The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-22
FACTORY GIRLS Of new ENGLAND.
Strike Among the Operatives at Dover, N.
H.-Grand SympathNing Mass Meeting
Of the Working Girls Of Lowell,
Mass.-The New Hampshire Strike
as Described by One of the Work.
ing Girls of the Period.

LOWELL. Mass, Dec. 90. 1863
During the past fortnight the temper OF the New
England factory girls has been pretty well stirred
up over the attempt OF the Cocheco Manufacturing
Company, OF Dover, N. H., to reduce the wages OF
their operatives The whole number OF the employees
OF this company Is about $780, ana more tnan three
fourths are females, most Of them buxom asses born
ana bred In New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and
Massachusetts. The reduction tue Cocheco Com
pany demanded was twelve per cent and this the
spunky girls refused to submit to- and total sus-
pension Of business was the result. the girls re-
fused TO go to work upon a reduction, and the
company refused to continue them in service at
the old pay The usual accomplishments OF an
exciting strike followed, including the inevitable
professions, mass meetings, alb usiye resolutions,
&C., but during the whole the girls have remained
frm and the machinery In the Cocheco mills has
remained inactive.
During the excitement the spirits OF the striker
csges were buoyed up by Miss Jennie Collins Bos.
CON workingwoman Of brains and enterprise. she
counseled them and addressed them at their public
meetings, and now that they require assistance to
hold out against their employers she has volun-
teered to visit the chief manufacturing cities of
NEW England and gather funds for their
rrelief. She appeared here In Lowell tonight
where there are probably some seven or
eight thousand female operatives ana made
an appeal 70 them in Huntington Han. The ediice
was filled in every part and the feeling of sympathy
fof the Lowell girls for their striking sisters In New
Hampshire was well shown by liberal contri-
button.
Miss Collins was received with warm applause
when she appeared upon the platform, and her adj
dress which seemed to possess the merit OF hearth
ness and sympathy, was frequently and loudly APP
nyo Anl tl,o
no language 70 express her pride III standing before
&hls audience OF Lowell workngwomen VINO were
assembled 81 to- o.. express sympathy with their
out upon glowing description OF factory lie in
New England twenty years ago, contrasting 1t un
!avorably and graphically with lnat of the present
day. In ola times they were treated like human
beings out lately The cotton kings had become more
avaricious, and IN their wild rush Tor wealth they
had forgotten all honor and forsaken every feeling
OF humanity. The Cocheco Mills, in Dover, which
had attempted to cut down the wages OF the girls
twelve per cent in the dead OF winter got a Very
Epitelul warnlng-such q one as only the glib and
caustic tongue OF an indignant woman could give
An describing The strike OF the girls for their rights
ehe SAID mat one little son OF a member OF the
factory corporation INDUCED IN cheers for them
aS they marched the streets and was SO soundly
ehrashed by his father that he cried with pain. She
also related an incident OF the vile OF member OF
the ST. Crspins who, refusing to join In the STRIKE
threatened 10 be divorced from her. and rather than
be severed from her ege lord she reented and
Jennie was very emphatic in her Neutrality-suspicious.
against the agent OF the COcheco Company. and she
asserted that her bitter ieeiing was just, and
Iruo rejection OF the outraged operatives OF Dover
she rejoiced that the girls held out and she had no
doubt but they would eventually be restored to their
old places al the former rates OF compensation. The
women all over. the country, she believed, when
they understood the facss would allow the Cocheco
goods to rot ON the shelves before they would pur-
chase them, and she was bound TO do all IN her power
TO advertise the facts George Peabody, she thought
was not the phanthropIst he mlyht have been
with his vast wealth. Tor in all his munncence, he
had failed TO alleviate the poverty of those whom
he was specially Indebted Tor MS remarkable sue
N lar q VI as
the prince OF Denelac.ors ana the great nations Of
tho word had united IN paying honor and tribute to
his memory. II, she added he had searched out
suffering and injustice and Afforded relief, his
memory and good deeds would 1--we longer than the
acts OF his liie which are perpetuated by monu-
ments aud institutes. In further describing the
oppression OF the working women IN the Eastern
States she said That 1t seemed to her that their con-
alton was worse than that of The black women Of
the South but she was reluctant to believe that the
Partially was on account OF color. To secure sub
stantial relef from the present ana prospective
wrongs she counselled them to organize thoroughly
among themselves and then stand firmly oy
cotton aristocracy and heartless stockholders
ANA overseers. Referring briefly to the women's
rights movement, she alluded briefly to the eXecu-
ton OF Mrs. Surlatt, when there was not voice.
except that Oh her own daughter raised TO her;
but when Jefferson Davis, with his hands dripping
with the blood OF thousands, was brought to the
Of justice, who but tue tender hearted Horace
Greeley came to the rescue; but for poor woman,
who was not positively guilty OF murder, he had not
word oil sympathy or voice III behalf OF mercy.
such q circumstance as TINS, she thought, was a
strong argument Tor woman suffrage and for legs-
laton to allow women to hold office. But she was
not particularly jealous in the popularity termed
women's rights movement. What she wanted was
An organization TO secure the protection OF the
working women OF the country against the cruel en-
crOachments Of capital and every true woman OF
Che country would unite and rejoice IN the move
ment.
After Miss Collins address the following preamble
and resolutions were adopted
Whereas, The Cocheco Manufacturing Company Dover
N H. have reduced the OF their operatives by
cent have thereby unnecessarily great
Ing and DISTRESS while tue affairs company in
highly prosperous condition, they having for
dividend OF sixteen cent and increased
value OF their stock 10 $'2 beyond LIS value per
therefore,
Resolved That the conduct Of the Coccco
Company In thus reducing the OF tneis Is
and oppressive, and deserves the the
community that tender the victims of their
and tyranny the OF synpates, and
that we cal the press to assist tn hoon public
reprobeon the harsh and conduct OF the Cocheco
Manu- acturing Company.
Resolved, That bi proposed ~ State Ten Hour
Committee for suatng the hours of labor in manfacur
ing corporations hearty concurrence call
upon the members of the Legislature to enact that bill
law.
Effect Of the Strike at the Dover IN. H.
Mills.
[From the Concord On. H. Patriot Dec. 20.l
The stock Of the Dover mills III which ths strike
took place fallen badly. Before the strike 1t sold