The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-01
ruE sTRANGhR'S EOrE NOOK.
Industry Lawrence, WaItbam
and LoweIl-W Watches aud Cotton -COn-
dition of tho Working Clnsec-.


dition Of tho Working CinSsc-.
BosToN, Aug. 2G.-One of the most strik-
Ing features Of the progress Of civilization istne
change which has taken place in tho relation
between employers and employed. The time
when the master had the power Of life and cath
over his slaves IL quite forgotten. II anything
particularly hard IL still asked Of the workman,
It Is never done In the name OF any right OF the
individual he works for, hut in the name OF the
capitai-an abstract entity representing the
accumulated knowledge. experience and labor
either Of the employer himself or Of those per
sons from whom he inherited those accumula-
tons True that the war between capital and
labor IL growing nercer and nercer every dav,
and that the workman does not seem to view
| things In the light Of his position being much
better than that OF the ancient slave; neverthe-
| less there can be no doubt that II IL incompar-
| ably better, and the general progress Of things
improves II still at a tremendous ratio. In
great many cases he lie better OF than his aster.
| At all events he IL devoid Of many OF his re-
| sponsibilties, anxieties, and risks.
| by some strange combination Of circum-
stances, however. the country which is generally
| supposed TO stand at the head OF civilization
| Enelapd-is exactly the country In which the
workiDgmsn 10 worst OF and has to carry on the
| nercest ngbt. To show the causes OF this would
be beyond my present purpose, but one fact may
| be hdduced, and that Is, that when az the time
| OF the Paris Exhibition Napoleon III. proposed
% give ten prizes OF 1000 francs each ITO ten
| different individuals or associations. who in
| series OF years had accom- Olished the most TO
| secure n state of harmony between employers
and their workpeople, and most successfully
| advanced the material, intellectual, and moral
| welfare OF the same" England the only
Europein country that did not get premium.
/ A smart Al furp WA annointad from ha pt
countries represented In the exhibition and nine
| premiums were awarded to various Continental
| European countries and one to the United
States represented by the Pacific Mills. From
what have seen here, however, In my brief
visits to Lawrence, Lowell, and Walthan, have
no doubt that had America been better known
abroad, her portion OF the awards would not
have been restricted 10 one prize only.
| There are few towns In this country Of
speedily -growing cities which have made more
rapid strides than Lawrence, Mass. 1t was a
mere sleepy village previous to 1915 but in that
year some enterprising capitalists damned the
| Merrmac river. which flowed through the town,
and by that means obi lined a fall OF water Of
twenty eight feet. Instantly factories and mills
| g, rung up as II by magic, and the population.
| which then numbered loo. has now reached
more than 10000.
The most extensive establishment in Law
renee Is the Pacific Mills, owned bv Joint
stock company organized in 1853 with a capital
Of <i,OoO,0O, subsequently increased to $500
O0o The start OF the company not very
favorable one, and the founder Of the concern
lost his reason, believe. and died under the
| Impression that he had ruined himself and bis
family. The shares OF $1,000 each stood then at
Slo0, while at the present moment 500 are bid
| for them and the stockholders have received for
years past Us much as ten per cent. semi
| annually. During the past twelve years more
than $3,OO0,O0 have been paid them In dividends.
The mills turn out GO,0o,0O0 yards Of cotton and
, woollen fabrics per year, and give employment
| TO 5000 work people, at the average daily wages
Of $3.50 for male workers and $i.l0 for female.
There are. however, printers aud other skilled
workmen who get much as $40 per week.
| The whole expenditure for labor equals $40 per
| minute all the year round. The prosperity OF
! the workmen connected with these mills is
| shown by the fact that over one-thrd OF the
married men own their own houses-built chief
| " will the help OF loans advanced from the
treasury OF the mills, Some Of the workmen
are so well OF that they have become stock
/ holders 10 the company TO the aggregate amount
| Of over 10000 and some 100000 are estmt ted
besides, TO he deposited In savings banks. II
the general prosperity Of those em.'oyed in the
mills Is not still more increased, IL IL owing TO
would appear that something like 600 men and
women come and co every three months, and
according 20 Mr.. Fallon, acting agent Of the
mills, this is one OF the greatest drawbacks
against which the company has to struggle.
TIE moment a workman has harmed something
he leaves and a new recruit has to be drilled In
his place. This refer, however chiefly to the
lowest class of workers employed the higher
cl4ss remain for years at the mills, and some Of
them, who have risen to the positions Of supcrin-
tendents in the various departments, have been
with the concern as long IA twenty years. The
migrating portion of the workmen are chiefly
Americans and Irishmen. The English, Scotch,
and various other nationalities employed are
much more steady in the pursuit Of their U Gu
patton.
Tho BOARD Of Directors Of the mills repre-
scented by Mr.. J. Wiley Elmlnds seem To nave
thoroughly comprehended that II Is TO their adj
vantage to take the best possible care OF their
wurkpeople. For such Of them as have no
houses Of their own, boarding houses have been
established where both men and women can get
healthy rooms and substantial board at 81 and
$3.50 respectively per week. They have a large
lihr, ~ and reading room supplied with papers
from various parts OF the country They have a
hospital and a relief society, the funds Of which
are formed by means Of afee OF one cent on the
dollar Of the weekly wages Of every one en-
ployed, which contribution secures them the
weekly allowance Of S3.f5, payable during sick
ness, for six months, If the illness should ast so
long
The most efficient measure, however for Sc
curing the prosperity both Of employers and
employed seems to have been the resolution
taken by the Board of Directors never T. reduce
their working force or the wages paid. Through
out the whole ~ the vicissitudcs To which
American trade has been exposed, the Pacific
Mills were working al their fun power without
reducing by a cent the earnings Of their work
people. The consequence Of this has been that
they have had no riots and no strikes. Mr.. Eli
munds remarked to me that the concern which
makes usually twenty per cent. per annum on
its original capital can afford to work some
times at loss If need be. Yet loss Is moi
absolutely necessary, even in times OF conner
cial depression, provided the factories do moi
produce particularly fine faurics. For common
cotton and mixed prints there is always suf
ncient demand throughout the country to So
; cure a fair market for everything the mills car
produce. He seems TO be Of opinion that Ia al