The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-16

Pittsburg, Pa, August 15.-Neither
side moved decisively today in the
great industrial conflict between en-
ployers and employees in the steel
trade, and the result is still IN the bal
ance. The strikers made gains at Pitts
burg, McKeesDort. Wheeling and Bel
laire, in the last tWenty-four hours,
but in the main the advantage is still
with the mill owners. Both sides claim
to be preparing moves that will bring
! confusion to their opponents. but neith-
er side has shown it's hand.
The general situation tonight can be
briefly summarized as follows:
Ten men, five of them skilled. quit
at the lower Union mill of the Carne-
gle Company in Pittsburg today and
Joined the strikers. Their detection
represented the first break in the Car
negie forces Of more than $4,000 men.
The strikers were iubiIant over the in
cident but the company claims to have
filled their places at once and that
there will be no more desertiOnS at any
of the plants
struck on Sunday, was finally closed
down today after working short hand
ed until yesterday afternoon. When
another start will be made is p1oblemat-
ical.
Several hundred boys. employed at
the National tube works at McKees-
port. went out during the night and
day, and their action materially aided
the effort of the strikers to finally tie
the plant up. The works ar" goinS
ahead shOrt-handed. but the ranks OF
the wOrkmen are thinning and the sup
ply of material is limited. The strik-
ers gained at Wheeling anu the steel
officials admitted today that Benwood
would be closed down. CIaTk's mill
here is moving along full handed. The
Lindsay and McCutcheOn IS operating
with a small crew and the managers
are planning to open Painters and in
crease the force at the Lindsay and
McCutcheOn. \ break in the ranks of
the men who struck at Painters is ex-
pected, but the strike managers deny
that one will occur.
The Steel Corporation held it's ground
at Chicago Joliet. Bayview, Youngs-
4 town, Columbus. the kiskimlnetas val
Vley, and the Carnegie group with the
exception of the instance named. The
strikers are considering plans for break
ing the decision of the men Of Chica go,
Joliet and Bayview to stand with the
steel companies. but what they plan
to do has not yet been made clear. They
are charging some of the western men
with dishonesty and disloyait and
there is a general desire among men,
bers of the Amalgamated here for
some form of inquiry.
There was no trouble at any of the
strike centres today, although it was
anticipated at the points where plants
are being partially operated and the
men are wavering on the question of
L. I'D
Carnegie plants here today and the Of
ficials finally called on the police to
clear them away. the officials say
that the loss of ten men at the lower
Union mill can be directly traced to the
threats of the strikers. who intercept
the men on the way to and from work.
Mayor r. J. Black, of McKeesport, to-
night gave out the following statement
to representative of the Associated
Press in reply to the numerous criti-
cisms of his course in not dispensing
the crowds of strikers at different times
during the strike:
AT a time like this in McKeesport,
when SO many men are idle they are
bound to come out on the streets and
crowd them more than usual. and like
every other crowd, Will gather where
there is any excitement; but so far,
there has been little or no disorder and
in all cases the police have handled the
situation admirably. There is no more
orderly set of men in this country than
the men who are idle in this city today.
In the instance in which the Tube
Company requested me to send men to
disperse the crowds. the chief of police
was on the grounds at the time and re-
norted that there was no disorder. We
Hannot order man to go home and
stay there when he Is doing no harm
and only standing on the street. AS
far as the Tube Company is concerned,
it has taken and appropriated to its
own use a street of this city, to which
it has no legal right whatever, and this
is the very street on which ii was com
planned that the strikers had congre-
gated. If / allow a private corpora
ton to take up and appropriate to IL
use a street how can consistently re-
fuse a private citizen TO stand upon 1t!
1 do not consider talking to non-union
men disorder in any sense and the men
have a perfect right to attempt all
kinds of arguments as long as they dc
not resort TO positive physical coer-
cion.''
So far, good order has prevailed, al
though the steel officials assert that
there has been intimidation at Wheel
ing, McKeesport and Fittsburg.
Both sides express their confidence in
ultimate victory and are actively car
! wing forward their respective cam
baigns. President Shaffer. OF the Anal
AEamated Association leaves tomorrow
for Wheeling where he IS to address the
strikers.
the number of men as a result Of the
general order is now roughly estimated
eFt 5000 and on the three orders al
$1,000. Many strikers have found work
in independent mills or at other occu-
pations, and many are idle merely be-
cause the skilled men are out.
According to an authoritative an
nouncement made today to represen'
tative of the Associated Press by Of
fcials of American Sheet Steel Com