New-York tribune., 1901-09-10
GREAT EXCITEMENT AT M'KEESPORT
STRIKERS vIGILANT TO PREVENT MEN
FROM RETURNING TO wORK-MAY
CALL IN SHERIFF

Pittsburg, Sept. s-The strike situation in Nc
Keesport reached an acute stage this morning, and
serious trouble feared a result of the efforts
Of striking tube workers to prevent from
returning to work, as they did on Saturday. The
effort almost perfectly successful. and where
last week from eight hundred to one thousand men
back into the mill. not than a dozen
able this morning to eude the multitude of
pickets and get back to their work. There
great excitement in McKeesport this morning
result of this turning out of the strikers-more
than at any time before.
Something over two thousand strikers congre-
gated about the great plant of the National Tube
Company shortly after midnight. and remained
there until this morning when the employees who
went to work last week reported for duty at
o'clock Every approach to the mill guarded
most vigilanty, and around the main entrance
more than six hundred strikers and sympathizers
gathered The streets adjacent to the mill were
crowded, and men approached to go to work
they met and turned back. Almost all of the,
great force which returned last week reported for
duty again. and there were many more who were
willing to go back, but they met by the
pickets as they advanced TIE nill, and forced
70 return home. Not over dozen escaped the
vigilance of the pckets and succeeded in getting
into the mill.
About fifty policemen were on duty about the
mill. but arrests were made. AS result of the
disturbance this morning the big tube mill is idle
and completely tied up. Just what the National
Tube Company will do is matter of con-
lecture. III Is DeneNed Dy many lndL an attempt
will be made to start the mill with imported men,
and that appeal will be made to Sheriff McKin-
ley for protection.
At the meetings of lodges of the Federation of
Labor in McKeesport yesterday the question of re-
turning to work in the tube mill was voted on. The
butt welders voted to return, but were prevented
from doing SO this morning by the strikers, who
gathered about the mill. The employees of the roll
ing mill of the National Tube Company voted 20
man not to return
At Demmler a crowd of fully eight hundred strik-
ers gathered about the plant and while they We're
orderly, they refused to- obey the orders of the
fifty deputy sheriffs guard Fewer workmen
reported from McKeesport than last week, though
by boat from Duquesne.
AS the morning advanced the excitement in Nc
crowded. A large crowd assembled around the
railroad station, and carefully watched all trains
for imported men. Strikers in sl1iffs also patroled
the river Excitement has not been since
the strike began, and the possibility of trouble
seems to he great.
At o'clock this afternoon McKeesport had fewer
strikers on the streets than this morning the
iorty of the men who did picket work around the
tube works having gone home TO sleep. They had
been up most of the night. and the supposition
was that they were also preparing for like vigil
tonight Fully five hundred men remained about
the Baltimore and Ohio station, however, waiting
tor something to turn up. The specially deputized
citizen policemen patroled the streets with Wig
liant eye.