The Portland daily press., 1886-09-20
1Db -ays He Shall Work and Take the
Lb. Consequences.
1t Is Feareo that There Will Be
Trouble Today.
A Startling Runor Regarding the
object of the Strike.
Special to the Press.

warned not to go to work, but did not heed
| the warning. He was told that if he was in
want the Assembly would help him. He has
always refused to join the Knights of Labor,
and has freely expressed his contempt fol
the order. Last evening he was met in front
| of the Sagadahoc House by dozen or more
of them and stopped. The Knights asked
him if he intended returning to work Mon
day, and he replied that he did, most assur-
| edly A parley then ensued in which they
| urged him to join the Assembly. He replied
that he would have nothing to do with them.
| Then they told him that if he went to work
Monday another committee would wait on
| him before night.
"What more can they do than you have
done tonight?" he asked.
''Well, you will see; there will be twenty
five of them," was the reply.
81 don't care if there are fifty of them:
They would not use violence, would they%
| ''They have used violence in sother places
and why not here?"
"Let them come" he answered, and turned
on his heel.
The group had been increased by the con-
stant arrival of fresh recruits of the Knights
and the scene was growing exciting.
Potter was interviewed by your reporter this
evening. He says:
81 like the fellows here and have always
| got along well wilh them; but when they use
such talk as that don't want to have any
| thing more to do with them. am mad clear
| through and shall face them to the end. /
haven't done anything except mind my own
hu caa no pby I
| interfered with"
| Potter is but 20 years of age. but tall and
| muscular He is intelligent and genial, and
has many friends who have advised him not
to get into trouble by opposing the strikers,
| but he has turned deaf ear to them.
Last night Collector F. B. Torrey left for
| Washington on the midnight train. During
the evening he and other prominent Demo-
Gratis held meeting in George Hughes law
Office, and prepared list of go names OF
Democratic ship carpenters. His mission is
to get these men situations in the Kittery
navy yard, where 600 carpenters are soon to
be employed on old work at from 1925 to
1925 per day. Nearly all the strikers are
anxious to get the chance to go, but Demo-
Gratis only are selected. The report that all
no settlement is reached by that time has
been denied. 1t does not seem likely that
| the Knights will resort to quite such ex-
| tremes to carry tieir point. strike OF the
HOO Knights of Labor here would close
every grocery store except two and nearly
every other place of business.
The Mansion schooner, within four weeks
of completion is five weeks behind the con-
tracted time. Mansion threatens to make
the company pay for her if she is not finished
| at once The owner of the other schooner is
willing to wait. The company have also
prevailed upon the Maine State Steamship
| Company to give them time on their con-
tract. The man who was reported to have
gone with Capt Goss after labor returned
last night. During his absence great effort
has been made to ruin his reputation by cir
culating stories of his ineficiency as work
man, his dissipated habits, and that he had
| left unpaid a two months board bill. Your
reporter interviewed his landlord last night,
| who said he had no uneasiness about the
board bill, and that the man was of good
habits. He will return to work tomorrow
! A startling rumor has got abroad that the
| strike is all part of great scheme to depre-
ciate the New England Shipbuilding Com
| pany's stock, hoping to frighten small hold
ers into selling cheap.
BATH, Sept 10.
The strike is becoming more serious. Both
sides are becoming impatient. The strikers
expected their demands to be acceded to at
once and gave four or five days as limit to
| E.,r nd in
building Company.
The New England Shipbuilding Company
on the other hand have been waiting for the
strikers to come to common sense view o1
the subject and return to work.
As the Knights have not shown any dispo
sition to abandon their stand and recon-
mence work, the company must necessarily
take steps to fill their places in the yard and
shops. Up to the present time the company
have Imported" no labor, except one mar
who formerly worked for them and was
away on vacation.
Two men who came here the first of thu
week left at once on learning the situation
A report is current, however, that two more
men were persuaded to turn back Saturda.
afternoon at the depot, who had come to en-
ter the employ of the company.
The strikers are evidently expecting sim
ported" labor, for at least dozen of then
are at the depot on the arrival of every train
while even more guard the wharf of thu
Star of the East. Every man who has tn
least arpearance of coming to Bath for worl
, is stopped and questioned. The Brunswicl
editor of the American Sentinel was thus &C
, costed on arriving in Bath by the evenin
train Wednesday.
Naturally this condition of things canno
continue for any length of time. The com
pany will be obliged to find labor or shu
down. The works can run with its presen
crew but it is exceedingly improbable tina
, no effort will be made to increase the fore
there.
If the knights see their places filled by out
siders it is not likely they will permit thei
| imports to work unmolested and it is feare
t that either one of two things must soon hap
, pen. Either the New England Shipbuildin
) Company will have to close entirely or i
case it runs with ''scab' crew that distur
bance will ensue between the scabs ant
strikers. The iron works department ha
pledged its protection to its employers an
, the directors are not men to finch in the fac
5 of threats. so it is apprehended that seriou
! trouble would ensue between the Knight
Y and the company before either would SUI
l cumb.
9 All sorts of rumors are afoat There
!, one to the effect that general strike of a
: the Knights at work in the city will be o
{ dered Tuesday next if the matter is not az
justed by Monday night. Another repo
has spread that an employe of the iro
works has been blacklisted. As the Knigh
IS refuse to say anything either way and it
e impossible to find whether these reports a
!. true or not.
a The closing of the rum shops by the Ma
= or was wise move that has born fruit
a q the absence of all drunkenness among Il
Ie men loafing about the streets. Contrary
r a general report this action was taken
his henor without being solicited by t
Knights of Labor.
The Knights have lost good share of pu
ee lie sympathy by attempting to cripple t
I'd Marine works, as no grievance being col
81 .. planned of. the lock out is apparently u
m called for. The Knights defend themselN