12 ASSOCIATION' OF IRON, STEEL AND TIN WORKERS [144 



was elected " Grand Master." The next year vigorous 

 efforts were made to extend the influence of the organiza- 

 tion, and a national union was formed in Pittsburgh, Sep- 

 tember 8, 1862. The convention declared that the associa- 

 ,tion should be known as " The Grand Forge of the United 

 States, United Sons of Vulcan." At the second annual 

 session, held at \Vheelii\g. W. Va., a constitution and by- 

 laws were adopted.'^ 



Local " forges " were instituted in New York, New Jer- 

 sey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Ken- 

 tucky, Illinois and other States. The convention of Au- 

 gust 5, 7 and 8, 1865. reported the formation of more local 

 forges in the four months preceding than during the entire 

 seven years of its previous existence.^ Delegates from five 

 different States were present, and the membership of the 

 union had trebled. The next year traveling organizers were 

 appointed, with Miles Humphreys as leader of the squad. 

 The efforts of the organizers met with exceptional success, 

 largely due to the rise in market prices and consequent suc- 

 cess in demands for higher wages. They traveled through- 

 out the iron manufacturing districts of the country and re- 

 ported the establishment of forges in all the mills " with 

 but few exceptions."" Of the thirty-six active forges, all 

 but one sent delegates to the session held in Pittsburgh in 

 1867.^" The reports of twenty-three forges showed a total 

 membership of 1514, by no means all paid-up members. 



The inability of the national body to provide financial 

 support for members involved in labor difficulties caused a 

 falling off in membership." Until 1870, strikes and lock- 

 outs were inaugurated solely by the men employed in the 



' McNeill, p. 271. 



* Fincher's Trade Review, November 16, 1865, quoted by John 

 Fitch in " The Steel Workers." 



" Vulcan Record, vol. i, no. i, p. 8. 



'° No official record of tlie proceedings of the annual meetings of 

 the National Forge was published until 1867, when the issue of the 

 " Vulcan Record " and a " Semi-Annual Record " was begun. 



^' The funds in the treasury were not even sufficient to meet the 

 expenses of the traveling organizers. Mr. Humphreys says he paid 

 a balance of not less than $100 out of his own pocket. 



