The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-13
THE FIRST DAYS FIGHT
IN THE Bis STEEL STRIKE RESULTS
IN A DRAWN BATTLE.
BOTH SIDES GAIN ADVANTAGE |
Close Big Steel Plant at New
Castle and Corporation Partially
Break the Strike at Clark Mills I'm
Pittsburg-Not the Slightest Dis.
Yet Occurs-Shrewd Move
OF Manufacturers-Hopes OF Settle
ment Through Outside Influence.

OF Manufacturers-Hopes OF Settle
ment Through Outside fiuenc
P1ttsburg, August TN the dig steel
strike honors are even in this section
tonight. The Amalgamated Associa-
ton succeeded in closing down the big
steel plant at New Castle. and the man
u~facturers partially broke the strike at
the Clark mill in this city. Neither side
is exulting. nor is there any expression
OF encouragement Victory or defeat
OF either at this early stage OF the war
fare a have but little effect beyond
indicating the probable line of battle
to be pursued by each.
Up to this hour not the slightest trou-
BILE has occurred at any point in this
immediate territory and Amalgamated
men are correspondingly happy, for this
condition would seem to be the carry
ing out of the associations new Depart
ure in the handling of strikes. The quiet
waiting of the strikers may be n of
the surprises limited at by the national
officers. From n or two points the
strikers are reported as restless and
eager for action, but so far The have
kept faith with their leaders and re-
Trained from committing any breach Of
the peace. Recorder A. NJ. Brown does
not anticipate that there will be any
disorder in Pittsburg on account of the
steel strike. If there should be disor-
der, he says 1T will be the duty of the
bureau Of police to suppress it, and
arrest all who are concerned in it. Re
corder Brown incidentally remarked
that there should be no discrimination
between strikers and employers and
that all are equal under the law and
will be so treated.
The United States Steel Corporation,
1t was learned today from an official
source, will at once proceed in a sys-
tematic mi to start it's closed mills.
making the %non-union plants of the
Kiskiminets valley the cradle where
strike breakers will be trained and then
sent out to the mills hat are closed.
So far as President c.. M. Schwab is
concerned. no overtures will be made
by the trust to the workers. In a talk
with a Pittsburg man in New York yes
terday, he said: 1--WE have made our
last proposition to the ~Amalgamated
Association n will now proceed to
start our works"
President Shaffer max this counter
ololClliChl. IN lSAI pIopSSllIOl I1uSl
come from the United States Steel Cor
poration officials"
Thus the two executives stand. 1t
seems as if only outside efforts can
bring them together. The trust Off
Gals have decided to so ahead slowly
in the matter of starting mills and to
DO so with as little publicity as posi-
BILE. The strongholds of the Sheet Com
pany are the mills at Vandergrift, the
largest in the country; Leechburg, APP
polo and Scottdale. It has been decided
to take as many skilled men away from
these places as possible. without re-
tarding operations there, and start the
mills where there is the least danger
Of an outbreak. The places to be va
cant at the mills mentioned will be fill
ed with men deserving of promotion
and they will be given better positions.
h move will be undertaken slowly
and with caution. The plan further
contemplates h a after a time many
of the strikers will return when they see
one after another of the mills resuming.
This plan was tested the first few days
of this week and found to be feasible
so far as the mills at Hyde Park and
Wellsville go, and it has been decided
to adopt it so far as the sheet and hoop
mills are concerned.
Plans for starting the closed tin plate
mills have not been completed. In this
branch the situation is different. The
Tin Plate Company have only six of
their 232 roll trains going, while the
Sheet Company have a few less than
half.
The officials of the Amalgamated
! Association say that this move will, in
a measure, play into their lands At
| McKeesport, President Shaffer said
that he himself would lead men from
Vandergrift into the wood mill. The
officials feel that if hey can get the
Vandergrift men away from their en-
| vironments there little trouble will be
found in bringing them into the asso-
| citation.
Amalgamated headquarters were
more quiet tody h they have been
since the strike. The officials of the
organization were busy all day attend
ing to routine business and in getting
out material for the various local
lodges Of the association hat ave been
organized during the past few weeks.
A report was received early in the
morning from the strikers In New
Castle, announcing that the order to
strike had been obeyed to the letter and
the men were out to a man.
The news of the starting of the Clark
mills here was not surprising to the
officials of the organization, as they
had received intimation of what was
to happen yesterday afternoon. The
I'D ~
Lawrenceville. the officers say, and the
misunderstanding that caused the col
ored men to return to work will, 1t is
said, be ratified in a short time.
One of the most interesting factors
of the strike is beginning to develop.
1t was intimated that a plan is on foot
for the formation of an advisory board
for b purpose of aiding President
Shaffer in carrying on the struggle,
which will be composed of the presi-
dents of the various trade organiza-
tons, with headquarters in Pittsburg-
such men as President Simon Burns,
of the Window Glass Workers Asso-
ciaition: President John Kunzler. of
the Flint Glass Workers. National Sec
rotary James Pryal. of the Structural
Iron Workers Association: Patrick Do
Ian, OF the United MineWorkers and any
who can be brought together. This
board would, it was argued, prove a
powerful factor in carrying the weight
of public opinion with the strike and
perhaps give far more substantial sup