The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-27
AN UGLY FEELING.
Situation at McKeesport is Re-
garded as Grave.
An Effort to Break the Strike
Will Cause Trouble.
STRIKERS VIGILANT.
Every Stranger is Being Closely
Scrutinized.
Mayor Black and Strikers Con-
tinue to Stand Together.
MOtOrmen Refuse to Stop Cars
For Mill Workers.
STRIKERS VIGILANT.


Pittsburg. Pa, July 27.-The threat
ened strike at the National Rolling
mill and the Boston Iron and Steel
Works of the National Tube company
at McKeesport, has not materialized as
yet. That the men will come out today
is denied upon the authority of Presi-
dent Holloway of the McKeesport lodge
Of the Amalgamated association who
says they have no intention of strik-
ing at present, but others still claim
that the closing of these mills is likely
to occur before the day Is over.
The McKeesport situation this morn
Ing IS considered grave and there is
an ugly feeling among the men which
promises to cause trouble If there is an
effort to break the strike at this point
There was little or no excitement last
night on the principal streets but the
strikers were exceedingly yigilant and
no man who looked like a stranger
passed near the Devices Wood plant
without a challenge. The announce
ment that the plant would be started
non-union is laughed at by the strik-
ers and they say that there are no
other workmen in this country who can
do the necessary work on the fine
grades of iron turned out here, but they
are taking no chances.
The attempt of the National Tube
company to induce the Welders in its
employ to sign individual contracts is
exciting much hostility among the men
bitterly oppose the signing of individual
contracts for five years. 1t is expected
that most of the Welders viii sign. The
mill could not be run at all without
them. President George E. Holloway of
Enterprise lodge has issued a procla-
nation upholding Mayor Blacks stand
against the importing of non-union
WOrkmen. The Demler Tin Works and
National Tube Works will be paid off
today and developments are expected.
The Wellsviile plant Will close down
at noon today and will resume opera
tiOns at o'clock Monday morning.
superintendent Brookman says he
does not expect a full complement of
men by that time, but that he Will soon
denied the rumor that reports had gone
to Lison in the interest of getting out
injunctions against the strikers.
This was payday, and the mill Off
Gals were busy paying off the strikers
and non-union men The strikers re-
ceived four days pay, and every effort
is being made by the leaders to keep
them from the saloons It was mainly
for this reason that the mass meeting
called for this afternoon was aban-
doned. Instead of a mass meeting q
secret meeting of the strikers viii be
held in the city hall Notwithstanding
the temporary suspension of work at
the mill, the strikers are keeping 3.
close watch for non-union men, A
rumOr quite generally circulated that |
several carloads of men were to be !
slipped into the plant after midnight |
tonight caused some uneasiness among |
the strikers.
Assistant Secretary Tige reported ev- |
erything quiet in ANA lgamated circles |
today. The absence of President Shaf- |
fer and Secretary Williams caused the |
circulation of a rumor that a confer |
ence was in progress, but Secretary |
Tige assured the newspaper men they |
was reported that Joseph Bishop, secrs- |
tary of the Ohio board of arbitra tion /
would be in Pittsburg today to confer |
with President Shaffer on the subject |
of mediation but if he arrived in the /
city, he as keeping dark, as he was not |
registered at any of the hotels
Since Mr.. Bishop took this subject up !
he has been in New York and hard at /
work in the interest of peace. What /
ever he has learned, it is said, will be
communicated to the Amalgamated as
sociatiOn officials in person as he has
not written at any time since he began
his laborers. Another report about the /
hotels today was that President c. NJ /
Schwab of the United Steel corporation /
would arrive in Pittsburg this evening
His friends here know nothing of the
reported visit. In reference to fhe re-
port that the steel company would an
ply for injunctions restraining the
strikers from interfering with the nom
union men, A L. Well, counsel for the
Sheet Steel company and American |
Tin Plate company, stated that the is
suing of an injunction was not in con-
temptation at this tine. No move of
this kind has been made so far.
7 was not in Cleveland. as report
ed" said Mr. Wen. "and do not know
who the mysterious lawyers are who
were supposed to be there know
they are not acting for either the tin
plate or sheet steel companies. would
represent these companies if any such
action was planned
Organized labor in Pittsburg is to
be forced into a closer alliance. A
senate of labor, embracing all the trade
is to be constituted in
Pittsburg tomorrow night The pro
posed senate is said to be the scheme
0f President Shaffer of the Amalgam-
ated association, and National Organ
zer Flynn of the American Federation
Of Labor.
There is no doubt that the movement
10 form such fedora ton in Pittsburr
was caused by the strike of the Anal
gamated people in the mills of the
American Tin Plate CON pany, the
American Sheet Steel company and the
American Steel Hoop COMPANY It is
believed that it is for the specific pur-
pose of bringing moral support if not
financial aid to the striking steel work
srs
Scarcity of men to work in steel mills
s aptly illustrated in an expedition |
which left Pittsburg last night II |
vas a party of % skilled Amalgamated
nen brought together from various idle |
Mills from the PittSburg district and |
1arts of Ohio to man the two sheet
Mills of the Republic sheet steel and
ron mill at Birmingham, Ala Cap
ain Levi Turner, a veteran and expe-
fenced roller. of Scottdale. headed the