The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1901-08-15
STEEL CORPORATION MAKES A
DECISIVE MOVE IN ITS STRIKE
CAMPAIGN.
STRIKERS CALL IT A BIG BLUFF
Orders Issued to Dismantle the
Great Devices Wood Plant mt Me-
keespOrt - Sympathy of Mckees-
port Onicials for strikers Re-
support Of the Federation.

Pittsburg, Aug II. - There were
gravely important developments in the
strike situation yesterday. The United
States Steel corporation moved de-
cisively in its strike campaign with
peremptory order directing that the
great Devices Wood plant at McKees-
port be dis antled and removed to the
Kiskinlenetas valley. President Comp
ers, Of the American Federation of La
bor after a two-days' conference with
President Shaffer and his associates, is
sued a formal statement last night, spe-
circally pledging the federation to the
moral and financial support OF the
Amalgamated association. His written
review of the train Of events leading
up to the industrial quarrel sustains
the course OF the Amalgamated associ-
alton and declares that nothing re-
mains for labor but to battle for the
cause of unionism.
The official announcement of the or
der to dismantle the Devices Wood
plant came yesterday afternoon toward
the close OF an otherwise uneventful
day. and in importance was such that
Il claimed the serious consideration on
either side of the
Great Industrial Conflict
now being waged here. Persifer F.
Smith. district manager for the Ameri-
can Sheet Steel company made the
formal announcement in the following
stateHent:
IT have, orders from President Nc
Murtry of the American Sheet Steel
company to at once tear down the
Devices Wood plant at McKeesport and
This Ishall proceed to do Immediately"
The publication OF the order was a
great surprise and Mckeesport received
il at first wit doubt. Actual prepara-
lions were made later in the day for
the dismantling of the mill and there is
little room for doubt that it Will be torn
down and taken apart, piece by piece.
The strikers heard the order in spirit
of defiance. They simply said that IL
showed the steel corporation was con-
WINGED that ii could not reopen the
plant in the face OF the opposition of
the Amalgamated association. Strike
leaders here said that the order was a
bluff that had been worked unsuccess-
fully before, and declined TO take IL
seriously. A representative of the
press showed District Manager Smiths
statement TO HTesluSnl 5ndHST, Dut
after reading IL he declined to talk
about 1t. The steel officials declined
To Give Any Reason
for the order. but 1t is openly stated
here that the pronounced sympathy of
citizens and city officials at McKees-
port with the strikers is responsible
for 1t. 1t is also said that the plant OF
the National Tube company at McKees-
port will be abandoned and the old
Carnegie plan for tube plant at Con-
neaut, Ohio, revived. The National
Tube company has in contemplation
improvements at McKeesport of an ex-
tensive nature, but ii Is now said that
owing TO their disappointment at the
fact that their men have been drawn
into the Amalgamated dispute and the
policy Of the people at McKeesport that
they are seriously considering a plan
to remove. No official statement on the
subject could be obtained from any OF
the local officials.
The Devices Wood plant was founded
about forty years ago and is one of the
best known plants in Pennsylvania.
It's yards and mills cover between
twelve and fourteen acres; it has en-
ployed 1900 men at it's busiest times
and its cost is placed at $5,000,000 by Of
ficials of the steel corporation.