The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-15
EACH WINS VICTORY
STEEL STRIKE STILL DRAWN
 BATTLE, HOWEVER.
Rumors of a Settlement are Again Rife, But Nothing Definite is Known-Shaffer Makes .
 Speech.

VlctOreS on DOtn SlQeS or the great steel strike today. but they furnish no direct line on the ultimate result of the conflict. The strikers succeeded in finally forcing the National Tube Works at McKeesport, proba bly, the largest in- dividual plant in the United States, to close. and the steel corporation re- opened the big Painter mill in this city, and has also resumed operations with non-union men at the Crescent plant of the American Tin Plate Com- pany at Cleveland. Two mills were on at the Painter plant, although one of them broke down during the day. Ac- cording to a statement or an official. the Crescent plant is moving. They make the fifth and sixth plants which the steel corporation has succeeded in start ing with non-union men, the others be- ing Wellsville, Hyde Park. Clarks Mill and Lindsay and Mccutcheon's Mill.
 There was great labor demonstra- ton at Wheeling today and President Shaffer made a stirring appeal to his followers to fight on. Tn an interview before he spoke he said that if the Western lodges did not heed the final appeal of assistant Tighe and come out they would be expelled from the Amal- gamated Association and their offers of financial assistance spurned.
 Locally the strike seems to drag, and interest to flag. Large numbers of the strikers have gone away, either for recreation or to work, and there has been scarcely any excitement, much less disorder.
 Rumor again today settled the strike. It was related that President Shaffer had acknowledged that he could not win; that the steel corporation feared that fc riVoIa tnynIld hxy tended strike, and that they were go- ing to settle. No shadow of confirma- tion of the theory was possible. The general situation is thus briefly sum- marized.
 The spread of the strike at McKees- port and Wheeling has brought the number of men who obeyed the final strike order to about 5000 and increased the total number of men rendered idle to about 65,000. Many of the men drawn into the movement willingly or unwillingly continue to accept other em- ployment, and the exact number now idle is a guess.
 The strikers are fully in control at McKeesport, Wheeling. Newcastle, Bel laire, Mingo Juunction and show more strength here. The manufacturers hold South Chicago. Bayview, Joliet, Youngstown, Columbus, the K Klskimine- tas Valley. the tin plant at Monessen and the Carnegie group. Of the last named property some doubt is express ed as to the lower union mill in Pitts burcy Some men have left their places there and the strikers boast they will close IL down. It ls running, however and the managers say it cannot be stopped. DesertIons from the ranks of the strikers are reported from Painters s Mill here and the Crescent plant at Cleveland, and the managers say that 1t Is only a question of time before there Is a general break.
 President Shaffer closed a speech at Wheeling with plea for the admis- sion of negroes 10 membership in the Amalgamated.
 Workmen began to dismantle the Charters mill at Carnegie. The ma chinery will be taken to Leechburg where the mill will be located. Work on the Dewees-Wood property at Mo- keesport has been suspended. It Is said there is a mortgage of $2,OOO, 900 on the mills and that nothing toward dlsmantling them will be done until some arrangements is made as to the mortgage.
 The fact that the annual encamp- inent of the Second Brigade of the Ma tionAl Guard of Pennsylvania was postponed and that it Is to be held at Somerset, near Pittsburg is regarded as significant. The encampment be- gins this week and will last until the latter part of next week and it is thought here that the strike had some- thing to do with its postponement. Within two days the State will be in position to throw troops into Pittsburg, McKeesport and Newcastle within a few hours. The present situation, how ever. does not warrant the calling out of State troops.
 There was some disorder around the Painter and Lindsay and McCutcheon mills tonight and the police had to es- cort the non-union workers home The strikers claim that the Painter mill cannot be operated tomorrow.