Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-25
SKILLED WORKMEN ARE
SCARCE IN IRON TRADE.
THIS FACT EXPECTED TO PROVE
OF ADVANTAGE TO THE ANAL
GAMATED ASSOCIATION
IN ITS DEMAND FOR ADVANCE.
THE ADVISORY BOARD CALLED
DURING THE CONVENTION.
AN UNUSUAL PROCEEDING.

c1de upon demanding an increase in
h wage scale for 1902, the present
business conditions and changes which
may occur between now and the con-
ference between representatives of the
association and the manufacturers,
takes on much Importance. An inter
esting development of the last few days
is speculation as to what effect the ma
chinists' strike will have on the iron
and steel market, and therefore upon
the success of the assertion in securing
a raise in its scale. A prolonged strike
would seriouly affect prices by d~ecreas-
ing the demand for lower grades Of
iron and steel manufactures. At pres
ent the market is a rising one, favor
able to the association. Last year d oe-
mand was made for an increase of from
S. to $3.50 a ton for boiling on a de-
cl ming market, and the price agreed
on in conference was $4.75. Another
feature
Advantageous to the Mill Men
is the knocking off from $1.o0 to $1,25
in the cost of iron ore, due to a cheap
ening of lake freight rates. This would
not influence the steel trusts, which
owns it's own boats and mines, SO much
as it would the independent concerns.
But ale most favorable condition OF all,
due basically to the good times and
the immense amount of construction
under contract is the scarcity of skilled
men.
John Pierce, the veteran trustee, Of
Pittsburg, said to-day that he could
place seventy-five men in that city did
he have them. This demand, he says.
is especially for workers in iron. Iron,
according to Pierce, is being found
more serviceable than steel for many
purposes.
Some idea may be gained Of the storm
that centers in the settlement of the
wage scale in the convention by fol-
lowing resolutions making up the So
called programme"
Of the $50 resolutions introduced, 1874
refer to changes in the constitution,
five to the western iron, SO to the pud-
ding scale, s are on muck, % on bar
mill scale, &c on steel hoop and cot
ton ties, Is On sheet mill and Sc on
plate. Besides these there were 40 on
miscellaneous subjects and so introduce
ed since the opening of the conyen-
ton.
An Unusual Proceeding.
An unusual occurrence al a national
convention is the calling together of
the advisory board of the A~malgamat-
ed Association of Iron, Steel and Tin
Workers. The board was convened at
a late hour last night and various ru-
mors were current as to the business
to be transacted. 1t was publicly said
by the members of the press commit
tee that the board was merely discuss
ing the routine business of the
ton. This morning it developed that
a proposition was advanced by the
steel wage committee that a special or
ganizer be commissions for active and
aggressive missionary work in the steel
plants of the country. The matter was
discussed by the board who finally de-
cided that action on the appointment
should not be decided until later to al
low the expediency Of the demand OF
the steel wage committee to be dis
cussed by the delegates in the regular
convention. 1t is intimated that with
the aid of a capable and aggressive or
GAMER a large percentage of the steel
mills now working under individual
mill agreements can be brought into
the organization. 1t is also said that
the ~unionizing of many of the open
mills can be. quickly accomplished at
the present time, owing to the increas-
ed sentiment among mill workers that
the combination of capital
Demands That the Workers
unite TO deal satisfactorily with the
trust on wage settlements. The union
izing of all the plants of the companies
of the United States Steel Corporation.
it is said, will allow the conference COM
mittee to make a demand that the
Amalgamated Association wage scale
shall apply to all the plants of the vari-
Gus companies instead of as at present
to those that are closely allied to the
organization. A few OF the committees
are about ready to report, but as the
rue OF the convention demands that the
wage committee shall be first 10 pre-
sent its report the business OF the con-
vention will be delayed until the wage
committee is entirely through. Mem
bers of the wage committee predict that
the report will be ready for p~resenta-
ton to the convention at the morning
session tomorrow unless some unfore-
seen complication arises In the minor
scales. The committee on officers re-
ports and the auditing committee have
completed the detail of their reports and
the copy is now in the hands OF the
printer. The auditing committee closed