The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-10-24
Strike among the Skirt Weaverss
public meeting was held last night Of huller's Hotel
IL Thirty sixth street pursuant 10 the following call

Az APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE or New YoRK.-The skirt
have qpsa strike wG rsst ssu
Counties s The eJS ss sns Shsy A ~as
Ss s s s STAIN. e hsy S %
re"mcon BY their employers public meeting vii be held
leu hoe i seisesn Eshh and snG
when @ asr Of If h The
ThGre were more than one hundred skirtwesvers pc
sent; they thin pale almost bagsard looking COM
pspy Of they did not reckless or desparlng,
but though strikers they bad air OF sad resignation
They sat in gloomy silence I'LL the meeting was called TO
GREER and then the proceedings sad as funeral
tIy varied by occasional response TO some worthy
continent According TO their statement they worked
twelve hours day and only received eighty cents
clear per day, upon which TO support themselves and
ismi.er, end their employers want to reduce their
wages TO seventy tour cents clear day There one
hundred ssrt weayers employed by Messrs. Bates and
ch or 2ss west Thirty sixth street. every Of
whom struck three weeks ago. on the attempt be-
,pg made TO reduce their wages and they with few
poy from other factories composed the meeting last
pigbt There abouttbree hundred skirt weavers IN
this city heJ engaged entirely In weaving ladies
bcopeo skirts from manilia and lute
The meeting being called to order Mr. J. shaTkey was
appointed chAlsmap, and Thomas Smith, secretary The
call meeting then read by the secretary who
continued to sc; forth the grievances or which they
paned stating that before the reduction Of their wages
they we're Gaming dollar day. or $3lS year. Out
OF that they had TO pay com rent-two shiuRs week
or SIS year, ana aong the season that coal il want
"a, they are taxed Ten cents q week--amountng TO
dollar ard yenty cents 10 tour months. That
hey were pot paid regularly their weekly
salary, but about three dollars week, more
les' 10 consequence Of not recei ting ther full
at the end Of sack week they had TO pay ten
for those articles which they purchased for
their families account they would If they had
meme! 10 pay dow for them. That when these deduc
made from their dollar day, left them only
eighty cents day. and that now their employ wish to
rsduee their wages them only
day Tor their work and for the maintenance of
,hemseye ard families They considered that attempt
insui--an outrage; that unworthy OF men to
submit it, they would not but would unite for their
protection and uoien strength they hoped to
succeed Three hundred skirt weavers said Me- Smith,
could not be overcome tyrranized over by lew en-
poy ers: the employers needed them moro than they
Leeded the employers II We submitted to the reduction
OF our wages twelve and a half per cent now, our
employers, a. soon as they perceive they have
tire power, will reduce our wages twenty five per
cent All want 10 our old neration and our
woad be equal 10 ninety seven cents day. Two
month ago Meesrs. Bates French undertook TO re-
cree our wages, but We made strike and they con
tipued the old prices SIN, they cunning, aud
ged the skirts from summer to winter, or thi;S,
quilted skirts, and stso changed the looms. SO in
cntb t~o from now when they get their winter sup
py ma pufacured they could put uz on summer skirts
sRaip Then they would reduce the price, and would
pe compelled TO submit On of their previous meet
tie strikers received to solicit work of any kind
take wherever they could get it, committee
appointed walt lfessrs Bates French, to
The OF Aessrs. Bates French refusing do
20, place the accounts OF ihe in the hands
OF lawyer, which last bs been done.
resolution offered last nlght and, after little
cebae, adopted that they should continue their strike
iii they their former prces the promise OF regu
az pay menis on Saturday, and IL that price was not
them that they would return weaving skirts
gain but seek employ in either business; and
they now secure and occupation IN any
in supplying the n with work. any way furnish
ii en- win the means Of Subsistence.