The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-09-07
THE SUBCOMMITTEE IN NEW
ENGLAND.
They Visit the Wooden Willis in Rhode Is
land.


land.
Boston, Sept. 6.-The subcommittee of the
United States Senate Committee on Education
and Labor, consisting of Senators Aldrich, of
Rhode Island, Pugh, Of Alabama, I. Kimball,
Jr., secretary of the committee, and Eugene
Davis, stenographer, made visit to the manu-
featuring centres Of Rhode Island to-day, trav-
cling twenty miles by carriages and 120 by rail
The party left this city this morning, making
the first stop at Woonsocket, where they were
met by L. w. Ballou, ex-member of Congress,
F. G. Jillson, present Speaker of the House of
Representatives of Rhode Island, Fl. A.
Jenckes, Esq, Harry T. Lippett, J. w. Ellis,
and others, and were taken in carriages to the
different factories, including the privilege mill
owned by the Harris Woolen Company, who
run the largest wooden water wheel in the
world, and the Social mill, owned by the Social
Manufacturing Company, who also own the
Globe and Nourse mills. At the Privilege
mill they manufacture 81, 5000, 900 worth of
goods annually, and employ 600 operators, 70
or so per cent. of whom were found 10 be
French Canadians. A number of them have
become citizens and own their own houses, and
in some cases own several houses which they
rent. Tue Social mill turns out eighty yards
cloth yard wide per week. One young girl of
II at this factory runs six looms and makes
from forty to forty-hve yards daily with each.
Mr.. Lipptt, treasurer of mills, testified that
the best help were Americans; then came
English. Irish and Canadians, in the order
given. One of the overseers at this mill. E. A.
Mongeon, is q Canadian. He is also one of
the selectmen of the town.
From Woonsocket the party went to Ashton,
a small factory village of some six or eight
hundred people. The factory is owned by the
Lonsdae Company and is beautifully situated
on the banks of the Blackstone river. Hon
Jonathan Chase, member OF Congress, and
Mr.. Robert Gammell joined the party here
The operatives here are English or Irish, and
were found with comfortable homes and
seemed very happy. During the dinper hour
several of them were visited by the committee.
They were English and said they were much
better off than in the old country. The houses
here are brick and have modern improvements
and ventilation. Many of them have organs or
pianos and are more than comfortably fur
nisbed. There are 500 hands employed here.
The salary list is S15 ,702.84 every four weeks,
making the average wages paid each en-
ployee, including women and children, $50 IS
for every four weeks work. A number of
these have money in the bank. The company
furnish free baths and have pnblc library OF
some 300 volumes. Houses rent for from $4
to 81 per month
From here the party drove to Amidon to
visit the Chase Mills, Some comfortable
houses were here observed. The houses here
are wood, each one having nice
yard. They are of seven rooms
and rent for from S4 to 81 per month This
mill is one Of the oldest, having been built in
1923 The average wages paid here are men
81 80 per dag, women, S1.17 per day, and
children SO ceuts per day. They have a free
reading room, also at Ashton. One of the op-
eratives said that in England he could only
make what in our money would be about 30. 70
per week, while here he could make $40 80.
AT Amidon is large boarding house where
they charge SO per week for women, and $3.50
for men. The party next dsove to Berkiey &
Londsdale. At the latter place cambria is
manufactured. The homes here were not SO
comfortable as at Ashton and Amidon. The
condition of the wage workers was found to be
far better at all the places visited today than
those of Fail River. The committee, especial
ly Senator Pugh, expressed much pleasu re
over their visit. From Lonsdale the commit
tee took the cars for Providence, returning ts
Boston Cd the 620 train. Tomorrow tho
court 90 to South Manchester and Willimatic,
Conn.