52 ASSOCIATION OF IRON, STEEL AND TIN WORKERS [l 84 



extra. Not a few nailing lodges in the vicinity of Wheeling 

 refused to abide by the scale, some even claiming to prefer 

 cutting steel to iron. This caused an altercation with the 

 boilers, who, when the nailers continued to cut steel for the 

 sartie price as iron, were thrown out of work. Hershey 

 Lodge, of Bellaire, in January, 1885, issued a circular " to 

 the nailing fraternity," charging the Association with par- 

 tiality to the puddlers and discrimination against the nailers, 

 and calling for a meeting of the nailers in Wheeling on 

 February 5. Hershey Lodge, upon its refusal to rescind its 

 action, had its charter revoked two weeks later. This local 

 union then began to work for the withdrawal of the nailers 

 from the Amalgamated Association, and issued a call for 

 a convention of nailers to be held in Wheeling on April 2, 

 1885. At this convention a resolution was passed to with- 

 draw, and the new organization was called " The United 

 Nailers of America."^® 



Practically all lodges of nailers voluntarily withdrew and 

 allied themselves with the new organization. The few that 

 remained the Amalgamated advised to join the United Nail- 

 ers, so that the new union would be free to a'^range their 

 scale for the next year without interference. According to 

 Secretary Martin, the loss occasioned by the secession of 

 nailers was 835 ; of these, 153 were nail feeders. The first 

 annual convention was held in Wheeling July 14, 1885, and 

 lasted four days. Delegates were present from the neigh- 

 boring states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky only. 

 Nail-plate heaters and rollers were admitted, and the name 

 changed to " The Nailers' and Nail Plate Rollers' and Heat- 

 ers' Association." The wage scale occupied most of the 

 delegates' attention. 



The Nailers, because of hostility to the nail feeders who 

 took their jobs, refused to admit the feeders. The nail 

 feeders, accordingly, organized a union, known as the " Nail 

 Feeders' Union of the Ohio Valley."^" So, too, those feed- 

 ers who were opposed to taking the nailers' places organized 



"Proceedings, 1885, pp. IS58-I559- 



♦0 National Labor Tribune, April 25, 1885, p. 4, col. 2. 



