The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-07-29

A very largely attended meeting OF
the employees Of tho Wheeling steel
plant, at Bonwood, was held yesterday
afternoon In tho city hall there. at
which 1t was resolved to ask an increase
Of wages, Nearly all Of the employees
who were not at work were In attend
ance, and tho hall was quite we'll filed.
Mr. Thomas Shepherd was called on to
preside aud NJ. j, Connolly was elected
secretary,
The meeting was lively. and many
propositions were made aud discussed
freely and by great many OF the work.
men present, The employees Of this
plant Of tho Wheeling Iron and Steel
Company ara not organized into union,
as are most OF tho woTkmen in other
factories, but they have q special wage
contract with the company, This re.
quIroS either side. before making a de-
mand Tor a change In the wages prevail
ing, to give ninety days notice TO the
other.
Tho workmen arc rather peculiarly
situated, They decided yesterday after.
noon not only to ask an increase Of
wages, but also that the wage schedule
be ontlFely %readjusted, 80 AZ to BIO upon
the same basis as now prevails at the
Riverside steel plant. The Workmeu at
that plant recently received an advance
in wages which 10 said to average -
per cent. At the Wheeling plant, tho
men claim that 10 sven their wages
With those in the same departments at
the Riverside works will require an In.
crease averaging fully 20 per cent, Ow'
ing TO tho different methods OF COM
putting wages, they say, they do not ro'
ceive nearly so good pay Us their fellow
workmsn in the other Benwood plant.
In the meeting yesterday great OPP
position was manifested TO the ninety
day notice stipulation in this case.
When a prominent worker was asked
about this matter after the meeting I'D.
jourRed, he informed an INTELLIdRNcGE
rouortOT that tho committee which pre-.
SCENTS to the company the demand for
an increase, will request the company
TO waive the ninety days notice. 1t is
optional with the officials whether they
shall insist upon 1t or not Said the
gentleman quoted:
I'VE want to 90. some OF tho cream
OF this boom before it collapsos. No.
body can tell when the bottom may fall
out, All tho other manufacturers have
incIsaSed Wages. and We do not see n
good reason why We should not have an
increase at once"
A committee was appointed to draw
up q now scale on the Riverside basis,
and this committee met as soon as tho
general meeting adjourned. It il
probable tho scale will DO submitted TO
President Hubbard to-day.
About 800 men are employed In the
plant and will get the benefit Of the In
cronsO II Il Is granted. Tho men do not
anticipate a refusal or any Disagreement
about tho matter, unless possibly 40 to
some OF the minor details.
Tho nallers at tho LNBelle have been
notified Of an increase OF 10 per cent to
tako effect August 5. and are promised
a further raise Of 7 per cent on the
l4.ccnt scale, 10 take effect September
Is. This will make q total increase OF
II por cont, which Is a very handsome
addition to tho wages OF the men aE
iected.
Commencing next Monday tho naIlers
employed at the Laughlin Nail Works
will receive a 10 per cent increase In
wageS. They aro promised more when
nails go up higher. Wages in tho nail
mills, it should DO remembered, 80 up
rs O matter OF cOnrso, when nails 90 up,
being fixed on a sliding scale.