New-York tribune., 1901-07-19
PRICE THREE CENTS.
STEEL STRIKE TOEXTEND
SHAFF,ER EXPECTS TO THROW
IDLE EVERY SHEET MILL.
LITTLE BASIS FOR TALK OF ARBITRA-
TION-NO PLANTS START WITH
NEW MEN.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIsrSS-I

that the strike had hardly begun Is sustained
by the facts of to-day. BY the end Of the week
President Shaffer looks for the sheet workers
at vandergrift. Leechburg and Apollo TO Join
the movement to throw idle every sheet mill In
the country union and non-union. controlled by,
the American Sheet Steel Company President
Shaffer has enough evidence in hand to Justify
the belief that the men Will not work after Sat-
urday at either of the three plants named. the
largest and best probably owned by the sheet
company. II this is accomplished the men Will
have won the hardest part of the fight. which
they began last week
These mills are undoubtedly the keystone OF
the non-union arch among the sheet plants
The at all the plants were formerly mem
bers of the Amalgamated Association. but were
badly beaten in strike few years ago. when
George G. McMurtry. until then staunch friend
of organized labor. startled every one by deciar-
ing on IL. The history OF that strike and
of its companion movement at the Leechburs
plant. close by. has rankled within the men
ever since so that II is easy enough TO believe
that the assurances received from those points
by President Shaffer TO their intentions II the
strike is prolonged. are sincere With those
plants in the list of idle mills. the activity or
the sheet company would be reduced to the
minimum.
From the workers side of the case. the
and Apollo would crumble the non-union ranks.
as they are the best plants in operation That
at vandergrift is the model sheet plant of the
world, and those at Leechburg and Apollo
scarcely less important II these men act at
the end of the week 1t is expected that negotta-
tions TO reopen the wage question will begin at
once. President Shafrer has declared. however
that he will permit temporizing- He must be
shown that there is earnest desire to adjust
the trouble before he will consent to reopen
negotiations
THE ARBITRATION TALK
The proposition from Joseph Bishop. OF the
| Ohio State Board Of Arbitration. while made
much of at large is not regarded as important
| by President Shaffer. The statement IS cur
rently made and not denied In positive terms
| that the offer to act as mediator TO bring
| mediators into the case. by Mr.. Bishop.
| roundabout effort of President Mckinley and
Senator Hanna to get into the case through
other persons. The Ohio State Board OF Arbi-
| tration seems 10 be excellent medium. and
| the stories generally believed to have a
! foundation in fact. However. neither President
| Sharfer nor Secretary Williams. who would prob
| ably have accurate Information, would discuss
I the rumors that persistent President Shat
fer dismisses the arbitration proposition politely
but without much seriousness. giving the I'M
preston that he has hope In that direction
Not less important IN the situation, IL not
| actually more important than the contemplated
| strike OF the non-union men at Vandergrift,
! Leechburg and Apollo. Is the dim probability
| that the men at the city and Homestead plants
! OF the Carnegie Steel Company will also join the
strike on Saturday evening. President Shaffer
. states that while such action would be appre-
| ciated he Is concerned in the action OF
the sheet workers at Vandergrift. Leechburs and
|
from President Shafrer any other Anal
gamated Association man, II is undeniable that
there is a strong current OF feeling. not only at
the Carnegie plants. but at all other steel mills
THE STRIKE SPREADING.
/ The public mind seems to be moving along
the line predicted by President shaffer at the
beginning Of the strike. when he declared that
without solicitation on the part of his organiza-
ton the strike would spread from the sheet.
tin plate and hoop plants into the general steel
| finishing plants of the United States Steel Cor
poration. The effect OF a general suspension in
the steel plants would be to terminate the struS-
gle much earlier than otherwise The mills
70 which this would do the most damage at this
iuncture are the structural and plate mills.
| which are crowded with orders. The general
construction work. added to expansion OF ship
and boat building and production. has added
greatly 10 the consumption of structural shapes
and plates
A year ago the producing capacity OF the sheet
and structural plants not less than . TO 80
per cent In excess Of the demand. To-day the
mills are barely able TO meet the demand. ana
when as at present, the current consumption IS
active are unable to keep even with orders AT
the pace at which events are moving In the
strike. another week or ten days will probably
enable any one to put down his finger and marx
the date Of the end. approximately. The TN
plate and sheet plants more tightly closed
than on the first day OF the strike. The hoop
plants are in the same position. as some or me
admittedly non-union plants. notably the old
Painter mill and the Solar WORKS. OF WHIain
Clark's Sons Company. nave Deeh odptureu W
the strikers
NO IDLE PLANTS TO START UP.
The men are keeping close watch upon all
the idle plants and far have discovered noth-
ing that looks like intention TO start with
new men. There stories current that this
and that mill Is To be put into operation. but no
facts have been discovered. The Pittsburg at
taches of the United States Steel Corporation
refuse TO give out a word. and the hundreds OF
watchers in every place where there is a steel
mill idle or running have reported nothing sus-
picious The only exciting spots are at the
sheet plants at wellsville. Ohio and the W.
Devices Wood speciality sheet mills at McKees-
port where the strike took place last spring
with so much excitement. An unsuccessful at
tempt was made to resume at Wellsvtlle. and IL
is said the Wood plant will be running next
Monday, either with the old men or imported
workers. No attempts have been made at the
Painter or Lindsay & McCutcheon hoop plants,
and nothing that appears like preparation TO re-
has baa dfacOV There