The Cecil Whig., 1884-12-13
LOTS OF IDLE MEN.
Stoppage of Work and Reduction of Wages
in Many Quarters.

in Many Quarters.
Over $4,000 Hands Out of Employment in
Philadelphia AIone-The Great Shoe
Lockout-Workmen who Make Less
Than $3 Week.
The Philadelphia Meas, speaks as
follows OF the depression in business,
and the great number of men out of
employment.
The wide, spread labor troubles in
this city seem to grow worse instead OF
mending, and the outlook is very bad
indeed. \ moderate computation puts
the number of hands who were busy in
October, but are idle today, OF IS, 900.
About one fourth of these are ont on
strike. The idle are largely made up
of shoe factory employees, carpet weav-
ers, and other mill hands. More than
5000 shoemakers stopped work yes
terday. The trouble grows out of an
attempt on the part of the manufac-
turers to cut down wages, which dull
ness in business, they say, makes nee
essary. Arbitration was proposed, but
the Knights of Labor and the manu-
facturers could come to no understand
ing on the subject. The manutactur
ers therefore came to an agreement
among themselves and shut down.
Many secret meetings were held
bv the shoemakers who were thrown
out of work by the action Of
the manufacturers The men declare
that they are just as determined as the
bosses, and can stand idleness as long.
1t is somewhat difficult to make an eX-
act computation of the number of
hands out of employment by the weav-
ers' strike, but in round figures the
number amounts to 5000. Beside the
strikers, who are all power-loom weav-
ers and persons attached to the looms
in various capacities, there are a large
number of hand-loom weavers, prob
ably 500 in all, who are unable to
obtain employment owing to the de-
preston IN the trade In kensington
and Southwark also there are large
number of iron workers out of employ
ment, about $500 in all. The sugar
rehneries contribute about 1000 peo-
pie to the great body of idle hands, and
also about I 900 hands are out from
other textile industries outside of the
carpet trade.
EAsroN, PA.,-The situation among
the iron-workeas in the Lehigh Valley
and in Western New Jersey is contin-
ually growing more lamentable. The
railroads are also reducing forces. AT
the Parryville furnaces the men have
been put on half time and laborers earn
but S2.46 a week. Recent reductions
at the Oxford On. j. Iron Company
works cut wages all around about 10
per cent. Laborers now make so cts.
to ST per day. The iron works near
Bloomsburg, n. :, have cut wages and
laborers can now make but 90 cents a
day, while other men are reduced 10
per cent.
WHEELING, w. VA.,-Notices were
posted in the five flint glass manufac-
tories at Bellaire, the two at Bridge
port, and the three at Martins Ferry
that after Dec. z all work of pressers
and finishers would be paid for by the
piece and at Pittsburs rates. This
amounts to a reduction of from IS to
IS cents per 600 pieces of ware. a
meeting Of the district union of flint
glass workers, representing the factories
of Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky,
was held here on Monday evening. 1t
was resolved to resist the proposed re-
duction of wages. Assurances were
received from the union in all parts OF
the country that assistance would be
| lllC lllSll oul
the reduction.
HARTFORD, CoNN,.-The Whitman,
tic mills, employing nearly 1000 hands
will make a geneal reduction of 10 per
cent. Jan. 1. The Hartford Carpet
company at Thompsonville, employing
I,5oo men, has recently reduced to
one-half time.
PrTTsBURG, PA.,-Delegates of the
prescription glass blowers of the United
States met Monday night to consider
the proposed reduction of wages of 20
per cent. ordered by the manufactures.
About 200 delegates were present, rep
resenting Philadelphia and Millville,
n. !. in the east, and Parker City, OF
tawo, Wheeling St. Louis, Bellaire,
Alton, Martins FERRY, Ohio, and
Pittsburg in the west. The meeting
was strictly secret. but after the ad-
journment at nearly midnight it was
learned that resolution had been
adopted in favor of resisting the reduc-
ton to the bitter end. The reduction
has so far been enforced only in this
city, and about 100 men are on strike
in consequence. 1t is probable, how
ever, that the action taken at this meet
ing will result in general strike in all
the prescription works in the country,
il whic case 5000 men will be af-
fected.