The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-15
HOMESTEAD NO. z
Great Strike of the Amalgamat-
ed Association is On.
Conference Ended Without
Reaching an Agreement.
is NOT YET GENERAL
But Will Be Made SO Unless
Steel Trust Yields.
Not a Wheel Turned i'm the
MahOning Valley.
is NOT YET GENERAL

Pittsburg, Pa, July 15.-The strike OF
the members OF the Amalgamated as
sociation employed in the tin plate
sheet and hoop mills. which was order
ed Saturday night as result OF the
disagreement between the conferees OF
the United States Steel corporation and
the Amalgamated association, was gem
orally observed in the Pittsburg DIS
trict this morning. At the mills where
the strike order extended, the skilled
worknen who are under the control of
the union failed to put in an appear
ance. or if they did go to the mills it
was merely as spectators and with no
intention of working. Early reports
received at the general Offices of the
Amalgamated association were meagre
OF details but indicated that the strike
order was being observed at all mills
Of the tin plate, sheet steel and hoop
combines.
President Shaffer is in communica-
ton with lodge officers at all these
plants and he is confident that the as
sociation Will make such 2 strons
showing on this preliminary Suspen-
sion of work that a general strike OF
all the mills of the United States SteeA
corporation will not be necessary. rms
latter proposition is the strong card
which the Amalgamated president las
up his sleeve and which he has threat
ened to play If an early adjustment OF
the difficulty is not made
This strike bears resemblance to the
historical Homestead strike in 1897, IN
that it is not a question of wages, put
of recognition of the Amalgamated as
sOciatiOn. The association insists upon
unionizing all the plants of the three
companies in question The manufac-
turers refuse to grant this demand ana
say that the individual contracts with
Workmen which are in force at num-
her plants must stand.
The Painter mills of the American
Steel Hoop company, or the SOutn s1oe,
are shut down. The m en- have joined
the Amalgamated association, and this
morning not one of the workmen, save
four or five Hungarians and six boys
showed up. It is estimated that be-
tween 700 and 500 men are out
The management refuses to talk IN
the mill office all was excitement this
morning Telephones were kept busy
and messengers were kept running
The Hungarians were hauling away
finished material and the boys were
working in the machine shops, the only
department in the mill where wheel
is turning.
the plant, and there is not a person
lettering about the place. Everything
is unusually quiet
The tin mill at Monessen, Pa, which
is non-union. was running as usual to-
day.
The Lindsay & McCutheon plant Of
the American Steel Hoop com pany In
Allegheny IS also idle, and the Star and
Monongahela plants OF the American
Tin Plate company are closed down
The Painter and Lindsay & McCutch-
con plants have been looked upon by
the officials of the United States steel
corporation as the strongholds of non
unionists in the Hoop company.
The prompt action of President Shat
fer in thus early forcing the fighting
and carrying it into the enemy's camp
was looked upon as evidence that the
strike will be one of the most spirited
of Pittsburg's history
President Shaffer was pleased with
the reports from the two strongholds
and he declared that not a wheel would
turn in either the Painter or Lindsay
e. McCutcheon works until the strike
was settled. President Shaffer said that
the Painter plant was pivotal with re-
spect to the other non union plants of
the Steel Hoop company and that the
men elsewhere had promised, if the
Painter plant would join the strike
movement there would be no trouble,
organizing the remainder of the plants.
He said that there was no question that
the men would respond as they have
been anxious to join the movement and
were held in check and kept at work by
the direction of the Amalgamated Off
cials.
President Shaffer said that the move
now recognized by the combine as un-
der the wing of the association He
looked for a general response to his
strike order, as the men have been
awaiting just such a command since
July l. He declared that the men were
prepared to fight it out on the original
lines until doom's day.
In certain circles a quiet interest is
manifested in the effect that strike NAV
have upon the Carnegie industries, es-
pecially the steel mills at Homestead
These mills are generally supposed to
of other mills. until they suddenly pop
ped out as pretty well unionized
NOT A WHEEL TURNED.
youngstown. O., July 15.-Not
wheel turned this morning in any of
the plants of the American Steel Hoop
company or American Sheet Steel com
pany in the Mahoning valley The
sixth district is the strongest nuner-
ically in the Amalgamated association,
and the men are unit in observing the
strike order issued by President Shaf-
fer. The Steel Hoop company has five
plants in Youngstown, Girard War
rem and Greenville, and the Sheet Steel
combine has four in Struthers and
Niles. All are organized. vice Presf-
dent Ward, Sunday organized the N en-
in the new four mill plant Of the Niles
Sheet company. In this valley 1900
men are directly or indirectly affected
by the strike
NO QUESTION OF WAGES.
New York. July 15.-Vice President
Arms, Of the American Tin Plate COM
pany, who just returned from Pittsbure-
where he attended the conference be- 4
tween the steel manufacturers and the
Amalgamated association, said last
night of the strike that the question at
issue was the right of the three COM
protect the men who worked in them.