New-York tribune., 1901-08-13
SITUATION AT PITTSBURG~
NO IMPORTANT CHANGE CAUSED BY
SHAFFER'S ORDER - CARNEGIE
MILLS THE CENTRE OF
INTEREST
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1BuxE.I

IBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE.l
Pitts shurg Aug 1.-THE situation in the Pitts
burg district was not materially changed by the
latest order of President Shaffer. The only
local additions the list of strikers were the
men Of the Elba and Republic plants which
supply the National Tube Company. This
not quite expected, the original programme
was to have the men of the tube plants, the
National and the Pennsylvania. the largest in
the world strike this morning. However. Presi-
dent Shafer and his advisers made a change
in their plans. and. instead Of calling out the
tube workers. efforts We're directed against the
supply plants of the tube mills which will have
the same effect, and the same time relieve
the men in the tube plants of whatever official
odium there may be attached the name OF
striker at this period The National and Penn
sylvania plants viii not be able TO operate
longer than a few days without assistance Of
the Elba and Republic pants since all the
raw material and skelp are made at these mills.
The other rolling mills of the tube company, the
works at Boston, have been idle. so that the
tube plants have now source Of supplies
The idleness of the tube workers without be-
coming strikers technically is matter of a
few days at most. The rolling mill branch of
the National Tube Company at Mckeesport has
been idle for more than two weeks. The Elba
and Republic plants within the city.
The steel corporation did not carry out its
declared intention to operate the old Painter
and Lindsay & AIcCutcheon plants. Fires have
been kept in the heating furnaces since last
week when the importations were due TO reach
the mills but the plants are still closed. and no
work except repairing. is being done Steam is
up in the boilers as for days past and there
IS apparent life inside but inspection shows
absolute quiet The only attendants are the
engineers. fremen and watchmen. At the
Clark plant, in Butler-st. the Indications from
the outside are that the plant is in operation.
AS matter of fact. however only one mill in
the plant is IN operation. and that with poor
success.
The storm centre tonight is at the two plants
Of the Carnegie Steel COMPANY within the city
proper the upper and lower Union mills Both
are partly organized. and there have been
statements that the union men TO be
ordered out to cripple both plants. All hands
are still at work. however, and il is said to
be the intention OF the Amagamated Associa-
ton TO allow the mills until all the skilled
men or the great majority have been organized
before ordering strike there. It is alleged that
almost all the skilled men have been taken into
the organization, and that the two plants may
be closed any day night, without warning,
done this morning at the Elba and Re
public plants.
NOT DISMANTLING WOOD PLANT.
The strikers and residents generally Of Nc
Keesport have recovered from the shock Of the
threat Of the steel corporation last week TO re-
move the Wood plant TO the Kiskiminetas Val
ley IN the vicinity of Apollo It is asserted now
that the work done al tie Wood plant last week
was not the beginning Of the dismantling of the
plant but the removal Of some wornout ma
chinery Work was stopped Saturday and has
not been renewed. There was no actual attack
on the working portion Of the plant at any point
whatever may be the intention Of the steel cor
poration for the future The mill has not been
dismantled. 2or has any of the servicea ble ma
chinery been disturbed. The plant may be taken
from McKeesport, but steps 10 that end have
not been taken so far.
WHAT STRIKE LEADERS FEAR.
The officials Of the Amalgamated Association
admit only one fear at present-whether they
can hold the support OF so many thousand
strikers widely scattered. Just now 1t is not a
question OF money that IS causing serious CON
sderauon 1t is nothing but the one considera-
ton OF holding the men together TO the finish
The chief damage being inflicted on the Steel
Corporation is in the tinplate industry. Every
tinplate worker IN the United States is q mem
Der OF the Amalgamated Association. and the
majority are British workers, who were born
and reared in the strictest conceptions Of trades
unionism. So thoroughly is the tinplate branch
OF the steel trade organized among the workers
that the Steel Corporation has been unable af-
ter Offering liberal bonuses. secure seven
skilled workers to operate mill In the
last ten days agents of the corporation have
worked hard 70 find that number of men TO go
10 Indiana and make a start there. but failed TO
get them While this state Of affairs continues
the Amalgamated Association will direct its
energies to the sheet and hoop and cotton tie
plants