February 27, 1880

  • William Steinway’s diary: “lunch at U. Sq. Hotel, at 3 P.M. the Boss pianomakers of N.Y. meet there and resolve unanimously to make a grand lockout to take place Monday March 15th if up to March 13th Steinways men have not returned to work. At same Hotel in eve’g, meet Albert Weber, young Haines, Steck, Bacon & F. G. Smith in Committee & draft resolutions, which we give to the press, I take them to Staatszeitung.”
  • The resolution of the “United Piano Manufacturers” meeting reads: “any further rise in wages… would have the most disastrous effect. <…> Therefore, be it resolved: That each and every piano-forte manufacturer of this city notify the workmen in his factory that unless the workmen of Messrs. Steinway & Sons retur to work by Saturday, March 13, we will close our factories on the following Monday, March 15.”