Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-07-21
STEEL STRIKE NOW
AT CRITICAL STAGE
Outcome Depends Upon Re-
suits at Wellsville.
MAY BE LONG STRUGGLE

ShaTer Says Fight Will Not BE Car
ried Further Than Can Be Avoided,
but If Forced to DO So Will Go
Outside of His Own Trade.
PITTsBURG. July 2O.-The steel strike
has reached the critical stage and the
developments of the next 70 hours are
expected to have an important bearing
on the great struggle.
By Monday night the result of the at
tempts of the combine officials to resume
operations at Wellsville and McKees.
port should be known and upon the sue.
cess or failure of this the outcome of the
struggle will greatly depend.
So far the COntendlng forces appear
to have been watching each other, but
the statement from J. Pierpont Morgan
has changed the complexion of the stu
alton. Everybody is talking about this
now and at Amalgamated headquarters
all is hustle and activity. It is now
realized that the combines Will not in
dulge III any further temporizing, and a
long struggle may be looked for.
At Wellsville the company is strain
ing every point to get the plant into
operation and the dispatches from
there state that they claim they will
have a full force at all furnaces by Mon
day morning. It is said they have the
men imported from Pittsburg and will
bring them to the works by that time
Everything seems to depend for the
next few days on the outcome of the
company's efforts to resume on Monday.
A large number of railroad tickets
from here to WellsvilIe have been pur-
chased within the last few days, which
are supposed to be for the new force.
At Wellsville no men have as yet ap-
peared, but it is reported that they are
quartered at East Liverpool and will be
moved from there before Monday morn
ing. The strikers at Wellsville are
watching all incoming trains and it is
now hoped that no trouble will take
place when the new men arrive. The
strikers are said to be restive and what
may happen when they see the new men
coming to take their places it is difficult
to predict The company is taking ev-
cry preCautiOn to Obviate the trouble.
A high fence surrounds the mill proper
and car loads of lumber have been
taken into the mill, presumably for the
purpose of housing the new men within
the mill.
Secret Meeting of Strikers.
A secret meeting of the strikers has
been called for this evening, which will
be presided over by Vice President
Chappelle.
At McKeesport a force of. men are
still at work, clearing up and getting
the Devices Wood plant into shape for
early opration. 1t is said that sheet
mill Eight and Nine and the bar mill
have been completely overhauled and
are ready for resumption at any time.
While it it is not known that any
works will be started up on Monday, it
is generally believed that it is the in.
tention of the management to do SO.
They have quite number Of men as
nucleus of a force, who were refused
admission to the Amalgamated assooia.
tion because they worked during the
strike last April, and when a start is
made it will be with these men. Man.
ager Cooper refused to say when the
start will be made, but added, "When
it does come you can bet the mill will
be nOn-uniOn."
The Amalgamated association officials
have little fear of the company inducing
their men to go back, or successfully re-
suming operations. President Shaffer
says the lodge is twice as strong now as
during the April strike and he feels con.
fident that the men will hold steadfast
to the union.
The men will hold large meeting at
McKeesport to forestall the efforts ex.
pected next week to start the works.
President Shaffer, Secretary Tighe and
other officials will be present and ad.
dress the strikers. President Shaffer
says he will principally counsel sobriety,
tolerance and total abstinence from any
acts tending to violence.
Tube Men Not to Be Ordered Out.
The men of the plants Of the National
Tube company at McKeesport have
been invited to attend the meeting and
an effort will be made to have them join
the association. Even though the tube
work employees are organized, it is not
probable they will be ordered out by
the Amalgamated association until
President Shaffer is ready to issue his
general strike order directed against all
the companies in the United States
Steel corporation. President Shaffer
will not discuss the possibilities at the
National plant. Neither will he say
when he will be ready with his general
order to. the other companies.
"We will not carry the fight any
further than we can avoid,' said Mr.
Shaffer. 1--WE have no desire to embar-
rass the business interests of the coun-
try unnecessarily. If we are forced to
1t, we will go further even than the
members of our own trade, but we hope
to be able to secure a settlement with
out resorting to those measures. +"
The situation in the closed Pittsburg
mills is practically unchanged. The
Painter and Lindsay and McCutcheon
mills are closed. AT the Clark mills the
20-inch plate and the billet mill are
operating. The latter is to be closed in
few days.
The Amalgamated officials are not
making a special endeavor to enlist
these men, as they do not come within
their general scope, which the present
contest seeks to protect.