Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1894-08-31
LABOR TROUBLES.
An Important Confer
enCe Held.
Both Sides Present Lengthy Ar
gumentS.
Looks Now Like u Prolonged Shut
Down.

R"pr, ,ntativcs Of the various labor organ
Ha1uns, splnner-, weavers and card 'i'
picker loom operatives in New Bedford,
Mass. met with Mavot Brownel III respun
10 his cull for Il conference. Inc state board
OF arbitration and Hon. ". W. Crappo. presi.
dent Of the Wumsutta Mill Corporation. up
pearing for the mill managers, were
also present. The meeting was impor-
tant. inasmuch as the first official
statement from.the mill managers was made.
Mayor Brown II stated that it must he 10 the
interest, Of cltiZcns and stock holders II some
way could be- devised whereby our industries
would not have To remain idle, and II any
thing could be upished he would TT
much pleased. See. Ross Of the Spinners
Union stated that during two years there
huu been "A reduction Of % per cert. while
the reduction ON the cloth amounted to ~
per cent. One trouble is that the manutar-
turers never offer to advance wages no mat
ter how good trade is. Th" spinner@ were
never informed OF the amount OF reduction
they were to receive and they never will 90
ha K into these mills, without knowing what
they are to receive. He had never advised u
strike aud never would Matthew Hart, rep
rcernDing the weavers' Union said that sine"
1854 he knew wages had been cut down from
Sl2.j Il week to $50 per week. Hon. W.
". Crapo thought Mayor Bruwneli did right
peace. harmony, contentmeut and prosperity
of the community. He thought the gentle
men had spoken with great moderation, but
IL II 4turkholdcr. he thought they were wrong
and that ilKulee VIII show it. No one
in the word would like To- pay high wages aS
we'll as the m,!l managers. Nr. trapu sa'd
he felt 1t his duty to look out for the l20o
stockholders Of the Wamsut'a Mills He
hranched into figures, aod stated that the ro-
duction proposed was n"t n much as the
operatives claim He said that higher wages
were being paid here in New Bedford than
in other places. 1t secures better
class OF help. For this reason manu-
facturerS like to keep up wages.
When spnncrs in this city got sli.95
for doing the same work for which
Lons,lalr -pinners get sl0.j 50. it makes COM
petition hard. Src. Ross Of the spinners was
asked what effect the lockout IN Fall River
would have ON the strike. He replied that
he did not think it would cause any alarm on
the part Of the operators in this city, Tor hs
h. looked at the situation. the lockout Will
be for only short time. perhaps not over
two weeks. A South End mill superintcnd-
rnt. in an interview said, that the help would
doubtless, feel differently when few weeks
want by without d"awng any wages.
la general there is little new to be said re-
gatding the manufacturing situation nj ran
River Hopes are being expressed DS DuHl-
ness men and 4uperintendents and overseerS
of mill, that somr members OF the Cotton
Manufacturers Association will break away
from the agreement by which they are COM
pc led to keep their mills closed, while the
/ mills in other parts Of New England are pre-
pairing to resume operations and lake advah-
tage Of the rising market for goods Ihe
| fact that two large concerns are running
under the old wage schedule, and that
two ARE running under new schedule
Of 10 per cent. less, is giving rise to a
great deal OF comment, which proves
| that there are great many
/ operatives here. who prefer work to idleness
at the approach OF winter There have been
rumors that special meeting OF the Manu-
| facturrr-' Association will be called to consid-
rr the situation. and seq If 1t is not possible
| that some means can be aiken to remedy 1t. II
| is hard to base rumOrs un solid foundation
as members Of the executive committee nave
concluded that the best interests of all con
cerncd are best promoted by keeling discreet
silence, at least until after Labor Day, a.
/ the meetings OF the Carders and Spinners
unions will be held during the week.