The age-herald., 1901-08-15
Strikers Succeed in Forcing Aa- tionaI Tube Works at Me-
 EsespOIt to Close
TWO MORE PLANTS STARTED
At Great Labor Demonstration In Wheeling Shaffer Made a Stirring Appeal to Ills Followers to
 Continue the Fight.

Pittsburg, August 14.-There were vic- tories on both sides of the great steel strike today, but they furnish no direct line on the ultimate result of the con- fiict. The strikers succeeded In finally forcing the National Tube Works at Mo- Keesport, probably the largest individ- ual plant, to close. The United States Steel Corporation re-opened the big Painter mill in this city. and has also resumed operations with non-unlon men at the Crescent plant of the American Tin Plate Company at Cleveland. Two mills were on at the Painter plant, although one of them broke down during the day.i According to statement of an official, the Crescent plant is moving. They make the fifth and sixth plants which the steel corporation has succeeded in starting with non-union men. the others being Wellsville, Hyde Park, Clarks mill and Lindsay and NcCutcheons mill.
 There was great labor demonstration at Wheeling today. and President Shaffer made stirring appeal to his followers to fight on. In an interview before he spoke he said that if the western lodges did not heed the final appeal of Assistant Secre- tary Tighe and come out, they would be expelled from the Amalgamated Associa- ton, and their offers of financial assis- tance shuned. Locally, the strike seems to drag and interest to flag. Large num- bers of the strikers have gone away either for recreation or to work, and there has been scarcely any excitement, much less disorder. Rumor again today settled the strike. It was related that President Shaffer had acknowledge that he could not win; that the steel -eoseera- ton feared that It's rivals would pfASs bsby an extended strike, and that they were going to settle. No shadow of con- | f1rmation of the story was possible. The situation.
 The general situation is thus briefly summarized:
 The spread of the strike at McKees- port and Wheeling has brought the number of men who obeyed tie final strike order to about 5000 and in- creased the total number of men rem dered Idle to about 65,000. Many of the men drawn into the movement, willingly or unwllIingly, continue to ac- cept other employment, and the exact number now Idle Is guess. The strik- CTS are full In control at Mckeesport, Wheeling, Newcastle, Betiaire, Mlngo Junction, and show some strength here.i The manufacturers hold South Chi cauo, Bay View, Joliet, Youngstown, Columbus, the kiskiminetas Valley, the Tin Plate at Monessen and the Car neoie group. Of the iast-named prop erty some doubt is expressed as to the lower union mill In Pittsburg. Some mon have left their places there and the strikers boast they will soon close 1t down. 1t Is running, however, and the managers say 1t cannot be stopped. Desertions from the ranks of the strik- CTS are reported from Painters mill hero and the Crescent plant at Cleve- land. and the managers say that 1t IS only a question of time before there IS a general break.
 Encouraged by the success In keeping Monessen going and in opening tneir plant at Cleveland the officers of the American Tin Plate company are planning resumption with non-union men at other points. They will not say where their next move will be made, but say that 1t will be made quickly They made the following formal statement to the Asso- ciated Press tonight:
 
 American Tin Plate Company to start It's Crescent works at Cleveland In 24 hours half the mills were put In suc- cessfuI operation, manned largely by former workmen, who have seeded from the AmaIgamated Association, statinq their belief that the officers of the Association had done wrong In vio- Iatinq their written agreement with the company. The start at Cleveland hav- ina succeeded, the company will, in a short time, make similar move else- where"
 President Shaffer of the Amalgamated Association started on his trip to Wheel Ing this morning and reached that city shortly before noon. The local unions pa- raded and escorted him through the town. He made the following statement as to the Western men who refused to strike:
 President Shaffer's Statement.
 'Tf they do not come out they are non- union men. It Is mystery why they did not obey the strike order from the start and the only explanation that can e~ given was that tendered at Pittsburg- stupendous inducements were offered to continue at work.
 'I instructed Mir Tighe to call out these men at once and in the event of their re- fusal their charters will be declared for Ielteu. knOW these men ana am con- fident they will come out The skilled men are organized and enough will strike to greatly cripple the production in Wes- tern mills. We may not bring about a total suspension such as seen here in the Wheeling district but we will do what we anticipated at the start or I am great ly mistaken in MT. Tighe's ability to pre- sent the matter in It's proper light to the Western men. Taking the strike as a whole we are making gains every where. Membership is increasing at a rapid rate and many non-union mills where we have never been able to secure foothold are now organized or partially so. Besides those already organized know of others that will soon take the same action"
 At the meeting at the State Fair Grounds t Wheeling President Shaffer
 .T sail hat this Is not alone the light of the A a1gamated Association. That is true. Even today in Wheeling I was ap- proached by a committee of the ClothinR I