The age-herald., 1901-08-11
Shafe1s Order Mas Generally ObeYed But No Accurate
 Count Can Be Made
NO VIOLENCE IS THREATENED
Officials of the Strikers Are Urging Peace-corporation Threatens to Dismantle Plants and Move
 to More ConaeniaI Place.

steel strike is on. The order of President Ghaffer of the Amalgamated Association became effective today and thousands of workers left their places to return at some indefinite time in the future, either victorious over the iron masters or in humble defeat
 The order to strike was generally obey ed wherever the workers were organized and enrolled in the lodges of the Amalga- mated association but it will be Monoday before an accurate count can be made of the men who have gone out. A great ma ority of the mills close down Saturday and reopen Sunday night and the true test of the strength of the contending sides will be furnished by the number of men who return to work tomorrow or Monday.
 The policy of American Federation of Labor has not yet been fully disclosed and that fact contributes another ele- ment of uncertainty to the situation. The action of the executive board of the mine workers at Indianapolis today in resolv- ing to support the strike cheered the Amalgamated men and they are confident that the Federation will aid them to the a. Dor and the opening hours of the strike lacked spectacular action. This city, which is the strike center, was calm and undisturbed. There was no excitement or violence and the pulse of the communi- ty was normal
 Police Getting Ready.
 The police officials issued an order sus- pending for the time being the vacation system. They do not anticipate trouble. but want to have every man here and feady Tor duty in case it should come They say that President Shaffer has counselled peaceful methods and they hope the strikers and their sympathizers will heed his advice. The strikers held series of demonstrations in the outy- ing towns and President Shaffer spoke fl fkal word of encouragement to his indus trlal troops. Great throngs of workers turned out to greet and cheer the leader and exchange pledges to maintain the contest upon which they have entered.
 A storm broke in mid afternoon and the rain which fell kept many persons n- doors. striking development of the day was an official announcement from the American Tin Plate Co. to the effect that certain plants of the company crip- pied by the strike would be dismantled and removed to Monessen. The formal announcement given by William Leeds to the Associated Press after a lengthy conference of the officials of the compa- ny is as follows:
 Tin Plate company's Statement.
 The officers of the Tin Plate Company authorizes the following statement: :: 'Since the relations between the Ameri- can Tin Plate Company and the work men at Monessen have been mutually r.A1x e7.- .I bie operation, 1t has been determined to more than double the plant at that point and some of the mills now idle on ac- count of the strike declared in violation of the contract signed by the Amalgamat- ed Association will be dismantled and moved to Monessen. Undoubtedly this will be done in the case of those works in which the sentiment of the employees delays the resumption of work.
 Almost at the same time 1t was unoffi- cialiy announced that there was a chance that the plant of the American Steel Hoop Company at Warren. O., would be torn down and removed to some communi- ty more favorable to the corporation. The order of yesterday directing that the Dewees Wood plant at McKeesport be dismantled was already being carried out and the announcement from the Ameri- can Tia Plate Company created marked Impression
 was NOT Tn Good aitn.
 Representatives of the strikers insisted that the company was not in good faith 1n the announcement, and that even if 1t was, 1t could not win with such methods Opponents of the strikers counted the iplan another victory and declared the strike must fail in the face of such de- efsive action. The local leaders on either side did not show much anxiety today. Secretary Williams was the only Amal- gamated representative who spent the en- tire day at strike headquarters. He said that the offices would be closed this even- ing and not reopened until Monday morn- ing
 He denied knowledge of any definite move and declined to talk about the situ- ation. None of the Amalgamated officials would discuss the conference with Presi- dent Gompers of the American Fedora tion of Labor. but all approached on the subject denied that there had been any friction as to the part to be finally played by the Federation.
 The steel officials denied knowledge of any peace plan and said that they were entering upon winning fight They said that the Carnegie plant would lose no men; that the reports of a general strike It Wheeling were inaccufalH and that many of their men would remain loyal It was reported that they had engaged large numbers of non-union men whom they planned to rush into different works affected by the strike early next week but no confirmation of the statement was obtainable.