New-York tribune., 1901-07-23
STEEL MEN HARD AT WORK
STRIKE BREAKERS" CONFER-WANT TO
PUT PAINTER MILL IN OPERATION.
sHAFFER MAKES NO IMPRESSION ON SCOTT
DALE MILL-HIS HEALTH MAY GIVE WAY.
IRr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

[BT TELEGRAPH TO THE IRIBUNE.I
Pittsburg, July pa craze for organization
has set in Either the Amalgamated Association
will regain its strength of fifteen years ago in
the Smoky City or it will be wiped out of ex-
istence. Organizers from the Association
swarming about non-union plants, not only those
controlled by the United States Steel Corpora
ton, but also independent concerns that have in
the past repudated the organization. One band
of organizers is at work the employees OF the
Carnegie Steel Company. at Homestead Presi-
, dent Shaffer believes that II he secure aid
from Homestead he can beat President Charles
NJ. Schwab, whom he considers his ablest ad-
versary. The fact that Mr.. Schwab has refused
TO answer the charges of President Shaffer
rather netted the latter, and he is working with
/ might and main to cripple the Carnegie COM
pany. President Shafer believes that If work
be stopped the Carnegie plants the
United States Steel Corporation will ask for
conference and will surrender more than the
Amalgamated now asks for.
Reports from Vandergrif and Monessen Penn,
and Wellsville, Ohio. where plants working.
show no change. There is talk of adopting the
methods coal miners have used so successfully
by camping in the neighborhood of plants that
are at work. and in this way interfering with
the passage of workmen from their homes to the
mills. Officials have been sent out to lease
ground in the neghborhood of the mills
which to pitch tents The miners have given
President Shaffer much advice on this method
of warfare. which is new to the steel workers.
but works admirably with coal miners
Wellsville will be the first point attacked. and
a camp may be pitched In the neighborhood of
the sheet mill if more men are put to work.
The strikers claim that many of the non-union
men sent to Wellsville from Vandergrift and
Apollo, Penn. have quit work, being persuaded
strikers y-Hy
are at work The fact that the Old Meadow
mill, at Scottdale, is working Is a hard blow to
Shaffer, as that was one of the mills the dis
pute started over. and 1t alleged that union
ism predominated there.
STRONG EFFORTS TO BREAK STRIKE.
The most noted strike breakers among the
various plants held a secret meeting in Pitts
burg last Saturday TO discuss plans to start
eral mills This did not leak out until to-day.
Among those present were number of super
intendents who have defeated the Amalgamated
association former occasions. One of these
In discussing the situation said:
The strikers are outside the boat entirely, and
(, they are going to sink I can that they
getting into deeper water daily and they are
going to lose. Shafer knows it, hence he is
using all the leverage in his power to bring poll
tics and everything else to bear the situation.
In looking IL over. find that at mill in
Pittsburg employing seven hundred men only
seventy-fve members of the Amalgamated
Association. We going over the list OF the
available men who can operate the mill among
those who compelled remain idle, al
though they have nothing to gain by the strike.
/ have sounded many of these men, and they
believe that II is an injustice to them that they
compelled to be idle Just because seventy
five members OF the Amalgamated have a griev-
ance.
This man is superintendent OF one OF the
hoop mills. and has had former tussles with
the Amalgamated Association. II is believed
that the Painter hoop mill is being got ready
10 be put IN operation with men who are not
members of the Amagamated Association but
who were formerly employed at the plant. A
few strikers watch the plant. many living across
the street from the MILL On former occasions
when strikes were broken at the Painter mill
the strikers offered violence. and IL is be-
lieved that they will submit peaceably again.
None save repair men at work on the plant
at present.
President Shaner says he is entirely satisfied
with the situation. He says that every mall
brings him In encouraging reports and gifts
many of which are unsolicited. He says as the
present struggle the life or death of
every labor organization in the country the
labor leaders everywhere taking a keener
interest in events than ever before. He was
offered aid from every quarter and believes
that he can hold out for a year or more IL only
one-half of IL materializes
the united potters are paying all expenses Of
the Wellsve strikers. and the building trades
in East Liverpool. Ohio. have assessed them
selves 10 per cent of their earnings to support
the strike.
SHAFFER MAY BREAK DOWN
The one feature worrying the Amalgamated
officials is that President .Shaffer may break
down under the strain. When under severe
mental stress In the past he has succumbed
and his subordinates doing all they can
to tighten his labors. so as TO keep him on his
feet. If Shaff=r breaks down. his secretary.
Mr.. Williams. VIII have to take up the reins. as
he is better informed to the situa ton than
any OF the workers who act as vice-presdents
The fact that President Shaffer threatens to
turn the Amalgama ted Association against the
administration IL II does not come to his aid
brought Nj. NJ Garland forward as a mediator
Mr.. Garland having been Shaffers predecessor
and there being no love lost between the two
men. although externally they are poIite to
one another this promises 10 aggravate mat
ters smarter Is spectacular in his way, and he
may turn on Garland at any moment and lam
poon him publicly for attempting to interfere
There is some slight weakness in the Amalpa
mated at present The puddlers and wrought
iron finishers at Shafrer. They allerc
that he failed to make fair contract for them
on one occasion. from which they never re-
covered. But as the iron workers are In the
minority they cannot make any headwav
against Shaffer. who has the steel workers back
of him, and they are in the majority.
Moorhead Brothers mill. at Sharpsburg a
suburb Of Pittsburg. operated non-union has
asked for organizers to be brought into the or
ganization. The men employed by the Pitts
burg Steel Hoop Company. of McKeesport, are
also being organized, together with a number OF
other nOn-union mills.
Sentnels are posted at all the railroads along
the river bank on both shores, and the country
roads are watched; The strike at this mill has
more significance than at any of the Others w
Devices Wood, who founded the plant operated