Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 233, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 September 1919 — STEEL MILLS IN CHICAGO SECTOR GROWING ACTIVE. [ARTICLE]

STEEL MILLS IN CHICAGO SECTOR GROWING ACTIVE.

■, . • (Chicago, Sept 26.—Despite the denials of union labor leaders there appeared to be a steady increase in activity at a number of the steel plants in the Chicago district today and unofficial reports indicated that several thousand strikers had returned to work. The union pickets art several plantr were more active than on previous days, hut there was no disorder except at Waukegan, 111., where seven strikers were arrested for making threats and one employe of the American Steel and Wire company was severely beaten. At the Illinois Steel company’s plants in South Chicago, it was reported that about 4,000 men were at workah(miaTßixbTafltfumacea,-4u slab mill and a plate mill were in operation. Officials denied a report that negro strike breakers had been employed. They declare that they are operating with nearly 50 per cent of their normal force and that every man at work is an old employe. At the Gary, Ind., plant of the United States Steel corporation it was reported that a slab mill and five batteries of coke ovens were in operation and. that a rail mill would soon be put in service. It is said that between 1,500 and 3,0t)0 strikers have returned and that the working force aggregates about 4,000. C——-- • Other plants at Gary reported to be operating with a reduced force were the American. Bridge company and the American Sheet and Tin Plate company. ; —- At Indiana Harbor, Ind., 500 employes of the Inlan Steel company announced their willingness to return to work as soon as adequate protection is provided and the mayor and sheriff said that means would ibe found to protect all men who desired to go back to-work. Officials at all the plants in this district —attempting to operate reported that the strikers were returning in small groups and that the scope of their activity gradually was being enlarged.