The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-28
IMPORTED MEN
LEAVE TOOLS
VIII Not Return Until
Paid.
STRIKERS NOW JULIAN
New Men Allegs Poor Food And
Cruel treatment
Two Hundred Men March Out From
Steel Car company's Plant
Others Expected to
Leave Work.

Pittsburg. Aug. 27.-Imported men
numbering 200 quit work today at the
PRESSED Steel Car Company McKee's
Rocks. and in body marched TO the
bank Of the Ohio River, where they
declared they would camp until the
company had paid them for their work
so they could return to their homes.
THESE new men said there were only
so0 workmen left In the plant and that
ali of them would leave the mill by
tomorrow.
Poor food and uncongenial working
conditions, they said, actuated the
wholesale desertions The strikers and
their sympathizers are 1ubilant today.
When the big gates of the plant
swung open shortly before s o'clock
ana the zoo men marched out, surprise
was manifested throughout the strike
district. The news spread quickly.
however, and within a lew minutes
both strikers and imported men were
on the best of terms.
The men allege they were given poor
food. subjected to cruel treatment and
that they were forced to work when
they wanted to quit Three men, Ill
ana weak, tainted when they reached
the river bank.
A large number OF the men, 1t was
said. came to the Federal building du-
ringsthe day and made affidavit before
Special Agent Hoagland, OF Washing
ton, ID. c.. sent here by the Department
or Justice for the purpose of investi-
eating alleged charges of peonage.
AT shutdown tonight sixty state
troopers mounted guard at the plant of
the Pressed Steel Car Company In
Schoenville, where $500 employees of
that concern are striking, anticipating
before another twenty -four hours a
repetition of the bloody corner" riots
of last Sunday night
Trouble Is feared for several per-
sons, the principal one being the fact
that aif during today imported work.
men have been deserving the Pressed
Steel Car Plant in droyes of from two
to 200.
Tonight a spirit of unrest pervades
McKees Rocks and the strike zone.
The strikers declare that before morn
Ing the Pressed Steel Car Company will
be forced to suspend operations. But
SOC workmen were left in the pant to-
night at shutdown, so the deserving
workmen declare.
The grounds surrounding the river
gate of the Pressed Steel Car Company
presented a picturesque sight tonight.
Encamped there were over 800 work
men, who left the car works during
the day and who say they will stay
near the car plant offices until they
SGT at least u QOTLlOn OF Ino wages
due them. The encamped workmen
declare will stay on watch at the ear
company gates until they are forced
Stories told by the workmen who
have quiet their jobs in the car
who have quit their jobs In the car
plant are, almost unbelievable. Condi-'
lions, according to these workmen,
were practically unbearable inside the
car plant stockade. Soup prepared
from rotting vegetables was served
them, they declare, by filthy negro
walters. picked up from employment
agencies in the slums of Pittsburg.
Beds filled with vermin were given
them to sleep on, they declared, while
they were charged exorbitant prices
for clothing. even two cent stamps
selling at four for ten cents in the car
company commissary. These stories
were made the subject Of affidavits
late today in the government probe
into the alleged peonage conditions at
the car plant.
Sensational developments In the ses-
sion of the government peonage
probers were developed tonight when
several witnesses declared on affidavit
that they had been treated worse than
dogs" had been served rotten food"
the car company had failed to keep
!; financial promises" and car company
bosses had threatened to blow heads
off with revolvers."
Charges that gambling was allowed
to go on unchecked in the car COM
pany commissary were also made.