The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-02-21
THE PUDDLERS' WAGES.
A Conference Hold Mt Bonwood
Yesterday Afternoon.
THE MEN ADHERE TO 81 rs RATE.
No Prospects of Immediate Work at
tho Iicduccd priCG-Somo of tho
Puddlcrs 20 In mt - n Ton Mt Pitts.
burgh, which was offered Here.
Industrial Intelligence.

Yesterday afternoon n conference was
held in Dolan's hall, Mt Bcnwood, be-
tween tho puddlors employed ut tho
Bonwood mill OF tho Wheeling Iron and
Steel Company and President Hubbard,
OF that company.
Mr.. Hubbard offered 10 siSn an agree
ment to pay 81 q ton, but without any
indication OF work in tho immediate
future. Tho offer was taken under nd.
viscment, and later reported TO n well
attended meeting Of tho prddlcrs at tho
samo place.
After considerable discussion the men
resolved tina. under the existing cir.
cumgtanccs they would adhere to tho
AmNlgamatcd Associations scale OfSiO
q ton.
Last evenings Pittsburgh Chronicle
IciegruDh contained tho following:
Tho resolution OF yesterdays meeting
OF iron workers to remain firm for u
81 70 rate for pudding was not lived
up to BY n number OF tho puddlers ut
the Keystone mill. The management
states that Il sufficient number OF men
reported for work 20 start eight furnaces
ut n 81 rate and that tho LinisllnGnt de-
partment went on in full. There wure
q large number OF men ut work aud the
mill seemed TO be in preparation for
general operation tomorrow. The
strikers Claim, however, that many Of
tho operatives have como from other
mills and that very few assertions are
reported in their ranks. There was lit
Ito excitement among the mill workers
and veryfcw people were near fireworks.
The meeting yesterday was apparent
ly successful. 1t was intended 10 keep
the puddlcrs firm. Most OF the men
who voted to remain out for scale rates
have reported for work, and tho status
OF affairs in tho district has not been
materially changed. A significant fact
about Yesterdays session was the alb
sonce oil both vice presidents OF the dis.
tIict, Messrs. Carney and Shechan. 1t
had been expected that they would ut.
tend and enthuso tho mon with new
ardor for tho organization, but tho men
were allowed TO determine for them.
selves. One delegate who was present
eaid:
THE men recognize that this is 4 bad
time TO mike n decisive stand; they
prefer u waiting policy. Tho meeting,
however, showed that the spirit Of
Unionism is not dead and when an OPP
portunity presents itself the manufac-
turers will be squeezed just US they have
taken advantage OF us. There is 4 S0n-
eral opinion among the ironworkers
that the wages arc unnecessarily low
and that more money can be secured
shortly. That sentiment was expressed
in the resolution that on April |, n gen.
eral demand OF s. per ton Tor pudding
will be made. The delegates did not
expect that the ironworkers will engage
in q general fight on that date for such
wages, but they believe that the work
ers will mako that their standard and
when the first opportunity presents it.
self will enforce such q scale. The dele.
gates wcro also assured that there is
yet a strong union sentiment in the dis
trict, and, while 4 number OF the mills
are now nominally non-union, the men
will rally for tho A~malgamated Asso-
citation when q general movement is be-
gun. BY next iall there will be fewer
non-union mills than now if the times
improve"
At tho headquarters Of tho Amalga-
mated Association the action Of the
meeting was received with much pleas.
IRE. President Garland said that it
showed conclusiyely that the men will
stand by their organization. He pre-
dicted that the crisis had been passed
and that better times for the iron and
steel workers might be expected in the
near future.