The New York herald., 1877-02-05
THE new BEDFORD STRIKE.
Mass Meeting Of the Operatives Of
the WamSutta Mills.
NO REDUCTION TO BE ACCEPTED.
Statements Of the Employers and the Help
on the Wages Question.
AN EXCITED GATHERING.

AN EXCITED GATHERING.
NEW BEDFORD. Mass. Feb 2. 1871.
The operatives Of the wamsutta Mills, Of which there
are hve and which employ about $500 hands, are
determined TO strike. They expecting, IN view
OF the cheering state Of the market, an increase in
their wages instead Of reduction. Less than woek
ago they were notified of reduction. varying from
seven per cent, in and about the mills Among
the viewers It was understood they were to be cut
down i've cents per cut the spinners seven and half
per and the loom nxers twelve cents per day, the
average rate Of reduction being seven per cent This
will look Iike small amount but It should be under
stood that with income of So or 81 per week
would be apt miss tho amount OF the cutdown and
especially when u Is taken into consideration
that they have large families TO support. The best
weavcrs before the cut-down earned S37 per month
and do this obliged to five looms,
Dut there is not one male weaver of four
who can run i've looms. Women who tend five looms
but $2s, owing to tho hard work necessary
caring for them. Ring spinners rs cents per
day cardcrs 81 per day. but order TO do this tho
operatives state thcy are Obliged " do two mems
work. strppers get 81 II; pickers ST. and grinders,
81 IS per day. Several operatives blessed with large
families ut the recent monster mass meet
ing, who informed your correspondent that being
obliged to work six-Quarer looms they could earn
but $25 per month. These looms are OF an old pat
tern. which fact has made some Of the operatives
feel irritated at their friends who favored with
the and improved machinery but the latter class
are not paid 80 much per those using the old
looms
The operatives determined 10 resist tho reduc-
ton, and accordingly u few evenings ago assembled
al the City Hall and adopted tho following resolu-
t0ns:-
We, the operatives Of the wamsusta Mills in meeting
m IVY M M Hbn Notifying
the .ats M sss % the ut IT ns my
market, We fully expected an advance instead OF rcduc
esoived That submitted readily to reductions
81 s ss G % s M
Resolved That have suffered much from former ro
much less submit to u reduction ct wages.
MR. KILBURy's REFUSAL.
Al this meeting q com nmittce OF i've appointed
to upon the superintendent to what could be
done to avert tho proposed "cutdown,' and at q sub
sequent meeting they reported that thcy had waited
upon Mr. Kiburn, who had politely informed them
that neither the resolutions OF the operatives nor what
they had TO say would change the decision OF the
Board Of Directors He had read the resolutions and
informed them that they contained some very erro-
neous statemcnts-vz., in relation u tho improve.
ment In the market He told them that the New York
daily (not tho HERALD) which they had quoted as
thory for the price OF goods wrong. and, conse
quently, the company did rule by them. They the
company were only governed by the market reports
which came through their salesman. He also in.
formed them that the last sale of cloth OF the COM
pany had been made at great sacrifice, in order TO
clcan out the stock, the rate received being only
twelve aud halt cents per yard with
charges to be, deducted Mr.. Kburn cited
csscs of mills whero the operatives made less
money than they did here He also made statement
that there another mill in the country manu-
featuring the same class Of goods paying moro than
nfy-six cents for forty-twO yard cut Of the Same
kind, reed, quality and length as the Wamsutta Mills,
which paid sixtythree cents for cut, and would
pay sixty the cut-down. The committee, in
answer his s,aterqspt OF other mills. which were
ford, informed him that rents there much lower,
as well as the price Of living
PRESIDENT, GRIyNELL's REPORT.
The President OF tho company, Joseph Grnnel,
who has attained the remarkable age OF cighy-eight
and who was the founder OF the wcll known house Of
Grinnel Minturn Co., Of New York city, gave them
q brief financial statement showing the con.
dtion of the company and told them OF the struggles
they mad gone through of late. Because OF the hard
times he said they had been obliged to reduce
penses and to do this had tried several experiments
machinery requiring less labor, that tho
wages Of their operatives might not Do re-
duced. He admitted that tho tenemcnts owned
by tho company were rented too high, but that The
Board would eudeavor TO reduce the in This i'm
portant item. Ho assured them that as soon as the
settlement Of the Presidential question was decided
upon. together with the approach OF spring, times
would DO the company would DO able to gave
them benefit 0f the market.
THE suPEKINrENDENT's sTArEMEaE
This report WAS accepted and IL Was decided to adj
journ until the goth ult, when tho sense OF the meet
ing should be taken 10 the advisability OF strike
Previous the meetn your correspondent called upon
Mr. Edward K,burn, the superintendent, ut his resi-
uence the purpose OF getting statement IN refer
cnce 10 The matter He cordially invited him IN and
was glad that the HERALD had taken the matter in hand
and was ny give both parties bearing. He spoke
in the highest terms OF his he n0t only morally, but
as to their skill US workmen. Tho company after
ior the past year they had earned less than per
cent and had laid nothing by Tor depreciation lhe
cotton which they were using now could not be pur-
| chased for fourteen cents per pound
STATISTICS OF THE MILLS.
was orsan.zcd IN is47. The 1rss miii was bull. IN
| 1849, the second 1855, the thrd In 1855, the
fourth in 1869 and the ntth in 1875. The grand
total OF spindles 8 l50OUO, equal 10 about $500
| four.q looms They have looms for making
cloth all the way from 40 inches to lOs inches
in width. They manufacture sheetngs and SHIRT
| ings, both paia and lwillcd. Tho present price
Of CLOTH Mr. kilburn further stated, aamnted Of no
possible margin aid all OF their competitors who arc
making the same goods as theirs pay less wages and
consequently offered their production ut less rates
than Inc Wamsuita Company could under the present
| payroll Alter the reduction went into effect they
| would be paying more wages than any Of their com
petilors He mad reasoned with the help, and they all
knew the Board ol Directors gentlemen wh0
ud their interests ut heart anu VINO would give ohcn
the advantage IN the advance OF their goods. Tho
treasurer OF the corporation. Andrew q. Percc had
| done his best 10 avert reduction, as
mad also the directors, one of whom wus Cou.
gressman w. w. Crapo tho other directors were
Charles l.. Wood, George U. Croker, Edward d. Man.
del, Horatlo Hathaway, Joseph Grinnel, Joseph De-
lanu ana William J. Roacn, anu were known tor their
probty 0t charuc cr ana who would not navc advised
reduction had II not been absolutely necessary. The
last strike ago, and the last down
year ago last December The wcavers had started
the present agitation, aud IL had extended al
parts OF the MILE The company. ne said, were now
selliup goods ut less figure than ever before Tho d
reclors determined 10 rescind their decision
unless there Improvement IN the market, but
decidcd whether they would lock lie mll