old Carnegie associations
that these wholly unprecedented de-
fenses have been thrown up converting
the Carnegie works into fortress. Mr..
Frick is young man, but he has fought
numerous battles with labor at his coke
He is positive he will win the coming
struggle-for it is bound to be one, and
a.desperate one, too. He is determined
to place the Homestead works on the
same basis as the Carnegie mills at
Braddock, just across the river from
Homestead, and which have been run
on an independent scale, called the
''Braddock sliding SCALE" or Edgar
Thomson scale," for several years past.
The men best posted on the wage scale
have seen this coming for some time,
and they are Just as determined as Mr..
Frick. But their determination is nei-
ther TO work under such a scale nor to
sit idly by and see several thousand
men come in and work for wages that
they won't accept. The n IN are all of
a quiet, determined GLASS; Most of them
have been in strikes and lock-outs be-
fore, and they are quite prepared to
tackle this one. They have fund of
$3.50. 600 in their treasury for just such
an emergency, and an army of friends
i'll other later organizations willing,
ready and prepared to put up as much
more if necessary. No one III Home
stead expects to see the summer pass
without bloodshed there. The mills are
1ln RI
with union men till the scale is signed,
and the Carnegie people positively won't |
sign the scale. When an attempt is
made to introduce
NOn-Unfon Men.
.'scabs" or ''black Sheep" the strug-
gle will be precipitated, and then the
strength of Fort Frick" will be put to
the test. The managers of the concern
have full faith in Its ability to stand a
siege, while the men say nothing, but |
cast sly glances al the overlooking hill,
as much as to say. IA few dynamite |
bombs thrown from that hill would |!
make pretty large gaps in that fence"
But phase of this lockout that is fully |
as important as the prospects of test |
of physical strength between masters. |
and men is the complete transformation |
Of the political belief of these 1000 men |
berS of the amalgamated association, .
together with tens of thousands of mem
DerS of other labor organizations. While |
prominent leaders of the Republican /
party are urging the manufacturers of |
his year, at least, to avoid wrangling /
with their men for the sake of their
party, the men themselves have their |
eyes open and are beginning to open /
their mouths.
The GLOBE reporter today inter-
viewed at least 100 of the idle men at
homestead. OF these not one Democrat
vas found. All have voted the Repub-
lean ticket ever since they were
years old. Of all these men
lot one was found who will vote the
Republican ticket this fall. They all
aid so, and are men of their word.
Every one of them said, too, that this
vas the feeling among all the members
If the amalgamated association, and,
is far as they know, it is becoming gen.
,ral among all labor organizations.
No Longer Republic ans.
'But if this trouble is settled salts
actorily you will return to your party,
Won't you?" was asked.
mot by long shot," was the univer-
al reply, sometimes framed in stronger
anguage.
"Why not?n
''Well. it's just this way. Suppose this :.
trike is averted, and suppose we should ,,
o back to work at our old wages-if
uch thing were upposable-hasn't
he firm shown that it means to cut
own our wages instead of raising them
L even keeping them up to their for
Ter mark? Wouldn't they be compelled
} give in this time just because it is
residential year and they wanted our \
Otes? That game might have been
layed years ago, but it won't go down
ow. Of course the political changesin in !,
lr ranks may not make much of hole |.
| the Republican majority in Pennsyl- :
ania, but they will be quite effective t
Ohio. and in some towns there such n