The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-20
ANOTHER w0MAN's WAR.
Two Thousand Female Operatives Turn
Out on "strike" ut Kensing ton, PhfIa-
delphta-Emptying the Cotton and
WO0llen Mills.

Two Thousand Female Operatives Turn
Out on "strike" at Kenstng ton, Phfla-
delphia-Emptying the Cotton and
Woollen Mills.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb TO- 1874.
That part OF the city OF Philadelphia known az
Kensngton has all dsy long been the scene OF the
widest disorder. Most OF the employees OF the
numerous cotton ana wOollen mills located there
have suddenly turned out into the street. desert
ing the factories, leaving the looms and in great
crowds have assembled about the mills, threaten
ing and trying to intImidate. the few who seemed
reluctant 10 join them in their strike. Kensng-
ton bears, pretty much, the same relation
to the country generally as Liverpool bears to
England. Immense cotton and woollen mills face
upon the street, IN solid block after another,
and over their tops continually hang great clouds
OF smoke. Suddenly, without any direct indiea-
ton Of concerted action on the part Of the work.
ers, they approached those who employed them,
made their demand. were steadily refused, and
upon the denial, at once left the looms The mills
let desolate IN this single afternoon. as well as
James Long, Brother 4 Co., $50; James Nolan,
Star Mills, 175; Porter DicKey, $50; John Scan
Esq., irwin 4a staso Co., 1SS paas sons
William Beatty 90; J. Stanley Bruner, SO; Joseph
It is calculated that up to this hour the total num-
Der OF those who have joined the ranks OF the
strikers Is no less than two thousand.
Previous 10 the panic the employ ees were regularly
engaged at salary Which, after the panic, was re-
duced to the extent OF fifteen per cent At the
time the reduction was made the mills were silent,
as they are to-day; business was dul and the
hands were greatly in want. In order. therefore.
simple necessities OF ife they resumed their work
at the reduced rates mentioned above Anew days
ago DISSATISFACTION ut tnis continued reduction
was manifested at one OF the mills, the employees
claiming that the increasing demand for the TISSUES
and fabrics OF the factory were sufcient to enable
the firm to Increase their to the figures allowed
them before the panic. The employers denied that
their business warranted any such increase, and
positively refused to allow it, Thereupon the girls
rushed peu nell into the street, thrOnged around
the other mills IN the locality and sought to In
v0lve in their measures all the workers In all the
factories. This occurred q few days ago; but i'm
medlately after the demonstration the same dis
satisfaction was manifested in all the other factO
den outpourlng OF 1900 hands at the same mo-
ment into the street, caused q furious excitement,
and the behavior OF the factory girls was any
thing but creditable to Themselves In great
factories, still running. and sought by hurting
obscene and vulgar epithets to force the workers
to come out and join them. They INDUCED in
coarse language and profanity and, in o word,
conducted themselves like u clan OF hopeless luna
tics rather than as q multitude OF sensible and In
dustrious American girls
In an interview with several OF the managers Of
the mills your correspondent was informed that
they had intended at the opening OF spring to re-
turn TO the old wages; but the panic had re-
duced the price Of their fabrics that they were
positively obliged to reduce the salaries prOpOr-
tiOnately. Messrs. Porter IL Dickey, IN addition
to the mills mentioned above are the prOprte tors
Of other establishments, and 1t feared that they
ing girls hold large mass meeting to decide upon
future action.