Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-08-31
STRIKE TO HIT
LOCAL PLANTS


lCont1nued From flrSt FaSe1
the past few days will insure con-
tinued operation of practically all
local manufacturing places for a
period of from one to five weeks at
least, even should the strike tie up
the railroads. In case the strike
should last longer than six weeks.
none of the managers would say that
plant operations could be continued.
Already the embargo placed upon
heavy freight shipments has struck
local plants who have been notified
that no outgoing shipments will be &C
cepted after Saturday night. At Cen
tral Iron and Steel Works this crisis
will be met partly by the operation
of motor trucks which furnish trans
portation for a radius of so miles,
should an adequate supply of gasoline
be available continuously.
May Lay Big Number OF
Should the strike tie things up for
week, managers fear that several
thousand men, at least would be laid
off in Harrisburg and Steelton.
David E. Tracy, president of the
Harrisburg Pipe & Pipe Bending Com
pany, declared this plant is in posi-
ton to continue operations, despite
the strike. for a week or two, at least
II don't see though" said he, how
freight shipments to and from our
plant should be impaired. We have
a fair supply of material al fuel on
hand and can keep the planC IN full
operation for at least a week."
Should the strike continue longer
than week, however, Mr.. Tracy said,
operations would have to be curtailed
and probably 500 to 700 men would
have to be laid off.
General Manager Quincy Bent, of
the Steelton plant of the Bethlehem
Steel Company, could not be reached
this morning. 1t is the general inn
preston at Steelton, however, that the
Bethlehem company would be hard hit
by the strike. About 1000 men are
employed at Steelton and the daily
shipments to and from the big plant
run into many trainloadS.
1t is the impression among steel
men that should the strike last three
days, operations in many departm ents
at Steelton would have to be cur
tailed and many units would probably
be taken out of operation entirely
This would mean that large per cent
of employees would likely be placed on
short time or laid off entirely.
Plant Will Be Congested
The freight embargo has already
been placed upon shipments from the
plant, effective Saturday night By
Monday morning, transportation men
say outgoing shipments will have the
yards so congested that movement of
materials to various parts of the big
plant will be a serious problem.
Robert H. Irons, general manager
of the Central Iron and Steel Works,
declared that sufficient supplies are
now on hand to insure partial
operation of the plant for at least two
weeks. The most serious problem to
be met, Mr.. Irons declared, is to OBJ
tain an adequate supply of coal.
Should the strike last a week, Mr..
Irons said, it would be necessary to
close down the plate mills and con-
serve the coal supply for the open
hearth, or steel making department.
Such a step would necessitate laying
off of about 700 men, he said.
Operation of the open hearths for
an indefinite period will be insured by
placing motor trucks in operation to
haul Dolomite-the mineral used to
line the furnaces-from the quarries
near cambridge.
Tin Mill Can Work Three Weeks
General Manager John Gray, of the
Lalance-Grosjean Manufacturing Co.,
declared present supplies would in
sure operation of the tin plate mills
for three weeks after which the plant
will probably close down. This would
throw 260 men out of work.
Smaller manufacturing plants will
be even harder hit and conservative
estimates by businessmen place the
number of men, aside from striking
railroaders who will be forced to quit
work in Harrisburg and Steelton at
between four and five thousand.
should the tieup last more than a
week.