Evening star., 1901-08-15
EFFECTS OF STRIKE
Being Seriously Felt by Pittsburg
Business Men.
THEY PROTEST. TO THE TRUST
Also Use Their Influence With the
Association Officers.
THE STU ALTON
. TO-DAY
Special From n STAFF Correspondent.

concern IS being manifested by the stu
pendous business interests centered in
Pttsburg the continuance of the
strike and the growing menace it pre-
sents- The tide of prosperity that has
been flowing with increasing volume for
three or four years in this section is vsibly
checked, so visibly indeed that it is attract
ing the earnest attention of the captains of
capital Bankers becoming anxious
credits are being frightened. wholesale and
retail merchants feeling the restriction
of trade caused by the strike. While ire
parable harm has not yet been wrought
the fear is for the future.
The success of the strikers within the
past forty-eight hours in getting out Sew
eral thousand additional workers and the
certainty that the number of idle men will
be alarmingly increased each day until the
strike is settled adds to the uneasiness
Some of the most prominent capitalists of
the city now contemplating united
tion to bring pressure to bear on the steel
trust. demanding ending of the strike
Effect on Allied Industries.
The first effect of the strike upon in
dustries allied to steel iron and tnplate
making appearing. The great
coke industry at ConnelIsville. employing
thousands of men, is beginning to feel it.
be lay Off of one day each week in the
coke region until further notice Further
more, a number of coke works are closing.
Five coke works closed yesterday. Nine
were ordered shut down today. The Bal
timore and Ohio the Pennsylvania and the
PittSbUrg and Lake Erie railroads have
been notified of these shut downs, and the
next thing will be the laying off of train
crews. The ramifcations of the steel in
dustry are so extensive that it is difficult
to estimate the disastrous effect of a great
fight like this upon allied labor nor to ac-
curately compute the great army of idle
men whose ranks are recruited by regi-
ments and not by companies.
Losses of the Steel Trust.
1t is estimated by competent judges that
the steel trust is losing the profit on about
$500 tons of material day by this
strike. The reduction of the output of The
National tube works amounts to about 800
tons a day; the National Steel Company,
220O tons a day; Steel Hoop Company, 1000
tons day; Sheet Steel 800, and Tin Plate,
1900 tons day. But the loss of the trust
In profits is inconsiderable compared to the
loss in wages to the working men and the
consequent reduction in the volume Of
business transacted in the community. In
laying off their clerks. The produce men
and small dealers are feeling the pinch al
ready. The saving banks of Pittsburg, Of
which there a great many, and which
do a big total of business with the thrifty
worktngmen, feel the change in conditions
bearing heavily upon them. In this state
of affairs the community is growing rest
less over the dispute between the trust and
It's men, and Is demanding compromise
from both sides.
Strong Interests at Work.
AS stated, powerful interests are at work
to force a settlement, If possible, before
worse befalls. l in a position to know
that representations have been sent to New
York from capitalistic sources here that
1t is inadvisable for the trust to attempt
at this time to annihilate unionsm. Schwab
and Morgan have been advised that the
price of their victory would be too dear
for the steel trust well as the people at
large. and that if a policy of annhilation
is undertaken adverse sentiment will be
aroused in quarters now supposed to be
friendly to the trust.
strike Managers Jubilant.
The strike managers were very jubilant
this morning over the gains they had made
In the last few days. They look with
idle men and the shutting down of different
works throughout the region They say
this all has a tendency to bring the trust
to a settlement and increases the chances
of favorable terms being given the strikers
Shaffer still insists there shall be no COM
promise, and that the strike will continue
until the trust accepts the original terms
of the Amalgamated Association.
The strike managers are not Indifferent
to their losses in the west but contend that
they win without the Chicago and Mil
waukee men. There were several confer
ences at strike headquarters today upon
the subject of the western disaffection, but
no further movement in this connection
was decided upon.
The crippled mills in Pittsburg, for which
the strikers and the trust have been con-
tending for several days, were Iimping
along today, barely keeping the machinery
going The air was full of rumors of at
tempts to start up other mills now idle
and the strikers were kept on the jump all
day watching the approaches to the mills
and maintaining an effective picket system
10 keep out non-union workment
Situation at Mckeesport
McKeesport Is dark and silent. The in
dustries are tied up completely. The work
men kept off the streets during the fore
noon in response to orders from their lead
ers. 1t is the purpose Of the strike mana
gers, If possible, to make the McKeesport
situation an object lesson to the trust of
the ability Of the union to completely
cripple one important branch of the trusts
line of Industries.
1t Is probable that II the strike continues
the first efforts of the trust will be to
start up the tin plate mills A larger pro-
portion of this product has been cut of
than any other output of the trust The
strikers contend that the trust will be un-
able to get skilled men to start up the idle
plants.
Developments Of the afternoon continue
to Indicate that strong efforts are making
Tor settlement of the strike notwith-
standing Shafer's expressed determination
not to compromise.
1t Is freely prophesied In well Informed
circles that as soon as desired arrange
ments are made with schwab and Morgan,