The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-21
The GREAT CONFLICT.
Brisk Inauguration Of The Expected
Mill Operatives Strike.

sand Operatives Leave Their Posi-
tions-Machinery Idle - A 'vaca-
tion Taken by Many-Schedule of
the Wages Affected-A Desperate
Struggle of Six Months in Fros-
pect.
New Bedford, Mass, Aug. 2O-This
morning the cotton operators inaugurated
their general strike and nearly II, GOO are
idle The machinery of but five of the
twenty-seven mills in the city is in mo-
ton, and it is thought these mills will
soon be shut down with the others. The
manufacturers have nothing to say, but
the notices of reduction against which
the help rebel are still posted.
Secretary Ross of the spinners union
stated this morning that the members of
his union have lined up for long strug-
gle, and confidently expect that it will be
Of six months duration,
Fall River, Mass, Aug. 20.-The manu-
featuring situation to-day is in very
much disturbed condition. Only about
one-third Of the looms in the mills are
running, the rest of them being idle on
account of voluntary vacation taken by
the weavers. The iron works, American
linen, Cornell, King Philip, Metacomet
Kerr Thread mills, Globe Yaru, and Sand
ford Spinning mills are running as fully
as they were last week. In the other
mills the looms running vary from not
any to 400. There arenot any manufac-
turers who dare to say that the vacation
will end in one, two or four weeks.
In two or three churches the leaders of
the vacation were denounced vigorously.
At ST Patrick's church, where Rev.
Michael Cook is pastor. the people we're
advised to remain al work and not be led
by would-be labor leaders whose glib
tongues raise them to dizzy heights. The
actions of these men have impoverished
the people, and they are little better than
anarchists "
Much Importance is attached to this
clergyman's words from the fact thathis
church is in the center OF a thriving mill
center of the city, and he is very popular
and most beloved i'll congregation Of
about 1900 people
The carders, spinners, fxers and slasher
tenders started at work in all the mills
as they promised to do at the meeting
held last week.
DIVIDENDS DECREASE.
The quarterly dividends paid the stock
holders in the mills in this city did not
average quite Il per cent the last three
$50 in the last quarter. Seven corpora
tons have passed dividends and between
seven and eleven paid dividends from
surplus accounts rather than from the
earnings of of the past nine months
Many of the mills are taking advantage
of the easy money market to renew the
machinery and motive plants The quoted
prices Of shares have edsrock- bottom
figures, and few offerings of choice stocks
are noted by the brokers. The total capi-
tai stock reported is S20,91S,000, but the
invested capital is not far from $40, 900, 600
The per centage of earnings is l.24
MOST IMPORTANT EVER OCCURRING.
New Bedford, Mass, Aug. 20.-The
strike promises to be The most important
that ever occurred in the textile industry
IN Massachusetts. The manufacturers
must fight perfectly organized unions,
some Of which are fairly wealthy. NoUa-
bly, in this particular is the spinners'
union, which has fund in its treasury
aggregating a least $4,000. The spinners
have voted however, not to touch any oil
Ihls money for month.
The situation in New Bedford is quite
different from that in Fall River. In the
latter city print cloths are manufactured
Tor the most part, and there is a larger
stock of goods on hand. Here, however,
the mills manufacture a finer grade of
goods, and some Of them have orders
which would keep the mills busy for sew
eral months
A conference yesterday developed
new feature, which the operatives says
reveals the plan of the manufacturers in
relation to the impending struggle.
lJ had hitherto been suppo sed that, in
asmuch asl the spinners union was much
stronger than the weavers' organizaLio
the manufacturers would cater to the
splnners in the reduction and conclliate
them if possible.
Every mill posted its reduction sched-
ue 5 saturday, and they were compared
Dy the labor leaders yesterday. While
tne schedules are dssimilaP, it was found
lnaL the manufacturers had cut down the
Splnners more than 10 per cent.,in many
instances, while the weavers were not
cII at all, or very little.
rms ratio is preserved systematically
throughout the mills. and the operatives
oeleVe that the manufacturers hope to
seJ the WeaverS back before many weeks
As long as the weavers are not backed
.oy strong treasury Che manufacturers
'uIhk they will not hold out very long,
particularly as their wages will not be
CAa4nged and they will only be com
PeHed TO stay out through sympathy.
Inc manufacturers think by the time
uey are ready to start up, the weavers
WILL De ready TO come in, and that yarn
van De bought from other mills till the
%Inners are ready to succumb. But
operatives. All are buoyant and conf
u5nJ OF ultimate success Some of the
nus no doubt, are preparing for a long
SHUT down.
The meeting of manufacturers Thurs
uaS was an adjourned session. said a
seuueman who was present. "and was
uoy called because Of the action Of the
sWuners, as supposed; in fact, the de-
@Imlnaton of the spinners was but
SIeHy touched upon. The meeting was
ng'u 10 decide on some plan of reduction
r"ugreDy the best paid help in the mills
I.tnt be reduced and those who are
si,asSeu as small paid help, either but
'"shtly cut down or not touched a all. "
g. ms matter was fully discussed. and
,ruAilE 1t was decided that each corpora
Wy Htyuu ID should regulate its own adjustment
Cae Ca tHe cut down, which is from % per
slt. sut. TO 10 per cent In great many iu-
S,auees there will be no cut down what
s,; ,;sI' II Is said, while. as a rule all Of the
B,H15ters, who are the best paid men in
,vN g Inherent mills, outside of the officials,
u ne affected by the new order Of
ac,,iAat the spinners would resent such
hn ifti af