The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-11-24
DECLARED OFF.
The Great Homestead Strike Now a
Thing OF the Past.


PITTsBtRG, Pa, Nov. 20.-The
great strike at Carnegie's Home
stead Steel Works has been de-
clared off. After a FIVE months
struggle which for bitterness has
probably never been equalled in
this country, the army of strikers
finally decided to-day to give up
the fight. This action was taken
at a meeting of the lodges of the
Amalgamated Association this after
noon, the vote standing 101 IN favor
of declaring the strike off and 81
against. Among those present at
the meeting we're Vice President
Carney, Secretary Kilgam, Treas
urer Madden and David Lynch, of
the advisory board. The officials
addressed the members and in plain
words told them the strike was lost
and told them to take steps to bet
ter their condition. The remarks
met with considerable opposition,
but when the vote was taken it
showed a majority of ten in favor
of declaring the strike off.
Those who were In favor of call
ing the strike off were jubilant.
while those who were against 1t
were badly put out Most of the
latter were men who were obstinate.
and many of them were men who
Md either applied for positions IN
the mill and had been turned down,
or felt sure that Their names were
on the black list and could not get
positions. A mem Der of the advi-
sorry board said to-day that he had
been trying to get the strike de-
clared off for some weeks, as he
knew it was lost and it would have
been better for the men as a great
many more of them could have got
ten their places back.
Those who cannot get back are
in a bad fix, as the relief funds will
be stopped and many hundreds of
them have nothing to live on. The
people in Homestead, especially the
business men, are highly elated over
the declaration to call the strike off,
for if it had continued much longer
it would have ruined the town.
Many business houses have fallen
into the hands of the sheriff since
the strike has been on. Business
IS expected to resume its normal
soon.
The Homestead strike has proved
one of the most disastrous IN the
history of the country. 1t origi-
mated from reduction in wages in
the departments where the members
offthe Amalgamated Association of
iron and steel workers we're en-
ployed. The hitch was on what is
known as the sliding scale. 1t is a
scale which regulates the mems
wages by the market price of steel
biIlets. Nearly every mill in this
vicinity signed the scale including
other mills of the Carnegie COM
pany. At the refusal of the firm to
sign the scale for the Homestead
mill a lockout occurred by the
Association and they
were Joined by the mechanics and
laborers, who struck out of sympa-
thy only, their wages not being re-
duced. The strikers we're deter
mined to keep non-unicn men out
Of the mill and adopted military
discipline.
The story of the arrival and
bloody fight with the Pinkertons on
July 6. the subsequent riotous pro-
ceedings. and the calling out of the
national guard and its departure
after three months duty, is too well
known to retell. For six weeks
the mill has been running almost
As well as before the strike. Until
within the last week the strikers
steadfastly refused to admit defeat.
The news Of to-day's action was
received with dismay by the strikers
IN the two Lawrenceville mills.
These men we're sympathizers and
vent out at the time the men at
Beaver Falls and Duquense men
struck. The Duquense men gave
up the fight in three weeks and the
Beaver Falls strikers decided TO 90
back yesterday. The Lawrence
men, however, were steadfast and
had no intention of giving in. They
are now in the position of striking
Tor no cause. They are very angry
1t the Homestead men and will
probably declare the strike off to-
morrow.
The strike at one time involved
nearly 10, 900 men and the loss in
wages will reach, it is said, in the
of two millions.
There is the loss to the firm, which
cannot be estimated, but which con-
people put at least double
he amount lost BY the men in
wages. To this can be added nearly
. half vni1iion daJlars na;d 70 a.