The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-22

A four o'clock yesterday afternoon
the South mill of the Lackawanna
Iron and Steel company shut down and
at this writing there is no one who can
say how soon work will be resumed.
Twelve hundred men are thrown out
of employment
AS mentioned in yesterdays Tri-
bune there was great dissatisfaction
among some of the workmen when
they received their pay Saturday ana
learned the extent to which the cut
in their wages affected them. Those
who quit Saturday and refused to re-
turn to work were augmented vester-
day morning by the 'chippers" who
worked nights last week, consequently
were scheduled to go on duty at six
o'clock yesterday morning. They did
not report for duty and carpenters, ma
chinists and other workmen about the
plant were substituted for them. The
results were not very satisfactory,
however.
Early in the morning the chargers"
and dolly" men employed in the
heating department of the rail mill
waited upon Superintendent John o.
Stanton and tcld him that there would
of wages or they would refuse to con-
tinue to work. They requested an an
swer not later than IL a. m. Mr. STAN
ton advised General Manager Wehrum
of the action taken by the men and re-
ported back to them that the company
could not increase the scale of wages.
MEN QUIT WORK.
When this information was conveyed
to the chargers" and dolly" men
they quit. The heaters objected to
having inexperienced men take the
places of those who quit and inti-
mated that they too would leave If
green hands were put to work with
them. They agreed to do their own
charging for the remainder of the day
and did so until the mill shut down at
four o'clock.
With the clippers" chargers" and
dolly" men out the officials of the
company decided that it would be
somewhat difficult to keep the mill In
operation and orders were given to sus-
pend operations. The men who quit
did not make a hostile demonstration
of any kind, but as matter of pre-
caution the force of watchmen at the
mill last night was doubled.
There is a feeling among many OF
the men that the mill will not be
shut down for long. They argue that
the company will in all probability
make some concessions to the men who
quit work and that within a week al
will be serene again. This hopeful
view of the situation was not shared
by all the workmen last night. They
IN n n
other long period of idleness. None OF
the officials of the company, save Gen.
eral Manager Wehrum. would discuss
the situation further than to say that
in their opinion the men were making
a mistake in stopping work, for the
company could better afford to have
| the mill idle than to run it with the
rail market in the condition it is al
| present.
WILL REMAIN IDLE.
General Manager Wehrum, wher
| spoken to by Tribune reporter, con.
firmed the news with reference to the
mill shutting down, and said that Il
would have to remain idle until such
time as the men who quit work return
or other experienced men take theil
| places.
He said the company was anxious tC
| give its men employment and for thai
\ reason and not because any money
| could be made had started the mil
| a month ago at the reduced scale. He
intimated that the company was no
| particularly anxious to have the mil
resume while the rail trade is in 1t:
present condition.
| Foreman clifford, who was in charge
of the rail. shed, where most of the
disaffected workmen were employed
has been suspended. He was very un
popular with the workmen under hi.
| charge.