The New York herald., 1870-08-29

Gallons oil consumei per annum. .. 5l755
POUNDS starch consumed per 8npum 1S3500
NumDer OF engines. Observation-Disclosures. 33
Number OF breast wheels. Is
1%Ser Of inoss nouses owned BY companies; ass
Number OF tenementS.. Observation-Disclosures. $50
NUMBER OF mills ....................... 25
Thus everything relating to the manuiacturers is
at standstlll and
HOW IT CAME ABOUT
Il this. The manufacturers say that for ST. months
they have been realizing no profits and that until
they did make money they did not feel like paying
wages at q dead loss. In other words they were
paying the operatives more than they could AFFORD
10 pay. The manufacturers assert that the supply
OF goods has been too great for the demand; that
The consequences has been that gray cloths have
been falling. 1t is well known that cotton mills
nO as IN some lines OF manufacture, levy upon the
consumers-tbat Is, the sale OF cloths and prints Is
governed bv the condition or the market II Brooks
OF New York, accedes to demand and has TO
loses nothing. because he leyies the advance upon
his customers; but In manufacturers at Pail River
this course Is manifestly impossible. and the CAPT
fasts are atythe mercy Of the market. at is claimed
by them that Fall River has been manufacturing too
many cothsn said one OF the wealthlest owners or
this city to me this morning, 'Captal became In
fatuated with Fall River when the rebellion was IN
progress and men fastened to invest. Everybody
made money, and even in the last few years mills
have been put up"
81 suppose the fact is Fall River has been manu-.
'Yes. SIR that seems to be the fact. We made
more prints than people would buy. The result was
we intended either . TO- close the mills or 70 reduce ice
reduction, and upon comparison the latter was
agreed UPON"
THE BLOW
was finally struck by the manufacturers on the 26th
Of June, and they gave the operatives five days no.
tice OF their intention IL does appear thai there
was any united opposition to this measure NJ the
outset by all the trades; but the spnners among
the best paid and most skiiu and tried men IN the
factories prepared immediate memorial and
addressed the several prOprietors or agents IN re-
monstrance. The reductions made by the mills
were as fOllOws:-
Spnners, IN to SH per cent.
Weavers. 10 per cent.
All other classes, 10 per cent
1t should be remembered tnat these man work by
the piece, and that only In eXceptiOnabe cases does
such a system as day wages exist. Perhaps, then,
ceive q communication immediately after the re-
ducton. printed and sent TO each employer, re-
fusng to work at the reduced wages. No answer
was given by the employers, save that they would
not change the igures. Other correspondence fol-
lowed without result.
THE SPINNE3s,
OF course have their own story TO tell and as far
sober, determined and upright men, impressed
with the idea that their now meagre parcel OF
home economy was to be further curtailed.
and they are being ground down and oppressed
by powerful and remorseess moneyed corporations.
TO begin with, the men have this IN their favor
ers are cutting tnem down. The spinners have
acted up TO their prescribed rules; they have not
Jar as can pc De asceriained been guilty OF any law
usual two weeks notice. On the list OF July the
men struck because of the reduction and 1t Is now
over ve weeks since they have touched their hands
to work. During this time there has been a great
deal of Excitement here, instructions have been
bulietined, teiegrams have announced riots and
bOodshed, and IN fact every effort has been made to
magnify the action Of the operatives into an out
PETTY CIVIL WAR
AS far as have been able 70 fathom them all Of
In order to verify this opinion, formed upon
Mayor, Mr. Samuel F. Browne He stated that ali
danger OF any rlotous proceedings passed; that
The city had been more scared Than injured, and that
the desperadoes who had melted petty disturbances
belonged to that class which always hangs upon the
opportunity offered by anybody seeking to redress
their grievances by legitimate means. From long
conversation 1t was gathered that the city VIII sup
and who, Of the 1000 thrown out Of employment by
the spinners constitute perhaps S00 IL seems that
the majority OF the operatives are not natives OF
Fail River, but belong to other portions OF
the State, hundreds being Engiahmen and hundreds
more mo belonging to different natlonaities should
1ndigent aud unable to support themselves. The
Mayor says that the city authorities Will, In case
with means OF support, but not otherwise. The
strikers, be 1t known, are only the spinners; but
hands stop for went OF yarn For those who are not
residents OF the city actually the state Will have to
yrovlae from her charities or otherwise. BY law,
however, all operatives who have been brought
into the city during the year have to be removed
py ule IN miii owners II tho mill owners provided
them win transportation here. The Mayor believes
that no further disturbance need be aDprehended
Having beaken themselves to idleness the opera
have day by day. For five weeks they have man.
tanned their position, and they say they ~
CAN HOLD OUT MONTHS.
They point to the great strike OF 1850 when the
operators shut down for nine months and entailed
tremendous loss upon the obdurate manufacturers
Agents have gone to New York to solicit ard and
they In steady receipt Of funds from sympathetic
organizations throughout the Union
What now has been sketched gives the status
OF the strike up to last
MONDAY, THE 22D INST.
At that time two of the mills, the Durfee and Mer.
chants factories, began operations with one or two
hands as spinners, and these hands did not belong
" the Union. Threats, ii Is reported, were made
against these men, and divers rumors 0verspread