Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, July 22, 1901.
STEELWORKERS' STRIKE.
Tube Mill Workers at McKeesport Organized—Shaffer More Than Satisfied.
PITTSBURG, July 22. —The important event of the strike history of the day is the organization of the tube mill workers at McKeesport. The word from there is that after long and arduous work Assistant Secretary Tighe of the Amalgamated association succeeded in organizing 125 men of the National Tube Works company. At the meeting 25 skilled men from each department were initiated into the mysteries of the Amalgamated association and Mr. Tighe claims that within 48 hours enough more of the workmen will be secured to keep the entire plant closed down, affecting 9,000 men.
From Wellsville nothing has been received here except word that the situation is unchanged and the strikers say everything is satisfactory to them. It is believed however that an attempt will be made to put men to work there from other points, the 10 men from Vandergrift who are said to be at East Liverpool ready to go in early in the day being the principal men relied upon for the purpose.
While the strikers say they will not commit any overt act, there is an uneasy feeling manifested throughout the entire valley and no one is willing to anticipate the result of the proposed attempt to put those men at work.
When seen last night President Shaffer expressed himself as being more than satisfied with the week's results. He said:
"Things are very much better than I thought they would be. More mills are shut down than we anticipated or could expect. There is more determination on the part of the men who came out that was anticipated. There has been more inclination to aid us morally and financially on the part of other labor organizations and vastly more support from the general public than we were looking for.
"Late last night I received a telegram from one of our men at Duncansville saying: 'Duncansville is out.'
"At any time within the year we could have formed a compact organization of the mill there. They have sent us dozens of letters and a number of telegrams declaring their anxiety to join our cause.
"We have lost no ground in the mills thrown idle in Pittsburg. Our organization at Wellsville reports that after the advent of a solitary worker there from Vandergrift to go into the mill on Saturday representatives of the operative spotters scoured Wellsville and East Liverpool for other men on a similar mission and found not one. I can still repeat what I have said before in regard to the non-union men taking our places. If the United States Steel corporation officials can get non-union men I will help lead the men into the mills."
Mr. Shaffer would say nothing of the plans of his associates during the coming week further than to reiterate his former statements that his program was perfected and would be carried out to the letter. His people had been preparing for this conflict which they foresaw for years and are prepared to carry on the fight for an almost indefinite period.
The 22-inch mill at Boston Iron and Steel works of the National Tube company at McKeesport resumed operations after a shutdown lasting three weeks. The plant was closed for repairs. A great many men will be benefitted by the mill resuming operations, but they were all glad to get the three week's vacation.
The situation as to the Dewees Wood plant remains unchanged. Various rumors were in circulation throughout the town during the afternoon and evening to the effect that the mills would try to resume operations but they could not be confirmed. The company officials persist in their refusal to name the date for resumption.
FIREMEN'S STRIKE OFF.
Could Not Enlist Mine Workers' Support.
WILL RETURN IF TAKEN BACK.
Steelworkers Succeed In Organizing Tube Mill Workers at McKeesport—President Shaffer Says. He Is Well Satisfied With the Showing Made and Tells Why.
WILKES-BARRE. Pa., July 22.—The stationary firemen's strike will soon be at an end.
A meeting of the executive officers of the United Mine Workers of the three anthracite districts and the chief executive officers of the Stationary Firemen's association was held in this city yesterday for the purpose of discussing the situation. The United Mine Workers have all along been lukewarm in their support of the strike and the firemen insisted that they define their position, once for all, as it was impossible to carry on the strike if the United Mine Workers opposed it. With that object in view the executive officers of the United Mine Workers agreed to come to this city and meet the strikers. The United Mine Workers were represented by 26 officers of the three districts.
The Stationary Firemen's association was represented by Thomas Mullahy, president of the association; Thomas Barret, vice president; J. A. Garrity, secretary; Brodus Langdon and J. F. Wade.
T. D. Nichols, president of District No. 1, opened the discussion. He said the strike was inopportune at this time. It was detrimental to the miners, who were under agreement with the operators to remain at work for one year and if the United Mine Workers remained out it would mean the sacrifice of the good will of the coal operators.
President Fahy of the ninth district also spoke against the strike. He claimed the strike was inopportune and that his men wore opposed to it.
President Duffy of the seventh district said the firemen in his district did not go out on strike. This showed lack of unity and the strike could not succeed.
Secretary Garrity spoke for the firemen, and the sacrifices that had been, made for true union principles. He said the strike had been declared by the unanimous vote of 200 delegates.
It was plain from the discussion that the union mine workers were overwhelmingly against the continuance of the strike. The firemen realized this and submitted the following questions to the United Mine Workers:
First—Will you withdraw all men of your organization from our position if strike is declared off?
Second—Will you use your influence to have all engineers and others reinstated to their former positions if the strike is declared off?
Third—Will you allow us to meet United Mine Workers in joint conference and to present grievances at the same time?
To the first two questions an affirmative reply was given. To the third this reply was made:
"Yes, if you join the United Mine Workers."
A resolution was then adopted calling on the grievance committee of the firemen's association to call on each coal company and ascertain if the men who went out on the strike Tuesday will be given back their positions. These committees are to make a report to the same joint committee which met here and if the replies from the companies are favorable then the strike will be officially declared off tonight.
The following official statement was issued from firemen's headquarters last night:
"After the officers of the three districts of the United Mine Workers defined the attitude they contemplated assuming toward the firemen, should their strike continue, we thought that it would be to the interest of all concerned to bring it to a speedy termination, and in consequence thereof we made propositions to them which were adopted, after which we instructed the firemen to pursue all honorable methods to have their positions returned.
"Although the strike is not yet declared off until after the answers are received from their employers, yet it seems to be the prevailing opinion that should they be favorable the action of the delegates Monday evening will end the strike. But should anyone now out of employment owing to the strike be discriminated against, the end would be as far off as ever, as the firemen are determined to stand by those who sacrificed their positions before they would take our places. All firemen who are still at work shall remain until after this convention."
The statement was signed by the president, vice president and secretary of the firemen's association.
Simon J. Schermerhorn Dead.
SCHENECTADY, N. Y., July 22.—Simon J. Schermerhorn died at 11 o'clock last night at his home in Rotterdam from apoplexy. He was stricken Thursday. He was elected to congress in 1892 from this district and served one term. He was 73 years of age.
BURNED TO DEATH.
Sister of C. H. Miller Lost Her Life in Syracuse.
The Shelter for Unfortunate Girls in Syracuse was destroyed by fire at 12:20 Sunday morning. The cause of the fire is unknown. There were thirty-nine girls in the institution besides a number of attendants and servants. The fire was discovered by the housekeeper who at once aroused the superintendent. Other attendants were called and all the children were awakened and, following the custom of the fire drill, were marched out with all speed wearing their nightdresses and some of them catching up their other clothes in their arms.
When all had been gotten out it was discovered that Miss Phoebe Miller of King's Ferry, a substitute teacher who had been there only since July 2, was missing. The fiercest part of the fire when first discovered was in the vicinity of her room. The body was found at 5:30 o'clock in the ruins.
The unfortunate woman was a half sister of Mr. Charles H. Miller of Cortland. He first learned of the accident when he read of it in a paper Sunday morning. He telephoned Syracuse, but could get no very definite additional information. He went to Syracuse on the 4:43 train.
The funeral will be held at Five Corners, Cayuga Co., tomorrow.
 |
| William W. Rockhill. |
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.
How China ls to Pay.
There has just been issued in Paris a "yellow book" covering the Chinese negotiations from the end of 1900, when the collective note of the powers was sent to the Chinese authorities, in the middle of June last, when the ministers decided the question of indemnity. It deals chiefly with the discussions of the settlement, the total of the indemnity finally agreed upon (400,000,000 taels or over $300,000,000) and how China is to pay and sheds some new light upon the latter phase of the question.
According to this French "yellow book," Mr. Rockhill, special commissioner from the United States, proposed on June 7 to raise the maritime customs duties to 10 per cent, provided the Chinese government agreed (1) to change the duties from ad valorem to specific, (2) to abolish all internal likin transit duties, (3) to revise likin excise duties on principal articles and (4) to participate in the amelioration of the water routes. Five days later the diplomats unanimously agreed, first, to take over the native duties, the disposable remainder of the maritime duties and the salt duty. They also unanimously agreed to increase the import duties to 10 per cent, but Mr. Rockhill declared that his consent would not be given unless specific duties were substituted, the Pei and Wang rivers improved and the regulation of all fluvial navigation revised.
The diplomats agreed on the first two conditions, but objected to the third. Three days later Mr. Rockhill announced that the United States government would withdraw the third condition. Accord was thus established regarding the resources to be devoted to paying off the debt. Concerning the realization of the latter, the American, British and Belgian representatives declared that they could not accept a guaranteed loan. The adoption of the system of bonds thus became inevitable, and the rate of 4 per cent was decided upon as a minimum duty.
◘ For many years tuberculosis was a sealed book even to the best physicians. Now, however, its treatment is thoroughly understood, and where circumstances permit of its application in the proper manner a cure is almost certain to result. Of course this does not apply to advanced cases, which are still regarded as incurable in the present stage of science, though at the current rate of advancement it will not be long ere confirmed consumptives may be treated successfully. Scarcely a week passes that we do not read of the endowment of a "consumptives' ward" in some small hospital, and measures are to be adopted by several states looking toward the practical extirpation of the dread disease.
BURGLARS ARE SCARED.
They Urge Mr. Warren Not to Press the Claim Against Them.
Mr. George L. Warren, head of the firm of Warren, Tanner & Co., was this morning sent for by the two prisoners, Frank Curtis and Frederick Dykeman, who were last week released from Auburn prison and rearrested and brought to Cortland under circumstances already quite familiar to most residents of this city. They are charged with burglarizing the store of Warren, Tanner & Co. two years ago before their arrest and sentence from Syracuse on a similar charge there. Mr. Warren went down to see them at the jail as requested, and they begged him not to press the charge against them. They are in a state of mind at present [sic]. They have served time twice for burglary—five years at Elmira reformatory and two years at Auburn prison—and they say that if they are sent up again now there will be no workshop about it for them, but solitary confinement. It will be a tedious task to serve out a sentence of that kind.
Mr. Warren assured them that he had absolutely nothing to do with the matter, as it is now in the hands of the district attorney, whose sworn duty it is to prosecute. Then they urged him to make a speech in court and to request the judge to be as easy with them as he could. Mr. Warren made no promises to them.
It seems altogether probable that these two men will plead guilty to the charge. They recognize that the evidence against them is quite complete and convincing, and they are now trying every way to secure a sentence as light as possible so as to shorten the period of solitary confinement. They wouldn't mind it if they could work in the prison, but they object to the company of their own thoughts, and are believed to be of the opinion that if they plead guilty they will get off easier than if they combat the charge.
COMING TO CORTLAND.
West Brothers of Ithaca to Establish a Branch Store Here.
West Brothers of Ithaca have finally completed their arrangements with L. M. Loope, agent for the Squires building, and have rented the vacant store that fronts on both Main and Tompkins-sts. and will at once move here from Camden a branch store that has been established there. It will no longer be continued at Camden, but will be conducted at Cortland instead. The store is now receiving a fresh coat of paint at the hands of M. O. Erway and his assistants and will be ready for occupancy within a day or two. The goods are now on the way.
Williams Family Picnic.
The descendants of Zebina Williams will hold their annual picnic at Robert Wilson's, South Cortland, July 31, 1901. All those that belong to this branch of the Williams family will please remember the place and date.
A BUSINESS CHANGE.
L. R. Lewis Sells His Plumbing Department to W. W. Bennett.
L. R. Lewis, who was burned out on the morning of July 4, has sold his stock of plumbing goods to W. W. Bennett and will cease to do plumbing in Cortland. He will continue to manufacture the Perfection milk cooler and Farmers' Favorite feed cooker. The milk cooler business he has been engaged in for four years past and for the past three years each year's business has been double that of the previous year. For the last year Mr. Lewis has been obliged to devote so much time to the milk coolers that plumbing has had to take a secondary place. Now he will drop it entirely, though he has been engaged in this for twenty-five years.
Mr. Bennett, who has bought him out, has an established reputation here in Cortland in that line of business, having followed it for a number of years. It is not, therefore, anything new for him. He simply increases his facilities for doing first class work and enlarges his business.
.jpg) |
| Nathan Lewis Miller. |
MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE.
Sharp Bidding for a House and Lot on Grace-st.
The house and lot on the south side of Grace-st. mortgaged by Martha E. Livingston to Emmet A. Fish was sold at foreclosure sale at the courthouse at 10 o'clock this morning by the referee, Nathan L. Miller. There was a judgment against the place of $912.11 which included the mortgage, unpaid interest, unpaid taxes and all costs. H. L. Bronson, representing Mr. Fish, started the bidding at $912.11. E. E. Mellon then offered $915. Edward E. Harvey, who also lived on Grace-st., raised the bid to $916. The contest was then begun between Mr. Mellon and Mr. Harvey and the bidding continued, the price raising in the main $1 at a time. Occasionally it would seem to stop and the auctioneer would be about to strike it off, when it would take another spurt, perhaps jumping up $2 this time. Much interest was manifested and much fun created as the two bidders watched each other. At length Mr. Harvey ceased, saying there was no use, as the other would probably continue to raise the bid indefinitely. It was accordingly struck off to Mr. Mellon.
Mr. Mellon was unable to state at that time whether he had bid off the place for himself or for a client. He said he could not tell till later. The deed, by terms of sale, was to have been delivered at noon today. It was all ready at that time except that the name of the second party had not been put in. At 3:30 o'clock this afternoon Mr. Miller stated that Mr. Mellon had not yet told him what name to write in, but had just told him to let it go till tomorrow.
CRUSHED BY ELEVATOR.
George P. Yager Very Seriously Hurt at Canning Factory.
Shortly after 3 o'clock this afternoon George P. Yager of the Fair store and senior member of the firm of Yager & Halstead of the canning factory, was very seriously crushed by a heavy freight elevator at the canning factory. The elevator which is large and heavy was out of order. It was consequently raised up about 3 feet from its bed and Mr. Yager, squatting down with bended knees was under it repairing it. Suddenly it gave way and fell upon him, crushing him down by its weight. Help was quickly at hand, but it was some minutes before it could be pried up enough to release him and get him out. He was conscious, but was breathing in gasps and with difficulty. Dr. Nash was summoned and found that no bones were broken, but he feared there might be some internal injuries. The strain across the back was very severe. Beard & Peck's ambulance was sent for and the injured man was taken to his home, 5 Argyle Place, where he was made as comfortable as possible. It is hoped that the injuries will not prove as serious as first feared.
JUST FOR DEVILTRY.
The Marvins Break Out a Hinge to Their Cell.
The Marvin brothers confined in the county jail on the charge of horse stealing and awaiting the action of the grand jury are not model prisoners. Last Saturday afternoon they broke out the middle hinge of the door to their cell and broke all the stone around it in which the hinge was placed. Sheriff Overton sees no way in which this could be done except by taking the whole door off the hinges, hooking it upon the middle hinge only and then twisting it. The door weighs about 300 pounds.
There was nothing to be gained by breaking this hinge, consequently the act must be put down to pure deviltry. The prisoners were no nearer freedom with this hinge gone than with it there, as there were two more locked doors between them and the outside world.
It is not possible or expedient to keep the prisoners confined for any length of time, each in his own cell, consequently they are given the run of the corridors. The Marvins with some others were in the west corridor downstairs. Five cells open from this, and the cell doors are not locked. This door belonged to the middle cell of the five. The door is fastened when there is need for it at the end of the corridor leading into the main east and west corridor, and there is always a locked door from this to the courthouse outside, so the boys were safe enough with this door off the hinges.
BREVITIES.
—A regular meeting of the N. P. L. will be held Tuesday evening, July 23, in Good Templars' hall at 7:30 sharp.
—A regular meeting of the Royal Arcanum council will be held Tuesday evening, July 23, at G. A. R. hall at 8 o'clock.
—A "shoe social" is the latest. This is an idea of the Memorial Baptist church. Twice as many pennies as the size of your shoes is the key to it.
—Binghamton is to have another big cigar factory employing more than 200 hands. Perhaps this is the one that wanted to locate in Cortland and didn't.
—A vigilant watch for bicyclists who ride on the sidewalks is being kept by the police force and arrests for violations of the ordinance are being made every day.
—The Sylvan Beach train left Cortland yesterday morning with five coaches heavily loaded, in addition to the smoker. These were 105 tickets sold at the Cortland station.
—Any charitably disposed person who has a second-hand dresser that he would like to let go will find an appreciative recipient for it in the Cortland hospital if he is inclined to make that institution a present of it. The hospital needs one just now.
—New display advertisements today are—J. W. Cudworth, Optical goods, Page 5; W. J. Perkins, Drugs, etc., page 6; C. F. Thompson, Salt, page 5; Glann & Clark, Shoe sale, page 8; F. B. Nourse, Music boxes, page 5; F. Daehler, Clothing, page 7.
—The Free Methodist church last night on account of the heat inaugurated the pleasing custom of holding its evening service on the church lawn instead of inside. This proved very acceptable to the congregation and it will doubtless be repeated during the hot weather.
—Cabman Ike Finn was this morning putting into actual life the story of the old woman who lived in a shoe, only that instead of a woman it was a man, himself, and instead of a shoe it was his cab. There were ten children in the cab having a ride with heads sticking out of both windows, and it was difficult to tell who was enjoying it more, the children or Ike, the driver, for he is wonderfully fond of children and never happier than when doing something for them.
No comments:
Post a Comment