The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-22
REDUCTION OF WAGES
SHUT DOWN OF MILLS
Average Cut of 10 Per Cent in Pay
of All Employees OF Nonunion
Iron Plants.
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
Idle Glass Workers to Receive
About $75,ooo-Trades Union
lists Enjoined.
CHRISTMAS

PITTSBURG, Dec 2-Seml-officia! In
formation was given out to-day that gen.
eral reduction in wages is to be made at
all non-union iron and steel plants in the
country that will average about 10 per
cent. II is not proposed TO make any OH
cial announcement of the cut until after
Christmas. Representatives of the United
States Steel Corporation are said TO have
met with independent interests and an
agreement has been reached for a uniform
readjustment Of wages of all employees.
The rate of the highest paid tonnage men
may be greater than 10 per cent. reduc-
ton and 1t will be less for the day hands
The wages of most of the employees at the
blast furnaces have already been cut
The Glassport (Va.) hoop mills resumed
operations yesterday after shut down Of
several weeks. The tonnage men returned
TO work at reduced wages. the cut varying
from 20 to IS per cent. Not all of the tom
mage men went back to work, however, as
they were not satisfied with the reduction
OF wages. The management expected
trouble. and for this reason a high board
fence has been erected. Iron and coal po-
lice were stationed at the works, but there
resumed at the Pennsylvania car-wheei
works, Allegheny, giving employment 10
500 men.
steel interests, who attended the meetings
In New York last week, have all returned
TO Pittsourg 1t Is agreed that the action
OF the different interests in reaffirming
prices for structural material, plates ana
billets has strengthened the market, and
That the outlook for the coming year is
very bright.
A special meeting of the advisory board
"a IA cd n
Steel and Tin Workers will be held at the
headquarters in Pittsburg to-day. The OBJ
ject of the meeting, II is said. is TO con-
slider the existing trouble at Indiana Har-
Dor, Ind, and the application of Western
lodges for re-admission to the associa-
ton. These lodges were expelled from the
organization In 1901 for refusing TO obey
strike order.
A high official of the Jones g. Laughlin
Company said tonight that there had been
no signed agreement made between the
United States Corporation and the indepen-
dent managers as to a wage reduction, but
conference between the local concerns had
been held In order TO have the readjustment
uniform throughout the district. He said
the reduction would amount to about 10
per cent. and become effective after Jan. l.
Including the workmen who have already
mad their wages cut, and those who will be
reduced after the first Of the year, il is
estimated that the number of iron and
steel men affected I'm the Pittsburg district,
which includes Sharon, Youngstown and
number about 10000 are employed in indie
pendent plants.
HOUGHTON, Mich, Dec 2f-The wages
of all of the iron mine employees of the
Oliver Mining Company, which is the iron
ore end of the steel trust. will be reduced
on Jan. l. The amount OF the reduction will
probably range from 10 TO IL per cent, be-
ing the least on the lowest paid labor The
superintendent and the leading local off,
Gals of the various ranges have already
had their salaries reduced from 20 to so per
cent.
CHICAGO. Dec. 2l.-Four thousand steel
mill laborers at South Chicago, employees
of the Illinois Steel Company, have been
notified that they will be laid off next
Thursday. Thirteen hundred employees of
already been discharged. The reason given
the men for their dismissal is that needed
repairs required THAT portions of the plant
be shut down.
JOLIET. ILL.,, Dec. 21.-The suspension of
work at the Illinois Steel Company S
plete by the end of the week. The
converter and billet mills. employing 1000
men, closed down to-day. The plant prob
ably will resume Jan. 10.
SHARON, Dec 2l-It Is officially an
nounced that the wages of the furnace
workers of the Mahoning and ShenangO
valleys. will be reduced about 10 per cent.
The independents, 1t is said, will make a
similar reduction
PUEBLO, Col. Dec. H.-Notices were
posted at the Colorado fuel and iron works
to-day that when the works resume, which
probably will be within a few days. IL will
be at reduction of 10 per cent. in wages
of the main body of skilled labor. 1t is
understood TO be result OF similar action
taken by Eastern companies.
HOMESTEAD. Pa, Dec. 2l.-Five of the
largest mills of the Homestead steel works
commenced operations to-day with a double
turn of men at work. This squirt In the
work affects about 1000 men.