The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-09
A STATE OF ARMED NEUTRALITY
EXISTING ON BOTH SIDES.
EACH WAITING OTHERS MOVE
Ten Days Notices Given Federal
steel, National Steel and National
Tube Companies of Intention to Call
Not Granted-Mill Owners In Mean
Non-Unfon Operators In Closed Mills

glimmer of hope that the great steel
workers strike will be settled was en-
bodied in a statement given out by
President Shaffer, Of the Amalgamated
Association, tonight. When asked #
he would pursue the same policy in or
dering a strike in the mills of the Fed
eraI Steel, the National Steel and the
National Tube Companies as he did in
calling out the men in the mills of the
American Tin Plate Company, he re-
piled: If it had not been for this de-
termination on my part, the general
strike would have been ordered on Sat
urday night
Before calling out the tin workers,
n after failing to get any satisfaction
from the officials of the American Sheet
and the American Steel Hoop Company,
President Shaffer sent a telegram to
Vice President Warner Arms, of the
American Tin Plate Company, notifying
him that under Article 19, Section 80
Of the constitution of the Amalgamated
Association he would be obliged to call
out the tin workers in all of the mills
owned by the United States Steel Cor
poratlon unless the difficulty was set
tied within a period of ten days. AS a
result of this notice Mr.. Arms succeed
ed in getting together another confer
ence and a vain attempt was made to
settle the dispute and prevent a strike
which would involve the tin mills. That
conference was the one that broke up
in the Hotel Lincoln three weeks ago
last Saturday.
In order to be equally fair to the 9TH
er constituent companies of the Unit
ed States Steel Corporation and accord
I them the same treatment, President
| Shaffer has sent a similar notice to the
officers of the Federal Steel Company,
| the National Steel Company and the
National Tube Company, giving them
the same time in which to make any
effort they may desire to bring about a
settlement, or he will put in force this
same clause in the. Amalgamated Asso-
I citation constitution. 1t is presumed
that the delay in issuing the general
order will be at least until the end of
the present week. Possibly it will not
be issued until early neXt week. In the
meantime the men in the mills of these
three companies will be prepared to
come out when the strike order is is
sued.
Inc possibility OIL a settlement or the
strike is based on the bare hope that the
officials of the three additional com
panieS will bring to bear sufficient in
fuence to urge an adjustment of the
difficulties before the strike order is is
sued. President Shaffer did not express
any hope that his would be done, nor
did he even discuss the matter, u the
inference was quickly seen hat there
was such a probability in sight. 1t is
faint though, n but little interest was
taken in it in the general offices OF
the association.
The strike history of the day in Pitts
burg itself is not prolific of results;
considerable, how ever, was doing in
towns surrounding. In his city all OF
the idle mills are in the same condition
as before the failure of the conference
to settle the strike n no apparent
move is being made by the manufac-
turers to start the mills; consequently
there has been no break in the strikers
ranks.
The most important strike point to-
night seems to be Leechburg and
WelIsville, with McKeesport a possible
trouble center.
From Leechburg this telegram was
received: "At 4 o'clock this afternoon
the Hyde Park mill. which has beer
idle since the first of this year, was
started. E. S. Pargny, manager of the
American Steel Association; Harry Da.
Wis. district superintendent, and Robert
Lock-, local nag were on the
ground. At 3:45 o'clock this Afternoon
a train arrived at Hyde Park, coming
from Salisbury, Vandergrift and Apol.
To-. The train stopped at the works anC
fifty-five men, clad in working gart
n carrying dinner buckets, left the
train and hurried into the works. There
was no excitement and the mill owners
and managers tonight claim they have
enough men in the mill to operate al
of the five plants of the mill. Senti.
nels are out and no one is allowed tc
get into the mill without a pass word
This afternoon late, six mill men from
Leechburg sauntered down toward thu
mill, pass the guards and walked int
the mills where tonight they are a
work. This makes sixty-one men nov
employed at the works. By outsider!
it is claimed that this number canno
operate the mill in full, but, howeve
this may be, the mill is running to
night in good shape"
1.-The Amalgamated men, however
are on the ground making desperate
efforts to keep all union men out. The!
make the bold assertion that in tive
days after President Shaffer issues hi!
general strike order, not a wheel will
be turning in either Vandergrift, Apol
10 or Hyde Park.
From Wellsville, o., the following
report is made: 1.-The last four Of tn,
striking steel workers who were arrest
ed Saturday, charged with riot, were
released from jail late this Afternoon
upon bail. There are warrant yet il
the hands of the police for seventeen
more of the strikers, which have no
yet been arrested. The officers, TO
some reason seem to be afraid to serv'
the warrants. Henry B. Henderson, {
potter for whom the police have a war
rant, has been trying to get himself IL
the way of the officers all day, to hav'
them arrest him, but they will not d.
it, for the reason hat Henderson il
backed by the National Brotherhood o
Operative Potters. and the officers feal
the vengeance of the potters, once the.
are aroused, as they would be if n o
their number were put under arrest.