The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-02
Fight Between Steel Colossus
and Striking Employees
Has Not Yet Begun in Earnest
ON Either Side.
GOOD READY.
President Shaffer Is Trying to
Pile Up Money.
Still Some Hope That Diferen-
ces May Be Adjusted.

Pittsburg, July 2.-The second day of
the strike of the sheet steel and steel
hoop workers Of the Amalgamated as
sociation opened without interesting or
exciting features. 1t was evident that
neither side anticipated early develop
ments, as there was no unusual activity
about the combine offices. and the ut
most quiet prevailed at the headduart-
ers of the workers. AS President Shat
fer remarked. the conditions of the
present strike were peculiar, and no
decided results were expected for ten
days or two weeks. BY that time the
manufacturers having all necessary re-
pairs at their mills completed would
be anxious to resume operations. The
struggle would then begin in earnest.
The belief is quite general that the
real test will not come until the close
of the hot weather and the general re-
sumption of business in the early fall,
and in the meantime it is thought that
the conflicting interests will see their
way clear to recede from the present
positions.
That President Shaffer of the Anal
gamated association is preparing for
the rainy day which may come if the
strike is prolonged indefinitely, is evil
dent from the circular mailed to the
association lodges today. The circular
directs the lodges to lay assessments
upon their members the money to be
used for the relief of such members of
the association as n light be out OF work
The money collected by these assess
ments of the lodges will be forwarded
to PittSburg, where it will be placed
in the general fund of the associa ton.
The latter has for years been Great
ing a strike fund, systenatical and
methodically. This fund is said now to
amount to between 5000, 900 and $500 600.
The combine officials do not appear to
be worrying over the situation. and say
they do not recognize a condition OF
a strike yet. Some of the officers in
innate that there may be a renewal of
negotiations at any time and settle
ment effected. In outside circles the
belief is growing that the strike will
be called off before it gets fairly well
under way.
Outside the combine plants there is
little apprehension over the situation
Among the Independent companies in
Pittsburg who have closed down but
who are ready to sign are:
Zug & Co, limited. will sign; the
Pittsburg Forge and Iron company,
who are satisfied to grant the mems
demands; A. M ByerS & Co, of the
South side, at present closed for re-
pairs, but ready to sign the scale when
ever the comm ittee waits upon them;
ard Brown & Co, who are closed for
repairs.
The announcement today that the
sheet combination had cut pric&s oc-
casioned surprise, as it is known that
all the mills have been busy and n any
is on No. 2S, the standard gauge, which
is reduced from 1885 per one hundred
pounds to $3.I0. The lighter gauges
have been cut in price from 81 to Sd
a ton. The move puzzled the AnaIgam-
ated officials, and President Shaffer
said:
TT has been done merely for the pur-
pose of having an effect on the inde-
pendent sheet manufacturers who have
signed our scale
The advisory board of the Ama1gam-
ated association has not yet been called
to meet to consider the situation but
a meeting will be held soon if the
American Sheet company shows no dis
position to reopen negctiati tions. Presi-
dent Shaffer says the call for another
conference will not come from the
AmaIgam ated association, as the ulti-
natum of that organization was given
at the last conference