The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-10

Last week the Register published a
highly sensational Fake" story, OF how
Republican workingmen at the Wheel.
Ing Iron and Steel Company's steel plant,
at Benwo,'d, had In q moment OF indlg-
nation, tore down McKinley's picture
from the walls Of the blacksmith shop,
and stamped on It and spat on 1t, etc.
The etory was taken hold OF by truth
desplslng correspondents OF metropoli-
tan papers, and Popocratlc calamity
howlers received It with open arms.
There was not word OF truth In it; a
fake, nothing more.
The story was probably greater sur
prise to Benwood mill men than to others
OF the community. but 1t occlsioned no
comment whatever. being dismissed as
a joke that was played on the verdant
reporter. In fact, no one In this vicinity
paid any attention to It, but as is SO Of
ten the case. the fabrication when read
IN other towns was received as gospel.
The Washington Post commenced on the
factof Republican s.colworkers tearing
up Mckinley's picture. a Popocrattc
congressman from western state
waved 4 clipping from newspaper con-
tanning the fake" OH the floor OF Con-
gress, at the same time Systematically
crying: Prosperity"
Yesterday State Commissioner of
Labor Barton made an official investigd-
ton of the facts IN the case. II was un-
necessary to do SO for the benefit OF peo-
pie in this neighborhood. but he did 50
at the request OF some gentlemen In
Washington, d. c., who asked among
other things about the picture Incl
dent" and the strike situation, at the
Benwood steel plant Mr.. Barton dis
covered upon inquiry Of Superintendent
James Geraghty and the mill men, that
the picture, which had been hanging on
the wall In tn blacksmith shop since the
last campaign, met It's fate from snow
balls thrown around In fun by the boys
who work at the mill. during the inter-
val time while the night turn was re-
l!evlng the day turn.
1t was one evening last week while
the snow on the ground made snow
balling tempting pastime. One or sew
eral stray snowballs struck the picture
An ordinary campaign lIkencss--and It
tluttered TO the ground, and was soon
lost sight Of among the general rubbish
IN the floor. There were no cheers"
from the Republicans" as the sensa-
:ional correspondents had It. It was an
Incident utterly unnoticed. unless by
some wandering Popocrat, who CHANGED
TO find the picture on the floor, and his
imagination. with the calamity howlars'
inventive talent did the rest.
The story Is too absurd for recitation,
and retaliation Is only made necessary
by the totally false reports sent out by
men. who have just as much claim on a
prison cell as the clearly convicted per-
jurer. The story is merely an illustra-
top OF what men will do for money.
Equally untrue In the some connection
was the statement that 1.5OO men a this
plant are out on strike. There are
ltttle over nre-third Of that number en-
ployed at the Benwood plant Of the
Wheeling Iron and Steel Company, and
to-day there are only the helpers OF the
plate mill on strike. Mr.. Barton's In
vesdgation disclosed the face that TWEEN.
ty-four men are on strike, and the mat
ter OF wages Is but part OF the dispute
between them and the management.
The steel works where the picture in
cident" originated Is still working every
day, and 1t Is safe to say, .hat few of
them have heard Of 1t. unless their at
tention was called 10 the published ac-
count. There is. as stated, only twenty
four helpers out on strike, and though
in a few weeks the steel workers pres
ent scale expires, with. likelihood
OF strike resulting In their failure to
accept the one submitted by the COM
pany, there are good assurances that
the differences will be settled amicably.
Though last Sundays conference was
fruitiess, there was disposition evident
to settle which will likely matriallze be-
fore the present scale expires.
But. in the meantime the steel workers
are working, and the mill Is now on the
steadlest run enjoyed In over two years.
Benwuod merchants are enthusiastic
over the state OF affairs. Until last fall
the mill in two years hadn't run over
two full weeks In succession, and week
on, with the following week of, was
more Of rule than the exception. How
ever. this Is too we'll known for elabora-
ton, and only hobs up in connection with
the Popocratic fake.
. o..