The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-06
All. Is Not Rosy For
the Striking
Moulders.
NEW DEVELOPM MT.
Mutual Agreement Between
Non-union and Union
Founderies.

The striking moulders were startled
at the existing state of affairs. Yes
terday the fact that a sort of mutual
and union founders leaked out, and la
Dor leaders declared they would get at
the bottom of the agreement and make
it void if possible.
The action of the non-union found
ers in making no effort to affect a re-
Cancellation was in itself a firm basis
for suspicious, and when the non-union
foundry owners were said to have can
celled orders, it began to look kind of
queen. There is not one of the six
foundries which are holding out against
the moulders that shows any signs of
activity with the possible exception of
Pero's plant.
The owners of these foundries have
emphatically declared that they will
not be open for business until the strike
is over. The union maintained its firm
stand and shows no signs of giving in.
None of the foundry owners seen by
The Spy man yesterday would say a
word about being in league with one
another. Some made denials, but they
could give no reasons why they were
waiting.
The foreman. superintendent and four
helpers constituted the foundry force
of Rice, Barton & Fales yesterday and
at William Allen & Sons there were
only four or five men at work and
none of them are experienced, accord
ing to the union men who are on picket
duty in the vicinity Only few yard
hands and helpers were at work in
Pierce's foundry and the plant is prac-
tically idle, as no castings are being
made.
A. M. Powell of the Powell Planer
Co, gave a Spy man an opinion which
he considers the one upon which the
success or failure of the moulders' fight
hinges He said Leading authori-
ties on the condition of the iron mar
lSet anticipate a reduction in the price
of iron in a short time. If the price
is lowered it will give the foundries
practically no excuse for holding out
longer. | believe that the price of iron
will effect a settlemen of the present
difficulty. In 1882 spectators foresaw
the future possibilities of the iron in
dustry and they plunged. 1t resulted
in the price of iron being raised. A few
months ago the owners of the furnaces
making pig iron put up the price of
their work to ward off another corner
by spectators.
The price of iron was advanced from
So and $40 ton to SIS and SIT. The
cost of iron gave the foundry owners
one of the best of reasons for refusing
to pay larger wages. The cost of iron
has affected my business to great
extent. Large expectations of iron
made a scarcity in this country, and
when the advance in price was made it
practically ruined foreign trade, be-
cause we have had to make a slight in
crease in our prices, and foreign orders
have stopped coming on that account.
The foreign trade was good thing for
iron men and workmen alike, because
it made an outlet for surplus stock, and
gave wOrkmen employment.
Il cannot give an accurate statement
of the time when the price of iron will
be reduced but it should come in a
few weeks. 1t is bound to do So and
believe it will be the turning point in
the moulders' strike"
Another machine shop proprietor
gave this statement with the under
standing that his name should not be
used: AT several of the union foun-
dries large numbers of moulders are
being discharged daily The moulders
are really no better off than they We're
before in the foundries, because only
the best men are hired, and they are
all paid minimum wage rate of ~
per day The men who have been
working in the union shops and have
been discharged will not come in for
any of the strikers benefits, because
they are simply out of employment.
This picking of the cream Of the
workmen is sure to create dissatisfac-
ton among the moulders themselves
There have been at least 50 men dis
charged in the union foundries during
the past week. and it is, easy TO see
that trouble is sure to brew. Foundry
owners will pay SO per day only to the
very best workmen, and the others will
not be as contented with the conditions
as they were before the strike"
At A. B. Davidson's Junction foun-
dry, it was said yesterday that no
effort would be made to open the fOun-
dry until an agreement was reached
Today the moulders who were employ
ed at the Junction foundry will receive
their wages for last weeks work. At
Rice. Barton & Fales' one days pay
is due the men, and that will be paid
today. A member of the firm said yes
terday that nothing was being done to-
ward an adjustment, and a member Of
the firm was authority for the state
ment that the company was "on the
16S 62S. or 80 per cent, an increase
fence"