The Portland daily press., 1886-03-23
THE LABOR QUESTION.
A General Feeling Of Relief Among
Lewiston's Business Men.
Critical Condition Of Affairs on the
Southwest Railroads.
A General Strike Of Coal Miners Near
Pittsburg, Pa.

LEWISTON, March 22.-The Bates mills
will be opened Wednesday morning, after
being stopped about two months. 1t is very
doubtful if the mill will have a full force, as
very large part of the help has left town
and found employment elsewhere. 1t is
estimated that over 700 have gone. The set
tlement was brought about by District Mas
ter Workman Phillips, and Messrs. Kittridge
and Harris Of the executive board of the X.
of L. The terms of settlement are kept
private. but, as far as can be learned, they
do not differ from those offered month ago.
A general advance of 10 per cent. will be
granted and all who went out February 4th,
except John Dalton of the Loom Fixers'
Union, will be reinstated. 1t was on Dal-
toms account the present trouble originated.
The watchmen who were employed about
month ago to take the places of those order
ed out by the K of L., will not be discharged,
but Mr.. Pratt does not refuse to employ the
men who went out at that time should there
be vacancies.
Mr. Pratt expresses himself as highly
pleased with the settlement, and entirely
satisfied with the terms, which he says are
those offered some time ago. He says ne
never refused to recognize the order, and
was willing to treat with them at any time,
as shown by his numerous communications;
Among business men there is general
feeling Of relief at the settlement, as nearly
10 per cent of the population of this city
found employment in the mills, and the with
drawal of SO great an amount of wages was
beginning seriously to depress business. The
daily payroll of the mills was about $4,000.
The knights are highly gratified with the
result and express themselves as more than
satisfied. They say that atlone time the out
look for a settlement was not very bright
i L l. 1Aa nolr kIn AInff
Cured, which lasted for about month.
Their courage was good, however, all the
time, and they had all the money required to
support them through the struggle, even if it
had lasted several months longer.
The Railroads.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. March 22.-At O'Clock
this morning the union switchmen in every
railroad yard In the city quit work and
freight business generally was stopped. The
Chicago and Alton officials made up train
by the help of non-union men and sent it
out, but the strikers are said to have boarded
and stopped it at the eastern city limits.
The Wabash is working small force but
sufficient, the officials say, to handle their
freight. Being under the protection OF the
federal court they have invoked the protec
tion of the United States marshal. At
present the cause of the strike cannot be
orders from the headquarters of the Knights
of Labor" The switchmen made general
demand for an advance in wages q week
ago of the various roads and it was
granted There are flying rumors to the
effect that several other departments are to
be ordered out.
DENNIsoN, Tex, March pa body of $50
masked men at o'clock yesterday morning
imprisoned ten watchmen at the round
house and then proceeded to XIII all the
engines in sight 1t will take days to bring
them to life again and the damage to other
machinery is also very great. The aspect OF
the strike is growing worse and worse IN
Dennison, and it is one of the absorbing
topics of conversation. Business men, labor
ing men, professional and in fact everybody
is being hurt financially by it.
fic freight train was started out yesterday
afternoon. At the time the knights OF
Labor were holding meeting. One of their
men who had been ON the watch, rushed into
the meeting and informed them that the
train was leaving. A number Of knights
ran down to the yards to head off the train,
but finding it gone they captured UNION
Pacific engine, and with it overlook the Mis-
souri, Pacific train at Papillion, Is miles out.
They side tracked the train, brought the
engine back to this city, and run 1t into the
round house.
General Strike of Miners.
PITrsBuRG, Pa, March pa general
strike of miners of the fourth district was
inaugurated this orning, the operators hav-
ing refused to grant the eleven cent advance
demanded. All the miners in the region are
now idle, and about 1000 are out.
An Advance Made In Wages
NEwBuRYPoRT, Mass, March 22.-Notices
-, HOO, roctod ot tha Victoria cOtton mill