The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-06-30
The TIN MILLS
TO SHUT DOWN
AT MIDNIGHT.
Fifty Thousand Employees Will be
Idle rs Consequence Of
the Disagreement.
AMALGAMATED ASSOCIATION
Forming New Lodges in the Pitts.
burgh District in the
Non.Union Mills.

PITTSBURGH, Pa, June 29.-As n
result OF the failure to settle the tin
plate wage scale at the Chicago con-
ference. all the tin plate mills in the
country are preparing to close down,
and Tomorrow at midnight, there Will
be a general suspension
Nearly $4,000 men will be thrown Idle
by the shutdown. How long It will
last Is matter Of speculation. Circu-
lars have been sent out to all lodges,
notifying them of the non-success Of
the Chicago conference, and 1t Is ex-
pccted that the sentiment OF the men
on the question will reach the local off,
Gals Office about Monday next. There
are some rumors Of mass meeting to
be held Saturday, but the local officials
would not talk on the subject.
An effort will be made to-day by
members of the AmaIgamated Associa-
ton to obtain q fOothold in two South
Side mills that are not now controlled
by the association. Jones & Laugh
Inns refused to recognize the organiza-
ton about yenn ago. but made indi-
vidual scales with the men. These run
for eighteen months and do not expire
until. January l. The lodges were
abandoned.
New Lodges Formed.
On Tuesday of this week lodge
composed of roughers was formed at
Jones Il Laughlins and at p IN. u
committee VIII present the scale to the
firm. The rates TO be asked are higher
than those now being paid. A member
said this morning that he did not an
ticipate any trouble in securing the ad-
vance desired. Notwithstanding the
agreement signed. Us the condition OF
trade warrants an increase In wages.
About one hundred roughers have been
organized.
The puddlers at the Republic Iron
works on South Twenty-first street.
We're organized several weeks ago, and
to-day will present the Amalgumnted
association scale, and expect 1t will be
signed. This company has forty pud-
ding furnaces, but have been opernt-
ing only about twenty, owing to its in
ability to get men.
The workers In the sheet and plate
mills OF the works have also organized
n lodge. and will present the new scale
to the company this afternoon.
Lodges of the Amalgamnted AsSocia-
ton have been quietly formed In nearly
every mill In Pittsburgh and vicinity.
The officials are confident that the as
s0ciation will soon be In control of the
mills and that non-unlon plants will be
scarce after July l.
At the mill of Spang. Chalfant G.
Company, at Etnn. the scale has been
presented and is being considered. The
statement that the committee that pre-
scnted II was discharged is denied by
the Amalgamated Association officials.
They believe that the organization will
be recognized and scale rates paid at
ter July 1.
Will Take mp Their Fight.
All the men discharged from the
Sharpsburg mill of Moorehcad Bros. &
Company, have secured employment In
other works, many OF them going to
the Keystone rolling mill. GD Second
avenue. The Amalgamated Association
wifi take the matter up and endenvor
TO have the union recognized. If this
cannot be done It Is proposed to. keep
all white men away from the mill and
make 1t n place exclusively for colored
men.
Vice President William s. Collier, OF
the Amalgamated Association. disputes
the statement that Moorehead Bro. &;
Company have always paid the highest
wages. He says the opposite is true.
This firm said Mr. Collier,
has paid TIE lowest rates ever paid In
the Pittsburgh district. In 1S95-96. when
the AmalgGmatcd Association rate for
pudding was 81 Il ton. the rate in nom
union mills was So 60, but at Moore
head Bro. G Company's only IS ton
was paid. Moorehead Bro. & Company
make some remarks In their notice to
the men which we will attend to later.
Reference Is made TO 'loafers who went
out and organized the men. The man
who organized the lodge at Sharpsburg
Is not n lOafcr. He works eight hours
day, and went to SharpsburS to try
to have the same pay and conditions
introduced In the mill at that place. The
company says the men were satisfied
until our loafcrs' went up there. This
Is not true. All the men who were dis
charged have secured employment else
where. We have applications from Il
number Of mills where men are want
ed. Pnddlcrs are badly needed at
Klttanning and Youngstown. Among
the men discharged l notice there are
some white men who refused to Join
tho lodge"