The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-09-26
AND
OPERATORS ARE
MARKING TINE
SITUATION LOCALLY HAS CHANGED
LITTLE, n AMY, SINCE STRIKE
ORDER WENT INTO EFFECT.
Bsnwood Hardest Hit by Strike Of my
Community In Local District; 500
Of the Population Idle.

On the surface conditions in Wheel
ing appear normal for the fourth day OF
the general strike. The streets are
slightly more crowded than usual. the
movies are playing 10 record crowds but
otherwise nothing Is changed. The
business men have thus far reported no
slackening Of trade that might be trace
able to the strike. and those not depend
ent on the steel mills for their business
are not expecting to suffer from the
uuprcC rdented conditions. Nothing Wis
ible TO the casual observer would indi-
cate that Their" arc over $4,000 men out
Of work in this town. except the alb
sence Of smoke at tho various plants
throughout the city.
Both sides are standing pat ut the
present time and there arc no signs Of
any movement on the part OF either in
the very near future. Much interest Is
being displayed at the strike committee
rooms as to the outcome Of the labor In
vestiEation at Washington. which began
YESTERDAY The local labor leaders, eX-
press strong hope that tho administra-
ton will find some way out OF the dith-
Guilty. and settle the whole business
within 4 few days.
The strike is being felt more Kecnly
in the Benwood district than any where
else in this vicinity. Benwood mas
over % percent Of her population OUT OF
work al the present time. All the mills
IN that town ar" down tight. Most Of
her working population work al inc XIV
.rside plant OF the Wheeling steel and
Iron Co. plants In addition I" these
there Is the Semct-Solvay works which
is shut down as the result OF the strike
order. All Of her other industries. such
az stores and places Of amusement are
dependent wholly upon tho mill work-
ers for their sustainanCc. so II - ilRely
that Ben wood will be ono Of tho hardest
hit towns in tho country.
The strikers are said 10 be In rair-
IS good financial position to Withstand
tho strik" Large numbers OF them are
thr posscssors of liberty bonds and the
era Of extremely high wages just passed
has enabled many Of them to save sums
Of money for use in emergencies such as
the present.
We are we'll prepared. financially
for A longer seige that We expect said
Mr. J. VI. Peters. the union secretary
Mos, OF our men have bought heavily
Of every issue of Liberty bonds and
war savings stamps. We cannot be
starved out any sooner than the capital
lists I think that we have facilities 70
last out several months Of the starVa-
ton tactics on the part OF those VINO
would force uS 10 return TO Work WIN
out nhraining our demands. The union
is prepared to pay out several million
dollars If necessary 10 win this strike
hut We are going to win without that.
Rum1red Strike at Yorkvt1e.
The only new developments or the
past twcnty-four hours is the rumored
strike OF the engineers OF the Yor6ville'
tin mill of the Wheeling Steel and Iron
60. This mill is not affected pY the
general strike as they have union
agreement with the Amalgamated
Association. However. they have no
agreement with any one or the twenty
three affiliated trades, so they may ike
Is have trouble with these men. II Is
said that the officials have until Iues-
day to meet the engineers demands.
II is considered only matter of time
until the entire Yorkville plant SHUTS
down a. they arc said to have material
- work only three weeks longer II tnc
strike continues.
Two mills Mt Warren. Ohio. shut down
Yesterday afternoon as the result OF an
Ilc.ricians strike. They are the Trum-
bull Iron Works and tho Liberty Shect
and Tlnplatc Co. These two firms nave
agreements with the Amalgamatcd Asso-
citation but none with the ELECTRICIANS
Tho electrical workers presented the OPP
orators with n scale some days ago
which was not recognized and strike re-
suited
1t tho present time. the only mills
" .h n a twcnty-milc radius OF TINS city
that arc working are: The Whitaker
t;lraSrrr rompanyS creek mill plant
he stool mill at Fnllansbce, W. Va.
md tho Yorkyillc plant Of the Wheeling
steel and Iron These plants are an
working under union agreement.
Operators Making Time
According to reports received al IN"
local union office yesterday thcr" ar"
now 342. 900 men in the ranks OF the
strikers and that number is being IN
creased hourly The officials OF this
district refused to make any dcfn'tc
statement on the situation other than
they arc just marking time.
The officials Of tho mills say that th"E
have nothing 10 say to the press. There
is nothing new in the conduct OF IN"
strike All the plants are picketcd as
heretofore. but no violence has rcSul'eu'
! The pckets are on the job merely 10 re-
port happenings To their leaders.
Another general mass meeting OF inc
strikers WILL b" held Sunday ut IN"
Market Auditorium at 1890 u m inc
meeting is open to tn" public and Will
bc addressed by Joe Cannon OF Denver
Colorado. and several local labor men.
Mr. Jack Peters will preside MI. can
non. who Will be tho principal speaker
Of the evening is one of the national
a.I,,z ~, ,,ipa mill and GmcltcT