The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-20
IN REBUTTAL,
The Statement Made ON Reading the
Foregoing by Mr.. =. Y. Anderson.

Tic FtnttuPut nuht hb'
Foregoing by Mr.. =. Y. Anderson.
To the Editor Of Tho Appeal
The foregoing cards, three in number,
have been submitted tome ms THE APPEALS
staff correspondent at Water Valley during
the recent Tsdell sensation. These cards, as
will be observed, are gotten up by Water
Valley officials aud citizens as REGULATIONS Of
two articles which appeared In The APPEAL
One OF these appeared Monday, September
10, was headed Virtue be Damned" and
written by Mr., Nathan Picard, one OF TnE
ArPE,Ls staff on duty at home. The other
wrote from Water Valley IL appeared FRI
day, September "a, and was headed "a Ter
riblc Tale" Whether the cards rcfute,
or merely apply a coat Of whitewash, tho
public Is invited 10 decide. II may be we'll,
also, In studying the case, 10 remember the
communication of Mr. w. A. Herring
mayor Of Water Valley, published in rnE
APrE,L this morning, and the editorial
comments ON same.
10 reduce the issues between the writers
aud indorsers Of the foregoing cards aud my.
self tn a simple basis, allow me Ia summarize,
the charges made in my letter giving the
general condition Of the Iocona cotton
mills:
/. That the business management OF the
mills toward the employees was not liberal,
and that there was corruption among some
of the bosse., notably among them being
Charles Y. Rombergcr.
2 The management imported one or two
experts at the beginning OF operations iill.
ing the list with green and cheap hands,
gathered from the town and surrounding
country.
3 That the sanitary arrangements were
Inadequate and imperfect
l. That the regular hours for work are
from o'clock am. 20 o'clock pm, with
forty minutes at the noon hour fur dinner.
s. That where operatives are too poor "a
pay cash. they are supplied with ncccssarie.
from Secretary and Treasurer Wagner
store. but In such q way as 20 eventually
make life a bed Of roses Tor him aud his.
| That these goods are supplied On an cnUr-
nous profit for which he ns treasurer Of the
mill ard piymaslcr twice n month. with
held the amount OF the bills.
@. That The mill company owned num-
| Der u frame box houses. "Niust Of these
| structures contain four rooms, and cost not
| exceeding 500 each. For this the occupant
family arr chalscd $50 a room, or 90 per
mouth rental
Z. An interview with one Of the girl, who
| had fallen from virtue while employed iu
the Yncona mill, and partially through
/ threats from mill foreman that she would
/ lee discharged unless she submitted
| 5. That Inquiry anOngthc people ot Water
| Valley a. 10 the moral condition of the f.
male employees brought the Information that
| IL W., VIGOROUSLY bad, aud that they had NJ
standing In local society.
.. That parties had resigned from scrvic,
| in thr mill rather than starye 90 death finally
| L. me take up these points conscCutiNcly
| apply the proof brought forward by thcs,
/ investigators. ,arl-wiigrr,, etc, and see Il
/ the rriuiitiou las been made.
| l. In MI Wagn,fs card lie siltas that
| "Our spinner. lrhidrcnl vet from i2ll To y
/ cents u side aud they run from one 90 fpul
| ,idce they making from ~ to Is cents PEI
day The larger hands girls and women
earn from 80 cents to si.2j pcr day. and ~,
other, lboys and mem irgm - cents TO s.. p
| iHr day. Tic rsdcll idrls were among Oui
| best hands, and two OF them have made NJ
much %, $40 per day each They did MOI
have b. mill 10 despair
| 'CiuFn.,' ~ Their Investigations, hnI
! ting SipL lehman before thcm. lie To-
| irpdur .d one '0f the older hands who hat
bren IN the mill almost irun ~ start |
| was Mr Kelly - middle-avcd looking ladl
OF mote than ordinary intelligence,
| Who's So 4 that shc bod hccn In the cmplhy Of M
| mill inf fouf,tits aud that she now hal htt thrr
| iitUs ghildfrn p.avs lu thr mill When asked !
hrf labitai tho mili wss her snle rcisuro TOT ,up
tstt anl u Il was sufficient iUf the support ~ bet
~ tnt Amiiy. stated that u Ma aud that shu va
Nor, than stsnsii ON saturday lat she aud be
| chill ifun drew til,lN'
Mt Echmau says
The min pays the boys aud siris an average n
| 10. cents lHT g. ra sidH - ihrnd they attend 81.
da,. otc small loy " glfl Who 4 guics cul Of
| urnta
IN my letter I stated that wages rang
from ~ cents 90 81 per day according {.
sI,cc,l and expctincss The ris.c.l sister,
fuur Ia number. Who we're employed in th'
mills several yUar,, but finally gave mp 10
despair. were among the oldest ard mos
valued operatives. Two Of thcm-ono O
them being the unfortunate Willic-nnd
about Si5p per week each. The remaining
two managed To draw about - per wecl
each" In Tits connection ! gave the hour
for work Now lrt ~ cali attention 10 th
thrc fir,t unmrl Hiaicmcnta Mr. Wagner
hrai and front II the mill. gives the amour
atigis b. 1Ucruis Acting rupt lehman ,al
it's rs rphtH Tor each side. Mrs HALL
stya shc ard htr three Ciildrrn UJur op"m
u,es IN all drew on one scmi.u5uthly pa
day s2il5 Hero WIS payment for four
twelve days each st the rating giVui
child,cn by Mrsau Wagner q lehman lwhD
do not agree on ilgursk the children them
| lNNNf ~ W ANNINN q NlANH NNNNAA INV
Ssin. MIS- Hally. with 20 cents twelN
DAYS would have been 81 morc II place
tie figures ton low, then Sccfelrry ans
Treasurer Wagner and Acting -uprrinien
dent l. Imam have failed g. confer and hof
mDnirr on q fcfitati NJ The weakness v
their statements lics IN the disgtrs
That there vas corruption among some q
the bose, will haflly be- denied. Dismiss
i.s Rombs3s~i with Whist Is known Of hin
1T IA .ny that Molli' Adams told me win
o. cquNo alton or hope uf rcwui !. TIA
john ,h"phefi fJI-uifr In the mill ha'
ruinci heG aud accomplished his pirpus
hy threats rhcr are twu NJ the hoses. an'
right here u q prup,r plnru a. notice W.
"Nir'uc be Dumncd ihOin ! nskcd NJ
rard for bis authority aud tho officer ~
Ia lcd in. llo replied that u referred |,
Wagner aud himself and came atuui IN TN
way, according 10 his informant, who GU
b. produced whenever dfmanded ny W.
angry card writer. lie l. businv-> man iron
Water Valley. now located here ana saN
the information oi his own accord ~
outrageous AnnihcmA ON virtue Mas SUI
have been hurled by Wagner NJ ho s'Fnct
uf petition drawn UP by Niriu0ui opSra
lives asking Tor the expulsion ~ sou''
whose conduct was not above feW"i'h
Tho petition" said THE ArrrALH hl9r
mnnt "vrs presented 20 wagner WI
| huushtily replied after the nanugf ~ van