Tag: McKees Rocks PA

WE NEVER FORGET: Striker Steve Horvat Who Lost His Life August 12, 1909, Martyr of the McKees Rocks Strike

Janet RayeWe Never Forget
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Quote Mother Jones, Pray for dead, Ab Chp 6, 1925———-

WNF Steve Horvat, McKees Rocks Strike PA, Aug 12, 1909———-

WE NEVER FORGET
Steve Horvat-August 12, 1909
Martyr of th McKees Rocks Pressed Steel Car Strike 

From The Pittsburg Press of August 12, 1909:

Major Smith, Colored, Shoots Into
Attacking Crowd and Fatally
Wounds “Steve” Horvat
—–
PICKETS IN STRIKE ZONE
—–

McKees Rocks Strike, WNF Steve Horvat, Ptt Prs p1, Aug 12, 1909

More rioting, during which a foreigner was shot and killed, and the eviction of strikers and their families caused intense excitement in the Schoenville strike zone today.

Major Smith, a negro, said to be employed as a strike-breaker by the Pressed Steel Car Co., early this morning shot and killed “Steve” Horvat, one of the striking workmen. Smith was attacked by several foreigners and says he shot in self-defense. He was badly beaten up during the fight, and this afternoon was lodged in the county jail…..

Witnesses to the shooting say the negro fought at great odds and only fired when his life was endangered, and while lying on the ground, having been felled by a rain of blows from the fists of the strikers and a large rock wielded by one of the attacking party. The shooting occurred at 5 o’clock this morning.

The dead man was 27 years old, married living on Lewicki street, McKees Rocks. He leaves a wife and one child…..

At the strikers’ mass meeting today the death of Horvat was discussed and he was referred to as a martyr to the cause. A subscription fund was started to bear the funeral expenses and give aid to the widow. About $1,500 was subscribed, but some of this money will not be available until after the men get to work.

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Hellraisers Journal: McKees Rocks: Faced with Brutality Surpassing Belief, “Steel Strikers Are Determined to Win”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Powers of Privilege, Ab Chp III———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 29, 1909
McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania – Conditions No Longer Endurable

From the Duluth Labor World of July 24, 1909:

STEEL STRIKERS ARE DETERMINED TO WIN
—–
Hideous Brutality of Pressed Steel Car Company
Almost Surpasses Belief.
—–

CONDITION OF EMPLOYES NO LONGER ENDURABLE
—–
Startling Revelations Made by
Ex-Coroner Armstrong of Pittsburg.
—–

In spite of the fact that news dispatches from the Pittsburg strike district all emanate from prejudicial sources, enough has leaked out to reveal the exceptionally villainous character of the management of the Pressed Steel Car Company.

McKees Rocks Strike, Armed Deps, State Troops, Albq Ctz p1, July 19, 1909

By Coroner Armstrong.

Some of the facts stated by Mr. Armstrong are as follows:

Sufficient care has not always been exercised by those running the plant. The Pressed Steel Car Company kills at its works one man per cay on an average. Those running the plant didn’t care much whether they killed a few “hunkies ” or not. The company had a sort of insurance that was very dangerous to human life, since it let the company out of all damages for deaths from injuries and permitted it to become very careless. Soon after becoming coroner he was compelled to place six or seven men high in the company under arrest in order to compel them to give him information regarding deaths in the plant. He made it so hot for the company that it was compelled to take some precautions, and its death roll was, in consequence, reduced about 65 per cent.

According to the Pittsburg evening papers one of the mills has long been known as the “slaughter house” because so many men were killed there. Another plant bears the inviting name of the “last chance,” for no man ever seeks work in that mill if he has a chance on earth outside-a magnificent illustration, by the way, of the bountiful opportunities which this marvelously rich country holds out to all men.

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Hellraisers Journal: At Mass Meeting, McKees Rocks Strikers Cheer Speeches of Socialists J. W. Slayton & Rose Maritzer

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, re Ruling Class, AtR p2, Jan 23, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 22, 1909
McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania – Strikers Cheer Socialists at Mass Meeting

From The Pittsburg Press of July 19, 1909:

“NO SURRENDER” IS SLOGAN OF THE STRIKERS
—–
American Workmen Are Not Fooled by Ruse and
Refuse to Take Places of Men Who Quit
—–

CHEER ADDRESSES MADE BY SOCIALIST LEADERS
—–

While the Pressed Steel Car Co.’s attempt to resume work in full this morning at its McKees Rocks plant failed utterly, the strikers held a rousing meeting of several hours’ duration, at which they agreed to stick together and fight indefinitely.

An impressive scene was presented on the Indian Mound, which from the beginning of the strike has been used as the meeting place for the workmen. Between 4,000 and 5,000 men and women of many nationalities congregated there and were addressed in stirring manner in their own languages by speakers of more than local repute.

McKees Rocks Strike, Rose Maritzer Socialist, Ptt Prs p1, July 210, 1909

—–

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Hellraisers Journal: McKees Rocks Strikers Issue Proclamation: “We shall fight to a finish, as it is our right.”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, We Will Rest, UMWC Jan 27, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday July 21, 1909
McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania – Strikers of Pressed Steel Car Co. Issue Proclamation

From The Pittsburg Press of July 18, 1909:

McKees Rocks Strike, K. Nagy, WB Remay, Ptt Prs p1, July 18, 1909

—–

Proclamation by Strikers
——

In refutation of the repeated statements of the officials of the Pressed Steel Car Co., that no strike exists at the Schoenville plant, the organized strikers yesterday issued a formal proclamation. It affirms in the strongest language that a strike is in progress and cites examples of the company’s alleged wage scale under the “pool system.” The proclamation, issued in behalf of the employes by William B. Remay and K. Nagy. is as follows:

Citizens Workingmen:

We talk to you, the oppressed workers, banished by the strike:

Public opinion is not sufficiently informed of the situation, and according to the statement of the directors of the Pressed Steel Car Co. there is no strike existing at McKees Rocks.

We call this statement an untruth. Yes. there is a strike and we proclaim it openly before the public that the bad conduct of the directory of the company is the direct cause of it. We complained numerous times but our complaints have never been listened to, and after complaining again last Monday, we got for our answer: “Your services are no longer required,” and we have been driven out of the works.

Citizens and workingmen, would you have acted in any other way than we did?

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Hellraisers Journal: McKees Rocks Strikers Elect Committee of Four, Seek Settlement Through Socialist Attorneys

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Parasites Too Lazy, UMWC Jan 27, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 20, 1909
McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania – Strikers Seek Settlement
-As the Pressed Steel Car strikers seek a settlement through Socialist Attorneys, we learn that “one a day” is the death toll for the workers within the plant.

From The Pittsburg Press of July 16, 1909:

From page 1:

PEACE MOVE BY STRIKERS
—–
Committee of Four, One from Each
Nationality, to Confer, Through
Socialist Party Attorneys,
With Officials
—–

RENEWAL OF RIOTING IF OFFERS ARE SPURNED
—–
Attorney Piekarski Offers His Services to
the Sheriff-Undercurrent of Excitement
in Schoenville This Afternoon
—–

McKees Rocks Strike Troopers Clear Streets, Ptt Prs p1, July 16, 1909

Rioting at McKees Rocks has for the present given place to an effort at compromise, and a committee of four, representing the striking employes, is now conferring with attorneys of the Socialist party, who will take up the matter of settlement with officials of the Pressed Steel Car Co.

“We demand pay by the hour-no other way,” is the only demand made by the strikers.

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Hellraisers Journal: McKees Rocks Strikers and Sympathizers Battle Pennsylvania’s Mounted Constabulary

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Clarence Darrow, Labor Flesh Blood Life, ISR p203, Sept 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday July 19, 1909
McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania – Strikers of Pressed Steel Car Co. Battle Cossacks

From The Pittsburg Press of July 15, 1909:

4,000 RIOTERS ATTACK POLICE;
MANY ARE HURT
—–
Desperate Fighting Takes Place at Noon,
a Pitched Battle Raging Over Most of
McKees Rocks for Half Hour
–Sergeant of Constabulary Badly Wounded
—–

FOUGHT LIKE DEMONS AGAINST OFFICERS
—–

McKees Rocks Strike, PA Mounted Constabulary, LoC, July Aug 1909

Desperate fighting took place at noon today between 4,000 of the Pressed Steel Car Co. strikers and their sympathizers and the State Constabulary, a pitched battle raging over most of McKees Rocks for half an hour.

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