Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-24
GREAT TEXTILE STRIKE
Tn Fall River 25,ooo Operatives
 Are Idle.
MOST OF THEM ARE LOCKED OUT.
Long and Hitter Fight Begun In New EngIand-The state Hoard of Arbitration In se.sion In New Bedford, but Meeting With Little Success

With Little Success.
 FALL RIVER, Mass, Aug. a4.-No fewer than 25. 900 persons are idle in this town because of the great strike in tho textile works. It promises to bc bitter strug. gle. Each side ailirms that it will not yield. Still the operatives have suffered so long from the business depression that they are not in a posit on to mako q long fight.
 Notices were posted in tho mills which establish beyond question that the war between labor and capital hero k to be a long and bitter une. Today every mill operated by the men who are members of the Mnnulncturors' association Is shut down indefinitely.
 These mills include every establishment engaged in the manufacture of print cloth, and the shutdown throws 22 Gi5 men and women out of employment. There arc at present about q, iOJ who have voluntarily quit work, which Swells the total to about 25, 900 iGlc operatives.
 Lockout Agreed To.
 The decision to close was reached by the manufacturers at their secret meeting and Is the result of an agreement to closC the mills at any time that three fourths of the looms are silent for any cause
 This shutdown will leave n total og only
 
 Manufacturing company's mills, Fall fiiver iron works. Conanticut and Scacon- net mills Thesc establishments are en- gagged in the manufacture of goods that do not come under the manufacturers agreement.
 The Weavers' association held q moot ing to consider the continuance or sus- pension of the allowance which the strlk- ing weavers have been drawing for 70 weeks The meeting was very lightly at tended \ delegation of the strikers un- der consideration was allowed to be pres ont, but was not allowed to vote
 The sentiment of the members was against allowing the King Philip strikers any special allowance. They have been drawing $4 each, and every member with children has received DO cents n week for each child under To. the money for these allowances being secured by n special levy of 10 cents member.
 Tho vote was 3S to h against continu- ing tho allowances until tho association should net upon the question at the nc xt general meeting threc weeks from last night. The regular allowance for this week will be paid. There is no cxpocta- tion here that the shutdown of the mills will be attended by any excitement.
 The streets will be crowded with idle mill employees, but they will havo more the appearance of people on n holiday than of people out of work. Thcrc is general hopc among manufacturers and the Oper- ativcs that the shutdown will by the at tcndant curtailmcnt improve the market and so render the reduction in wages un- necessary when the mills finally start up again. In addition to the corporations already given tho Durfcc mills W i'll try tc run today.
 The Durfec employs when running full 1,O5O hands, but owing to improvements less than half the plant Is in running or der, and 1, I5O looms arc on the running list. The SagamOrc, employing 900, an other corporation under the Brayton in fiuencc, is not in tho agreement and would run if the operatives would 20 in.