The age-herald., 1901-07-27
Will Attempt to Make All Their Skilled WoIknsn Sign h.
 dividua| Contracts
FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE
In Mckeesport It Is Reported That Men In Steel Works Are Organ Ized and VIII Strike
 Today.

Pittsburg, Pa.,. July 2s.-The National Tube Works Company at McKeesport has made an unexpected move intended to checkmate the Amalgamated Association. Their skilled workmen have been asked to sign individual contracts to practically 1 repudiate any union labor, and they have been given but short time to think the matter over. It Is understood that should they not sign the contracts they will find | their positions vacant and the axe is ex- pected to fall tomorrow.
 Thursday evening the 800 welders of the mills were paid off and taken into the office of the general superintendent where they were presented with individual con- tracts to be signed for at least year. some demurred while others signed the contracts. This movement, fighting fire with fire. carried constination into the ranks of the strikers. These welders are highly skilled workmen and with their CO., operation the big plant might be closed down. With them in line the plant will probably keep on running as though noth- ing had happened It was intimated to- night by friends of the welders that they would all sign the contracts.
 Definite announcement that the officials of the American Sheet Steel Company would start the Dewees- Wood mill in Mo Keespert as a non-union plant on Mon day reached the headquarters of the l Arnalgamated Association early today.
 The movement will not be permitted to I be made without a decided attempt to check 1t. While the rank and file of the strikers are not acquainted with the plans of the campaign, they now believe that important developments will change the aspect of affairs considerably. There l is apparently less of the confidence that was noted in the first part of the week. l but there was a lot of determination ex- 1 pressed by those who would talk.
 Will Be Brought In Line. 1 A telegram from Wheeling tonight says: Tomorrow meeting of the A.nalgamat- ed Lodge. made up of some of the men in the National Tube Riverside plate mill. 1 will be held, when the men who were re- | gently organized will be brought in line. l The Amalgamated. Lodge at the River side works is made up of about half the 1 force employed in the plate mill depart ment The lodge has never been strong l enough to enforce the acceptance of the Amalgamated scale upon the company.
 If the National Tube Company's men are 1 called out, as 1t has been intimated they {; soon will be- Riverside will become the storm center of the strike. for there is no ], doubt of tine intention of the company to coohat the union here just as it has been :; fought at the McKeesport plant.
 Men Organized Secretly.
 A telegram from McKeesport late to- might sayH:
 l T. was reported on good authority in Mc!Seesport tonight that the employees ot the Boston Iron and Steel Works and the | National Rolling Mill at McKeesport (both plants of the National Tube Company | will strike, tomorrow, the men having se- cretiy organized. The majority of the men are DOW ID sznbers of the Amalgamated As sociesion: It was. rumored in McKeesport tonight that If the Boston plant and the i National Rolling Mill come out the en- i tire plant of the National Tube Company, which employs 5000 men, will come out" | The following radical statement comes 1 from Mingo Junction, O., tonight:
 l Dr. w. J. O'Connell, Mayor of this l town, said today:
 | T am with the Amalgamated men in this fight to the end with my head, my heart. my muscle and my money. If it ever come to the point in this town the municipal officers will not stop the Amalgamated men from doing picket or any other legal acts to keep men from coming in here and taking their places"
 Situation Was Alarming.
 So ominous was the situation at Mo Keesport this morning that the Rev. Stu art Sharp hurried to this city to beg the l fin plafa scorupapv ofPfofaIef not
 tempt to start the mills. as bloodshed | would surely follow. The situation at the Dewees- Wood plant also became more in- teresting, when at 10 o'clock this morning the management of the works announced the intention to start the plant non-union within very few days and that the DO, 1 lice department of McKeesport would be looked to to protect the new workmen. | Manager Samuel N. Cooper of the Wood l plant, this morning, after a lengthy con | ference with head officials in Pittsburg, made a statement partly in reply to the edict issued by Mayor Black of McKees- | port Wednesday, that the company would | get no assistance from the McKeesport police department should they decide to start the plant.
 MT. Cooper said: We are going to start l up within the next few days and we look | to the authorities of McKeesport for as- sistance. Should our men be interfered with we will insist upon the police of Mo Keesport doing their duty. If Mayor l Black should carry out the lines he has laid down in his statement we will sue him and the city of McKeesport. for the | Dewees-W Wood people are heavy taxpayers in the city and must be protected"
 Serious Spread In New Quarter.
 The Post tomorrow will say:
 "A serious spread of the steel strike Is | now threatened in an unexpected quar- | ter The contest is expected to reach out >1nto the furnaces in the Mahoning and l Shenango valleys and cause complete l shut down of those plants From these 1 furnaces 1t ie bsHeved the danger will | threaten with greater force than ever | the union mills of the National Steel Co. Ihhroughout Ohio. If 1t is not checked .t tha+ ~.<.Svt f1.o ro r,7a nryfrit of 1lx,fon.