Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-07-07
TROUBLE AMONG Miners.
Union City, ILL.,, the Scene of Bat,
tle--The Town Is Left
in Ruins.
NO STRIKE AT THE HOMESTEAD WORKS.
Talk of Strike Heard, but the Closest
Secrecy Maintained by Both Sides
The Iron and Steel Workers Scale
The Situation at the Chicago Packing



Houses.
St. Louis, July "A special from
Carbonate, Ill, says: Union City,
named from the fact that it is occupied
by union miners, was the scene of a
battle last night about midnight and
as a result the town is in ruins. The
non-union negroes and other men en-
ployed by Brush at his mines near Ere
dOnia, having become crazed over the
killing of the woman yesterday, went
to the camp, which consists of mine
houses, and opened fire on them,
which was at once returned. The
battle ragged until the union min
ers ran from their homes and
took refuge in a clump of timber,
close to the village. The non-union
men at once applied the torch to the
houses and all were burned to the
ground. After the men had destroyed
all property previously occupied by the
union men, they moved on the woods
and until daylight the fusillade was
kept up. No lives have so far been re-
ported lost in the engagement at Union
City. Union miners have been arriv-
ing at the scene of the trouble all night
and the outcome must be a long drawn
out battle. Both sides seem deter
mined to win.
A Springfield, Ill, dispatch said that
Acting Governor Worder received
telegram from Sheriff Gray at Car
terville saying he was pOwerleSS to
control the rioters and asking that
rifles and 300 troops be sent at once.
The acting governor Immediately Or
dered $50 rifles and ammunition sent
to Sheriff Gray and ordered him to
summon and arm a posse. No troops
will be ordered out until the sheriff's
resources are exhausted. Sheriff Gray
telegraphed that a coroner'S inquest
was held over the negro woman killed
yesterday and several warrants issued.
Sheriff Gray arrested three men but
when on his way to the Jail his car
riage was surrounded by the mems
sympathizers. the horses cut loose and
the prisoners released.
No Strike at the Homestead Works.
Pittsburgh, Pa. July 2.-The report
ed strike at the Homestead steel works
of the Carnegie company has not taken
place as yet, but the men are much
worked up over the discharge of the
mem bers of the Amalgamated commit
tee, who waited upon superintendent
Corey yesterday and demanded the re-
turn of the Is men dismissed recently
for joining the association. The talk
of a strike is heard on all sides, but the
plant was in full operation Saturday
and all the men We're at work save the
"a discharged. A meeting of the Home
stead workers was in session until an
an early hour this morning, and a con-
ference with superintendent Corey
was held at nine clock, but the closest
| secrecy was maintained by both sides.
A short time later Superintendent
Corey left the works for Pittsburgh to
consult with the officials of the COM
pany. At the offices in this city moth
| ing could be learned, as the officials
preserved their customary silence up
on all matters concerning their affairs.
| There are 1900 men employed in the
big works. The company asserts that
only about $50 or 200 of them are
| skilled wOrkmen in the sense that
term used is to be accepted. 1t is
| true the Iaborers predominant numer-
ically, but the Amalgamated people
claim to have received every promise
of aid and support from them. The
company has not made any attempt to
| conceal the reason for the diSmiSSalS.
| 1t was solely for the reason that the
| men went into a labor organization
when they had been forbidden. The
| question of wages does not enter into
| the controversy, the men being as well
paid, and in many instances, better
than those of the mills recognizing the
| unions and paying what is known as
] the ''Scale rate. >"
| Iron and Steel Workers Scale.
| Pittsburgh, Pa, July 2.-The new
scale year of the Amalgamated Associ-
alton of Iron and Steel Workers began
/ r
union than has been made for more
than half dozen years Nine individ-
ual firms and the representatives of
| the American Hoop company, Republic
| Iron and Steel company, and the Iron
and Sheet Manufacturers association
| have signed the scale so far and num-
| Der of other signatures are expected.
| The local firms not recognizing the
! union are the Carnegie Steel company,
Jones & Laughlin, Park Steel COM
| pany, III. Painter & Sons, William
Clark, Sons & Co., and Singer
! Nimick & Co. At several of these
| the men are said to be secretly
associated with the association, but no
| attempt was made to insist upon the
scale and all the plants were in opera
| ton to-day with no trouble threatening
| except at Carnegie's. where war was de-
| clared on the union by the discharge
| of number of workmen known to be
| members. As the result of the failure
/ to agree upon the tin plate scale, all
the mills in the country are idle,
| barring four non-union plants, and
nearly $4,000 skilled and unskilled
workmen are out of employment, pend
| ing settlement
| The Situation at the Packing Houses.
Chicago. July 2--Hand bills announc-
ing a meeting of stock yards strikers
for Sunday were distributed Saturday,
| and the assertion was made that there