Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-08
MAINE DISPATCHES.
THE BATES MILL TRnup,r
Dalton VIII not be Restored to His Pc.
sitiOn in the Sill.

LEWISTON, Feb. g.
Inc excitement caused by the strike at the
nates mill has somewhat subsidized. The
employees have been pouring into ,b. off,co
all day asking for their pay. The paymas,er
mas made arrangements to pay them next
tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Some
or the employees will leave town as soon as
they receive their wages. The insiders have
held meeting but did nothing of impor
tance. The Knights of Labor are HOLDING
meetings, and $50 new members have been
installed since yesterday. Agent Pratt has
returned from Boston. where he attended
meeting of the directors of the Bates mill.
he declines to restore MIR. Dalton, and has
written the following letter:
Messrs. George W. Monk, N. Baxter and
Charles E. Morgan, Sub Committee of the
knights of Labor:
DEAR SIRs Il acknowledge the recent of
a letter addressed to me in these words: sThe
executive committee wishes to know your
reasons, in writing, for locking out your
help Oh Feb. T." Signed in behalf of the
Joint board and by yourselves, the sub COM
mittee OF the Knights of Labor. Although
not addressed to me as agent of the Bates
Manufacturing Company, assume that the
communication refers to an official act of
mine on behalf of that company. My reasons
are: First, because all the loom fxers in
the employ of this company had combined
and quit their work at II o'clock, Feb. 4,
1886; second, the quitting of work by the
loom fixers was based upon an interference
by them, as body, in matter solely re-
ua rIl ~ his VI
determined to test the question whether
this company's business on this or any other
matter could be interfered with by those
having no authority to act concerning the
same, and whether we had right to employ
whom we choose, and to hold them to a
strict accountability to us for the faithful
performance of their duties. You further
ask upon what terms the company will re-
sumo operations. | answer, if on Monday
morning next all of the loom fixers who quit
work on Thursday shall return to their places
all the other employees of the company will be
received, and the business of the company
continue as usual. But in no case will Dal
ton be permitted to resume work. On all of
the above matters have the full approval
and support of the treasurer and directors OF
this company. Yours truly,
II. L. PRATT, Agent.
The following has been published:
To the citizens of Lewiston and Auburn:
The knights of Labor beg to submit the
following statement of their position in re-
gard to the trouble now existing in the Bates
mill We have had no grievance with the
Bates corporation, but we find that some 1900
of our members are locked out by the agent,
for which we have received from him no
reason or excuse. o. C. PHILLIPS,
Master Workman, District SO, X. L.
Fifty one weavers of the B ltes mills have
published a card in which they state: The
cuts have been heightened, since Mr.. Pratt
came, from two to six yards, and we have re-
ceived no pay for the extra number OF yards
woven.
1t is believed the loom ixers of Bates
mill will not go in to work tomorrow. The
executive committee of the general assembly
of X of L. are expected during the week.