New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-06
EASTERN MANUFACTURERS.
ND,-srprrs OF FALL, RIVER, MASS

TURIFTiNFSS AND COMPARATIVE iNpfihNDhNNr
MANUFACTURES GENERALLY HorEFUL-THE
MILLS PROBABLY TO RUN ALL wINTER-A RE
CENT INCREASE IN THE HOURS OF WORK.
,yRoN A sPECrAh CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNE
FALL RIVER, Mass, Dec. 1.-The position of
manufactures in w-England far encouraging
than might have expected from the depression and
distress existing in other quarters OF the country
The manufacturers OF that section generally cheer
fu and declare that the Of the hard times Is al
ready great many Of them appointed the first
day Of December the date at which TO lessen their
expenses by reducing wages and with small production
ana diminished outlay, they we'll prepared for duh
Winter while in the main. they look for no small re-
newal OF activity in few weeks. They an
ticipate no serious suffering among their opera
tves, as only a small proportion of them
will he without work enough to secure livelihood.
Among the work people in the manufacturing towns
there is not much alarm. Those who depart go because
they can live cheapy elsewhere, not often because
they could not live at all in the places which they leave
so many OF the mil hands and mechanics and machin-
lists and the Test depositors in savings banks
Of them plots of land and other property
high have been the for their class Of labor Of late
years. much for has been left in their
way Of life even when they laying by part of
their earnings that nearly all Will be able TO provide
food and clothing and fire all through the bitter time
without aid of charity Most OF the manufacturers
benevOently disposed and have made their minds TO
run az loss, III necessary rather than turn out OF e-
ployment those dependent on them. In return they
expect TO cheerfully that such loss
shall be made light need be by rerenchment in the
of production. In this expectation they rarely
disappointed.
RAPID GROWTH OF FALL RIVER MANUFACTURES.
Fall River has far outstrpped Lowell or Lawrence
any other American city in cotton manufacture. With
IS companies, which over sl5OoO,O00 OF capital
stock and almost 100000 900 OF property, the city
ains mills. running 80 900 looms and 10000 spindles,
and employing Is $40 hands out of total population of
3s6l These mills "a of which make print cloths only,
use 375 bales Of cotton per year. aud turn out
1886 $1,000 yards of CLOTH Before the panic their
aggregate pay roll was over $4,000 per month The
swift expansion Of manufacturing here has been due
several causes. The convenience and extent OF the
waterpOwer furnished by the Quequeehon River. which
runs through the center OF the city, with fall OF 1856
feet in half mile favorable at the outset. All the
old mills in part by this power, and several
waerwheels placed directly In the river bed More
potent causes, however, are that 90 per cent
OF the mill stock ia owned in the city,
aud that much of 1t Is held in small amounts by people
OF all classes mechanics and even mill-hands being
among the shareholders. In many manufacturing
places the owners Of the mills not residents In
Lowell and Lawrence, for instance, most OF the mill
stock held in Boston, aud the profits so into other in
At FAN River every one is vitality interested
in manufacturing enterprises and the shares of
new companies at 500 each, eagerly caught by
thrifty people Of small Some of the later
panies have between 800 and 400 shareholders The
markable prosperity of 1871 embodied In the
prlses OF next In 1872 eleven mills. with nearly
100000 spindles, and employing 5000 hands.
begun this city. The profits Of few months
suced 20 clear Of the debts incurred in construction
Fall River manufacturers agree in saying that hardly
ever bad there been good prospect for healthy
and profitable Fall trade as when the panic came. In
the Summer the print cloth market had been dull, ana
lac mil here for a forfn oh in Sud-
denly the demand revived Tue printers came hurrying
in with large orders Garner Co.. the largest print
in the country, running 40 machines set the exam
pie The mills quickly sold off their Summer stocks
good prices and made extensive contracts. Eau River
mills were fayoraby situated. however with respect to
financial disturbances As they sell their goods
directly from their counting-rooms, they
not involved with agencies commission
houses. Their profits had been 80 large and their
policy so careful that they were not overburdened
with heavy liabilities Several had hand
That will occupy them till the end of the year Their
great pay ros-together over half million Der month
might have staggered them from the trouble getting
currency. but for plan OF concerted action in paying
wages adopted months before. Even easy times
the banks OF the city Strengthened TO provide this
half million in currencyi every month. They shad
the Boston banks for most OF it. When the
operatives got IL. 1t used in payments OF in de-
posts that Of it got back the banks before many
days. when the Bosoni banks must get their due. To
save the continual transfer of so large a and
from Boston and relieve the banks the paydays of
all the mills arranged that about s25OOO of the
half million paid out every week, each mill paying
month as before but the (month OF onequarter
of them ending week, Of another quarter the
week, and
NO DISTRESS AMONG OPERATIVES.
With demands for goods vanishing, with prices
falling. and collections difficult. % companies finally
agreed to cut down the running time from 62 hours 80
hon nary wee psda Wedn
days. Thursdays, and Fridays. This plan went into
effect Nov. l. After that change, these mills took up
question Of reduction in wages and agreed about
q fortnight ago to reduce wages basis Of 10 per
cent Last week they decided at the date
10 their running time to A. hours per week-fve
days eight hours EACH and day of seven hours.
THIS decision made partly out Of consideration for
the operatives, and partly because the outlook had
become encouraging.
All the testimony obtained from manufacturers
operatives and city officers show that thus far
no has been felt in Fall River except with those
operatives addicted to drinking other bad habits
Moreover Fail River hands well prepared as
people of their class elsewhere to endure the 10 per
reduction OF wages with the three-quarters running
time while 1t is not improbable that full running time
may be resumed during this month. 1t is claimed that
nearly OF the mill hands here depostors
an banks or these there four in the city
with an aggregate OF deposits amounting to $780,
900. 100000 Of which, it is said, come from the
operatives
Interviews with leading manufacturers and talks with
operatives show that in Fall River the relations between
employers and employed kindly. Among the lead
ing managers is Walter W. Paine Third Treasurer Of the
American Linen Company, which runs 55l2 spindes
and 1913 looms employs 1000 hands. who paid, at
full production $50 900 per month The Company has o
capital OF 100000 started Ia linen mill, this
mandatory, which uses every $500 bales OF cot
and turns out 100000 yards OF prntcoths began
cotton manufacture in 1883. Mr. Paine said that zone
OF the Fall River mills making reasonable profit at