Evening star., 1901-07-17
SUPPORTING STRIKE
American Federation of Labor Gives
Its Pledge.
FUND MAY REACH 100000 WEEKLY
Small When Compared to Enor-
nous Cost of Trouble.
STARTLING ATS I &c S

PITTsBURG, July 17.-National Organ
izer Thomas H. Flynn of the American
Federation Of Labor came to Pittsburg
from Washington this morning. and after
a consultation with the officials Of the
Amalgamated Association, pie led the sup
port of the Federation in the strike. In an
interview Mr.. Flynn said the Federation
had a membership of 100000 and they
could make assessment when any of the
organizations affiliated with them were in
need OF assistance. He said he had just
settled a strike of 1000 tube workers and
iron workers at Reading and these men an
nounced that they would contribute 81 a
week each. All members could not afford
this. but an assessment of 5 cents each
would yield 100000 weekly and would not
be missed by the members.
Tremendous Cost of Trouble.
PITTSBURG, Pa, July 17.-According TO
figures compiled by the Pittsburg Dispatch
the steel strike is daily costing the three
companies involved $4,000 and the work
men $4,000. 1t Is estimated that in the
daily loss of nearly $4,000 boxes of tin
plate a day the American Tin Plate Com
pany Is daily losing over s9O,0 while the
loss to the canning companies, unable to
secure their material, is enormous in addi-
tion. Practically no stocks have been car
ried. and the consumption has kept pace
with the production for some little time
past. About 700 tons of the 900 tons daily
production of the American Sheet Steel
Company Is being lost and this represents
a loss each day to the combine of at least
$4,000.
Losses in Wages.
The loss to the gas stove manufacturers
t., ole 81 ha v,o{II, OLE ;ob,
make a speciality of stove iron. This is the
heavy season for making stoves. About
2"o or 2-joo tons Of steel hoops, bands and
cotton ties are being lost daily by the
American Steel Hoop Company by reason
of the strike, and this represents a daily
loss in money of s1Oep 1t is estimated
that the men are losing in wages $50. 900.
The tin workers will lose 5000 daily IN ad
ditiOn-
Fund of the Association.
In addition to all of these losses, the
many and varied industries crippled
and in prospect represent losses to the men
OF large sums that cannot be computed
now. The Amalgamated men are said to
have fund of over 500. 900 with which to
keep the strike going, and the many Anal
gamated men employed in the various mills
still operating will go a great way toward
keeping the sinews OF war in good condi
tiOn-
Manager Smiths Threat
The threat of District Manager Persifer
F. Smith Of the American Sheet Steel Com
pany to start the Weusville rolling mill and
operate II as II has been In the past-by
non-union men-was the only new feature
in the steel strike situation this morning,
and the eyes Of all interested were turned
to that plant
Up TO 10 o'clock, however, nothing had
he4 heard from WeIlGyilla nv those N
authority at the headquarters of the Anal
gamated Association in this city. They re-
fused to believe that the Wellsville mill
had started up, and said they had every
reason to believe the plant was shut down
and would remain so in spite of the ef-
forts Of Mr.. Smith.
Situation at WelIsviIIe.
A dispatch to the Associated Press from
WeIlsville at 1870 o'clock said
The strike situation here remains as
It has been ever since the men were called
out OF the mill P. F. Smith, manager for
the American Sheet Steel Company for the
PitJsburg district, was here Tuesday. and
in address TO the mill men declared
that the mill would be a non-union
mill. He gave orders for the mill to start
this morning. In response to Smiths order
about thirty went out TO work, two of
whom were members of the Amalgamated
Association. The manager of the mill con-
cluded that thirty men was not sufficient
TO man the crews, and the attempt for the
present has been abandoned 1t Is said
that non-union men from other places will
be brought here today, in which case seri-
Gus trouble is feared.
Exciting Developments Expected.
Now that Mr.. Smith has declared him
self, 1t is thought that the managers of the
other non-union plants will make an effort
TO resume also within few days and de-
velopments Of an exciting nature can be
expected 1t is known that a gang of men
at work at the Devices Wood plant of
the American Sheet Steel Company at Nc
keeSpOrt, clearing up and making repairs,
and q well-defned rumor was prevalent on
the south side of this city today that an ef-
fort was TO be made by the mill officers IN
the Painter plant to break the strike by
bringing workers here from out of the city
In confirmation of this, for the first time
since the strike began watchmen arrived
with clubs and patrolled all sides of the
mill this morning None of the strikers
was to be about the property and
everything was quiet. The mill officers de-
-clined to discuss this matter and said when
they were ready TO move they would do so
without any noise. For the present moth
ing was being done beyond cleaning up the
mills and making repairs that had been
neglected owing to the rush of business
The Wood plant is closely guarded also and
the strikers look for the manufacturers 10
attempt resumption next week
Another Official Statement
In direct opposition TO Manager Smith S
declaration and the evident preparations at
the Painters and Woods works an Of
fetal of another of the companies interest
ed, who did not want his name used. as
serted that the companies had no intention
of starting their plants. The same official
said something might be known in ninety
days, but he would not say whether that
was the time the officials expected the
strike to last. What the manufacturers
generally think of the strike cannot be
learned All information at the offices of
the companies or at the mills Is denied
The explanation given is that there is moth
Ing to give out or that the order has gone
forth forbidding any one to talk
Shaner Hopes for Early Settlement.
President Shafrer is still hopeful of an
barly settlement Of the strike. The In
formation he received from the strike CEN
tiers today was quite meager. This he in
terpreted to mean that the strike was 60
Ing well.
Nothing further has been done in refer