The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-12-07
SURRENDER At HOMESTEAD.
The Amalgamated Association
Gives Up the Long Fight.
Review of the Causes and. In
cidents of the Strike.

After weary strike Of twenty weeks the
Carnegie mills in Homestead, Penn, were
formally declared open by the Amalgamated
Association. Directly and indirectly about
score of lives have been sacrificed. Dur
ing the last week. there had been many
breaks in the ranks of the locked-out men.
These had become so serious that the great.
er part of the men had applied for their old
places, and were anxious and willing to re.
turn at once. Several closed meetings Of the
Amalgamated Association had been held
during the week, and before adjourning
after the laborers had gone back, another
conference was called for at 10 o'clock q. m.
The men were instructed to come pre-
pared to take decisive action, AMI when the
the motion was put whether the strike be
continued or the mills be declared ,opsn and
the men at liberty to apply for their old
places without interference from the associa.
ton, the question was soon decided.
The meeting was presided over by Vice
President w A. Carney. Secretary j. G.
,Kilgallon, Assistant Secretary Stephen Mad.
den, and Assistant President P. q. McEvoy.
of the National Council, were present, and
maze short addresses. They did not urge
the men to vote either way. Several of the
steel workers made speeches but the opin-
not being dead.
The motion to call off the strike and de-
clare the mill open was carried 10l to a..
This was sufficient, and the will Of the ma
jority ruled. A few speeches defending the
attitude of the association toward the men
were made by the officials and the meeting
adjourned. The men hurried to their homes,
and few Of them were seen about the town
during the afternoon.
A prominent member Of the association
was seen at his house in the afternoon. His
CRATE was piled high with burning pam.
phlets. Pointing to them he said: w..
Il have no more use for them. They con-
tain the laws and rules OF the Amalgamated
Association, and have taken this means to
be rid of them. hardly think the Amalga-
mated lodges will be continued here, as moth
ing can be derived from membership in it.
A potent fact in losing the strike was that
too many Of our men returned to work, and
this helped the company to geti mills into
working order. It was not the company,
but our own men that lost the strike"
Secretary Klgallon, in speaking Of the
action taken during the morning. said5
'sThe men have made brave fight and the
association did all it could to help them.
When it was hopeless to fight longer we
thought it useless to unnecessarily sacrifice
the men and exhaust the reserve funds OF
the association"
The more conservative men of Home.
stead were not surprised at the action.
Citizens, without exception, expressed great
satisfaction that the end had come and that
Homestead could once more settle down.
The change Is heartily appreciated by the
business men. The general impression is
listed, the men will ultimately get places,
though many may have to wait for some
time. .| ... =..
It is almost impossible to give figures on
the cost Of the strike, but conservative esti-
mates place 1t at about $4,000, 600. OF this
about Il, 500, 900 were In wages to the men.
The firms loss Is Thought to be two or three
times that. The direct cost Of the troops
was nearly half million. The indirect loss
has been very large indeed.
This contest was brought on by q demand
for reduction Of wages OF about SSH per
cent on certain classes of work in tue open
hearth departments, Nos. and Q mills, and
In the 1tg-inch and thirty-two-nch pato
mills. This reduction directly affected only
about 325 out OF the $500 men In the works.
but the others about 10, '90 men took up the
matter as q common cause through SYM
pathy and agreed to stsud by the men inter-
esced in case of strike. .
The scale expired under which they were
working on June 80. The company wanted
tho Amalgamatei Association, which con-
trolled the workmen in the mills, to sign the
scale at the reduction. The scale was to be
renewed on January ! instead OF July 1.
The association refused, and the men
threatened to strike should the request for
the existing scale not be granted before
July.
On June 80 the company locked out all
men before they had the opportunity to
strike. The wa yes question was soon lost
sight OF and the contest for the recognition
of organized labor followed. On the dawn
Of July 6 the famous battle took place be-
tween the workmen on the mill property
and the Pinkerton forcs attempting to land,
and take possession Of the mill.
Then followed the trying times at Home
stead, the reign OF the Advisory Board, the
scenes OF lawIessness, the calling out OF the;
troops, their long and trying stay, the shoot
ing of Mr.. Frick by Berkman, the departure
of the troops, the arrest OF the homsteaders,
the beginning Of their trials, and now the
ending Of the strike.
According to Superintendent Wood, OF,
the Homestead works. not more than 500 or
900 Of the total number Of old employees will
be able te secure employment. Before the
last break there were left In Homestead
about 2SOO OF the original $500 men who
were locked out. OF these $500 men 22OO were
mechanics and laborers and GU Amal2a.i
mated Association men.