The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-09-15
BATHS INDUSTRY.
Effect of the Strike on the Ship
building Firms
A Gloomy Outlook for Business
That Thrives Only in Bath.
Especial to the Press.1

BATH, Sept. 1.-THE strike here is Baths S
first experience in this sort of thing. The
men lettering ON the street corners are very
well behaved, and the city is not likely to be-
come other than orderly through the doings
of the strikers.
The employees of the Iron Works have
cause to regret the situation. They do net
complain of either their wages or treatment.
They spoke only in praise of Superintendent
Hyde and the directors. Their pay has been
the same as that of the ship carpenters. No
reduction has been mentioned, and had they
followed their own inclinations not one of
them would have struck.
Superintendent Hyde is firm in his stand,
and without expressing the least bitterness
toward the Knights of Labor. He says the
works will continue to run if there is but
one man at work, and that if the men do not
return their places will be filled. He will
discriminate against no one, but will protect
those in his employ.
The repairs on the steamer Sebenoa will
be completed by the small force still at work
The contracts for the yacht engines do not
cali for their immediate delivery, while the
holsters are being built for stock.
The ship-yard is entirely deserted. Not a
sound of labor is to be heard. The force at
the marine railway have not ceased work.
A schooner was hauled up this afternoon
and work commenced upon her.
Gen. Hyde and H. w. Swanton, directors
of the company, were seen today. They
said that the company entertained no
Of than G1 TX
President Goss says; Last March we
yielded to the demands of the Knights ef
Labor, and raised the schedule of wages
This ultimately proved premature, and we
lost money by the move. We did not expect
the demand SO soon, but had planned to pay
higher wages during the summer. We
would gladly pay our employees more if the
demand for building would permit We ap
preciate the value of labor, and | think it Is
paid more in Bath than ever before, the
prices of everything else considered. One
winter we paid 81 per day. In the follow
ing summer we paid $3.50. The thing right
ed itself then, and would now if the Knight:
of Labor did not interfere. 1t is these tr0u
bles that make wages SO low. Strikes hay'
closed factories, and our schooners carry
them no more coal"
ssWe have built in Bath for twenty-ont
years, and labor has got all there is in it
We have stood between capital and labor
all that time, and finally we are crushed. L
the men will not submit to reduction, or l.
better prices are not offered for our vessels
we shall be obliged to wind up the business
Capt. Goss and one of the men from th,
Iron Works have gone to Boston, presume
bly, in search of labor.
The future of shipbuilding looks dark
The decline in both foreign and coast freight
incidental partly to unsettled conditions o
commerce and trade, and partly to foreigl
competition, has decreased the demand TO
deep sea tonnage, while the call for coastin,
vessels is insufficient to employ 800 mer
along the whole Atlantic coast Under thes
circumstances it is only by the most careful
management that the New England Ship
building Company has escaped the fate 0
other ship yards, and been enabled to d.
some little building.
An Associated Press despatch says: Non
of the strikers have returned to work. Th
shipyard is deserted. The marine railwa
and machine shop are running with small
force. Three machinists, three apprentice
and three foremen comprise the force at tn
| latter place. Foreman Perkins is running tn
engine, The foundry, boiler shop and pat
tern room are deserted. The iron worker
| feel that the executive board were unjust il
ordering them out for the grievances of th
wood workers. The ship yard and irol
works are over mile apart. The men il
one feel but little in sympathy with those a
the other. They were at work on separat
contracts.
President Goss left for Boston last night
| presumably to seek labor. Men came t
Bath yesterday, claiming to have been en
gagged at $3.50 per day. On learning the si
uation, and being requested by the Knight
not to go to work, they returned to Portland
The Knights of Labor offered to pay thei
expenses. Both sides are waiting develoI
ments, and no change is anticipated fc
some days. A number of the strikers al
not Knights, but were influenced to join tn
| strike.