Evening star., 1901-07-27
Trouble Expected if an Effort is
Made to Break Strike.
OPPOSED TO INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS
Work Being Done to Bring About
Peace Conference.
CLOS E r L A BOR u MON

PITTSBURG, Pa, July 27.-The threat
ened strike at the National rolling mill
and the Boston iron and steel works of the
National Tube Company at McKeesport
has not materialized as yet. That the men
will come out today Is denied upon the au-
thority of President Holloway of the Nc
Keesport Lodge of the Amalgamated Asso-
citation, who says they have no intention
of striking at present, but others still
claim that the closing of these mills is
likely to occur before the day is over.
The McKeesport situation this morning
is considered grave and there Is an ugly
feeling among the men which promises to
cause trouble if any active effort is made
to break the strike at this point. There
little or excitement last night on
the principal streets, but the strikers were
exceedingly viglant, and no man who
looked like a stranger passed near the
Devices Wood plant without a challenge.
The announcement that the plant would
be started non-union is laughed at by the
strikers and they say that there no.
other workmen in this country who can
do the necessary work on the fine grades
of iron turned out here but they are TAX
Ing no chances.
Opposed by the Men.
The attempt of the National Tube Com
pany to induce the welders In its employ
to sign individual contracts is exciting
strikers and non-union men bitterly oppose
the signing of individual contracts for Ave
years. 1t is likely however that most OF
the welders will sign. The mill could not
be run at all without them. President Geo.
E Holloway of Enterprise Lodge has is
sued proclamation upholding Mayor
Blacks stand against the importing of
non-union workmen- The Demmler tin
works and the National tube works will be
paid off today and developments are ex-
pected.
The Wellsvlle plant will close down at
noon today and will resume operations ct
g o'clock Monday morning. Superintendent
Brookman says he does not expect full
complement of men by that time, but that
he will have the entire works in opera
ton. He denied the rumor that representa-
tives had gone to Lisbon in the interest of
getting out injunctions against the strikers.
Away From Saloons.
This was pay day and the mill officials
were busy paying off the strikers and nom
union men. The strikers received four
days pay and every effort is being made
by the leaders to keep them from the sa-
looms. 1t was mainly for this reason that
the mass meeting called for this afternoon
was abandoned. Instead of mass meet
ing a secret meeting of the strikers will
be held in the city hall. Notwithstanding
the temporary suspension of work at the
mill the strikers are keeping close watch
for non-uniOn men. rumor quite gen.
orally circulated that several car loads of
midnight tonight caused some uneaSiness
among the strikers
Assistant Secretary T1ghe reported every
thing quiet In Amalgamated circles today.
The absence of President Shaffer and Sec
retary Williams caused the circulation Of
q rlmor that a conference was in progress,
but Secretary Tighe assured the newspaper
men that they were attending to private
business. 1t was reported that Joseph
Bishop secretary of the Ohio board Of ar
bitration would be in Pittsburg today to
President Shaffar h.
ject of mediation, but If he arrived in the
city he is keeping dark. as he was not
registered at any of the hotels.
In the Interests of Peace.
Since Mr.. Bishop took this subject up he
has been in New York and hard at work
in the interest Of peace. Whatever he has
learned 1t is said, will be communicated
to the Amalgamated Association officials in
person, he has not written at any time
since he began his labors. Another report
about the hotels today was that President
c. NJ. Schwab of the United States Steel
Corporation would arrive In Pittsburg this
evening. His friends here know nothing
of the supposed visit.
In reference to the report that the steel
company would apply for injunctions re-
straining the strikers from interfering with
the non-union men A. Leo We'll, counsel
for the American Sheet Steel Company and
American Tin Plate Company, stated that
the issuing of an Injunction was not In
contemplation at this time. No move Of
this kind has been made so far.
Il was not in Cleveland, as reported"
said Mr.. Well, "and / do not know who
the mysterious lawyers are who were sup
posed to be there / know they not
acting for either the tin plate or sheet
steel companies. l would represent these
companies If any such action'was planned"
A Closer Labor Alliance.
Organized labor in Pittsburg is to be
formed into a closer alliance. A senate of
labor, embracing all the trade organiza-
tions, is to be constituted in Pittsburg to-
morrow night. The proposed senate is said
to be the scheme of President Shaffer of
the Amalgamated Association and National
Organizer Flynn of the American Fedora
tion of Labor.
There is no doubt that the movement to
form such a federation in Pitssburg was
caused by the strike of the Amalgamated
people in the mills of the American Tin
Plate Company. the American Sheet Steel
Company and the American Steel Hoop
Company. 1t is believed that it is for the
specific purpose of bringing moral support
II not financial aid, to the striking steel
workers.
Skilled Men Scarce.
Scarcity of men to work in steel mills is
aptly illustrated in an expedition which
left Pittsburg last night. 1t a party
OF twenty-five skilled Amalgamated men,
brought together from various idle mills
of the Pittsburg district and parts of Ohio
to man two sheet mills of the Republic
Iron and Steel Company at Birmingham,
Ala. Captain Levi Turner, veteran and
experienced roller of Scottdale, headed the
party. Accompanying the veteran roller to
Birmingham were number of well-known
mill men of the Pittsburg district, thrown
Idle by the present strike.
Although all the mills save the at
Monessen of the American Tin Plate Com
pany are closed down by the strike, the
company will have ready for operation
within few days the largest works under
Its control. The new plant Is located at
Martins Ferry, Ohio. Three or four other
plants of the company, several from the
Pittsburg district. have been constructed
there, and new buildings put up and new
machinery installed. The plant will be
completed by the end of the present month
when II is claimed 1t will be the finest tin
works In the world. Between five and sir
thousand hands will be required to
operate Ii.
An Adjustment Expected.
NEW YORK, July 27.-President Schwah
Of the United States steel corporation paid
on early visit to ]. p Morgan & Company'a