Homestead: A complete history of the struggle of July, 1892, between the Carnegie-Steel Company, Limited, and the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers

THE PUBLISHERS.

HOMESTEAD.

A Complete History of the Struggle of July, 1892, between the Carnegie·Steel Company, Limited, and the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers.

BY ARTHUR G. BURGOYNE.

ILLUSTRATED.

PITTSBURGH, PA. 1893.

ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, 1893, BY D. S. MITCHELL, IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WASHINGTON.

PRESS OF RAWSTHORNE ENGRAVING AND PRINTING CO. PITTSBURGH.

INTRODUCTION.

The demand voiced by representative workingmen in the Pittsburgh district, not only on their own account but on that of their brethren the world over, for a correct and impartial history of the Homestead trouble, sufficiently explains the appearance of this volume.

The importance of the theme requires no demonstration. Since labor first organized for its own protection it has passed through no period more prolific in soul-stirring events and significant developments than that extending from July to November, 1892, and including the lock-out at the Carnegie mills, the battle with 300 Pinkerton guards, the military occupation of Homestead, the trial of labor leaders on capital charges and the ultimate collapse of the Amalgamated lodges for lack of funds to continue the struggle against non-unionism. This was a conflict of far more than local interest. It was watched with anxiety by both friends and foes of organized labor on both sides of the Atlantic; it claimed the attention of leaders of thought in all departments of human activity; it stirred up the British House of Parliament and the United States Congress, agitated the newspaper press of both continents, became an issue in the election for President and is said to have contributed more largely to the defeat of Benjamin Harrison by Grover Cleveland than any other influence.

The injection of partisan considerations into public discussion of the Homestead affair led naturally to a vast amount of misrepresentation, and even at this late day the causes and character of the struggle are widely misunderstood. It has been the mission of the author of this history to sift out the truth, to make clear the motives and methods of the disputants on both sides, and to recount in detail the events of the contest without sacrificing historic accuracy to romantic effect.

Personal observations in the course of visits to the "seat of war" while hostilities were in progress, and subsequent conversations with the leaders has made the task a comparatively easy one.

Little attempt is made to philosophize on the varying phases of the labor question as presented at Homestead. It is left largely to the reader to form his own deductions from the facts set forth and from the opinions of recognized authorities, not forgetting Mr. Carnegie himself, which are liberally cited.

That through the perusal of "Homestead" new light may be borne in upon some of the many who persist in regarding the American workingman as a mere piece of mechanism, deservedly at the mercy of his employer, is the earnest hope of

THE AUTHOR.

PITTSBURGH, November 22, 1893.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. CAPITAL IN ITS STRONGHOLD.

Homestead and Its Mills--The Rise and Progress of the Carnegie Firm--How The "Star Spangled Scotchman" Made His Fortune--He Labors For Years and Then Lapses Into Luxury--H. C. Frick's Career as Coke King and Iron Master--The Fine Art of Crushing Strikes--Carnegie and Frick Join Hands and the Latter Becomes the Master-Spirit--Condition of Organized Labor at Homestead 3-14

CHAPTER II. THE GATHERING OF THE STORM.

History and Methods of the Amalgamated Association--Operation of the Sliding Scale at Homestead--Superintendent Potter Makes Amicable Suggestions a la Carnegie--An Ultimatum From Frick--He Threatens Non-Unionism and Fortifies the Mills--Lodges Hold a Sunday Morning Meeting--Burgess McLuckie's Bold Speech--"High Fences, Pinkerton Detectives, Thugs and Militia"--Political Exigencies Give Hope to the Workmen 15-26