The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-07-15

| 20 AttsUuAs, july l0.-Ihe strike OF the
members of the AmaIgamated association
employees in the tin plate, sheet and hoop
| mills, which was ordered Saturday night
| as result of the disagreement between
| the conferees of the United States Steel
corporation and the Amalgamated associa-
tion was generally observed in the Pitts
| burg district this morning. At the mills
where the strike order extended the
skilled workmen who are under the control
of the union failed to put in an appear
apce, or II they did go to the mills, it was
merely as spectators, with no intention Of
working. The strike order is being OBJ
served at all mills of the tin plate. sheet
| and hoop combines.
| President Shaffer is in communication
with lodge officials at all these plants and
ne Is confident that the association will
| make such strong showing on this pre-
liminary suspension of work that a gen
eral strike Of all the mills Of the United
States Steel corporation will not be neces-
sary. This latter proposition is the strong
card which the Amalgamated president
has up his sleeve, and which he threatened
| to play II an early adjustment Of the diff
| Guilty is not made.
Like the Homestead Strike.
This strike bears resemblance to the
| historical Homestead strike in 1892 in
that 1t is not a question Of wages but Of
| recognition Of the Amalgamated associa-
t1on. The association insists upon union
1zlng all of the plants of three companies
In question. The manufacturers refuse to
grant this demand and say that the indi-
vidual contracts with workmen which are
In force at a number of the plants must
! stand
! The Painter mill Of the Steel Hoop
company on the south side is shut down.
The men have joined the Amaglamated
association and this morning none of the
workmen save four or five Hungarians
and six boys showed up. 1t is estimated
that between 700 and 300 men are out.
| The management refuses to talk. The
Hungarians were hauling away finished
material and the boys were working in the
machine shops, the only department in
the mill where a wheel is turning. The
strikers are keeping away from the plant
| and there is not a person lettering about
the place. Everything is unusually
quiet.
The tinmill at Monessen, Pa, which is
non union, was running as usual to-day.
The Lindsay and McCutchen plant of the
American Steel Hoop company in Ale
gheny is also idle and the Star and
Monongahela plants of the American
Tin Plate company are closed. The
Painter and Lindday and McCutcheon has
been looked upon by the opponents OF
the United States Steel corporation as the
strongholds of non-unionists in the hoop
company.
The prompt action of President Shat
fer in thus forcing the fight early and
carrying it into his opponents camp was
looked upon as evidence that the strike
will be one of the most spirited In
Pittsburg's history.
Pivotal Plant.
President Shaffer was pleased with the
reports from the two strongholds and he
declared that not wheel shall turn in
either the Painter or Lindsay & McCut-
cheon works until the strike shall have
been settled. He said the Painter plant
was pivotal with respect to the other non
union plants Of the steel hoop company
and that the men elsewhere have prom
ised, if the Painter mill would join the
strike movement that there will be nc
trouble in organizing the remainder of the
plants. He said that there is no ques-
tion that the men will respond, as they
have been anxious to join the general
movement and were held in check and
kept at work by the direction Of the
Amalgamated officials.
President Shaffer says the movement
will be carried to the other plants not
now recognized by the combine as under
the wing of the association. He looks for a
general response to his strike order as the
men have been awaiting just such COM
mand since July 1. He declared the men
are prepared to fight it out on the original
lines until doomsday."
In certain circles a quiet interest Is
manifested in the effect the strike may
have upon Carnegie industries, especially
the steel mills at Homestead. These mills
are generally supposed to be non-union
But the same was thought Of other mills
until they suddenly popped out as pretty
well unionized. There have been recent
visits of Amalgamated officials to Home
stead that are somewhat suggestive
Many a hint has been thrown out by
Amalgamated men within the past few
days that when the association should
feel the need of showing it's strength the
steel combine folks would be amazed
Aside from any interest the Amalgamated
people may have in Homestead, 1t is pos
sible the American Federation Of Labor
has interenched itself there. If the strike
shall be prolonged many interests will be
/
take good care Of themselves. Work is
plenty on all sides and besides the Anal
gamated association has a strike fund
in bank which is said to amount be-
tween 5000, 600 and 100000.
Railroads viii be among the greatest
sufferers, as a long strike would greatly
decrease the shipment of mill products
Building contractors and others using
iron and steel also will come in for
much loss 1t is even possibleb uildine
operations might be seriously hampered
The demand for coke coal will fall off
and the possibilities of the strike, gen.
orally, are startling.
Satisfactory, Say Strikers.
At the headquarters of the Amalga-
mated association to-day 1t was said that
the situation was satisfactory. President
Shaffer took personal charge OF the cam
paign to-day. The executive committee
of the Amalgamated association has
placed the fight entirely in his hands
Secretary John Williams said this morn
ing: Every tin plant in the country Il
closed down.. Another official said:
We have closed two Of their mills tha
lthey considered as non-uniOn plants. They