New-York tribune., 1901-07-21
STEEL STRIKERS EXCITED.
NOT MUCH WOULD BE REQUIRED TO
CAUSE OUTBREAK OF DISORDER.
INTEREST IN EFFORTS TO REOPEN THE
MKEEsPoRT PLANT-GENERAL STRIKE
A LAST RESORT


MKEEsPoRr PLANT-GENERAL STRIKE
A LAST RESORT.
TRY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuSE.I
Pittsburg July 20.-The excitement at Me-
Keesport and Vandergrift is so intense that little
more is needed to bring out trouble. The men at
the W. Devices Wood plant are watching the
mill. which is scheduled TO resume with nom
union men on Monday morning. but the strikers
say that the assertion Of the company Is only a
ruse and that no attempt will be made TO start
the plant AT Vandergrift the filed
with bitterness. The sheet company has made
an appeal to the business and the store and
shop keepers. who have informed the workers
In the sheet plant that in of protracted
idleness they need not expect assistance IN the
shape of credit. The men ready to strike.
and 1t is doubtful if the threat OF the company
to close the plant permanently or that of the
storekeepers to refuse credit will have the effect
of keeping them at work.
1t is reasonably certain. in the temper of the
men at McKeesport. that If the sheet company
undertakes to start the Wood plant on Mon
day or any other day soon there win be serious
trouble. regardless of the advice OF President
Shaffer and other leaders OF the Amalgamated
Association to keep the peace and stay away
from the idle mills. mass meeting was held
at McKeesport this evening. which was at
tended by all the sheet workers and thousands
of other workmen. President Shaffer and other
Arlalgamated Association officers made ad-
dresses outlining the status OF the strike.
which seemed to please the men enough to
bring out an open vote in public to stay QUE
until ordered back to work by the association.
officers.
NOT EXPECTED TO START SHEET MILF
NJ F. Tighe. vice-president of the AmaIga-
mated Association. stated tonight that the sheet
company will not make an effort on Monday to
start the McKeesport plant Notwithstanding
the statements to the contrary He SAYS tha
movements of the company officers and mill di-
rectors have been so closely watched and ths
condition of the mill is well known that It.
seems impossible that the company will try to-
start the plant soon. The same is true prao-
tically Of the Old Painter and Lindsay & Me-
Cutcheon and Clark hoop giants. At the Pains
ter plant extensive repairs are being made.
which will require considerable time to COM
plete. and that phase places the hoop mills out
or the list of plants that may be used to begin
| the breaking down of the strike.
This afternoon the non-union men at the Mon
essen tfnplate plant. the only non-union tinplats
mill in the United States were organized by the
Amalganated Association, and that mill will
hereafter be classed among the organized plants
| In addition, organization was begun SUCCESS
| fully among the four thousand employees Of ths
National Tube Company plant at McKeesport.
| This is an advantage to the strikers that is
easily apparent.
| A mass meeting held at vanderzrjft this
| evening, which was addressed by George @. Me-
| Murtry, president of the American Sheet Steel
| Company, and other sheet company officials
| President McMurtry stated that the company
| desired to secure a candid expression from the
| sheet workers regarding their views Of unionism
| and the operation Of the Vandergrift plant as a
| non-union mill. The men were careful, and re-
| fused to make open statements. as they believed
| the company desired 20 have them give candid
| expression of their views only for the purpose of
| promptly discharging the who favor the
| union: This evening II is impossible to learn
anything definite regarding the intentions OF the
| employees of the Carnegie plants. but the best
| judges assert that the Carnegie men are not to
| come out for some days.
WHEN STRIKE MAY BE ORDERED.
President shaffer says that the general strike
| will not be ordered except as last resort but
| If the sheet company and hoop company attempt
| to start any OF the idle plants it will then be-
come necessary. The officers of the City Mills
| OF the Carnegie Company make the statement
| that there is no probability Of the Carnegie
| employees joining the strike, as no effort has
| been made to organize them. President Shaffer
| declines to state how far the men have been or
ganized. but points to the idleness OF the Paint
| er and the Lindsay & McCutcheon hoop plants
as evidence that mills supposed 10 oe rree Irom
unionism steady the others.
| When the conference was the employers
stated TO President Shaffer that he was acting
in unreasona BILE way in trying to force In the
| two plants named, they were non-union and
had been for some years President Shaffer re-
fused TO discuss the situation at the Painter and
the Lindsay & McCutcheon plants. but said that
IL the corporation officials wanted exhibition
| OF the unionism In those plants he would order
! the men out at once. to test the accuracy OF the
| corporation officials statement He gave the
order and Immediately both plants were thrown
| idle He saws the same thing may be done at
| other plants which the corporation believes TO
| be perfectly safe. He refuses. however, TO say
that the Carnegie mills may be handled in the
same way
The feeling in and around Pfttsburg tonight Is
| that next week will witness disorder and prooa-
| bIv bloodshed IL the corporation makes the ex-
| perirnent o ftrying to start some OF the sheet
| mills particularly that at McKeesport This Is
| especiaIIv true in case the men at Vandergrtfr.
| I,eechburg and Apollo decide to join the strike