Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-08-24
A MONSTER LOCKOUT.
Fall River Has "a Idle Mills and
$4,000 Idle Employees.
Greatest Concerted Lockout Ct Textile Workers
in One Center in america.

FALL RIVER, MASS, Aug. 23.-T0Dight
marks the commencement of the greatest
lockout of operatives ever known in this
city and that implies the greatest concerted
lockout of textile operatives IN one center
in America No member of the Manufac-
turers' Association makes any pretensions
of telling how long it will last, for 1t is
brought about by the low condition of trade
and the voluntary vacation" entered into
by vote Of 96S members of the Weavers'
Union.
With the possible exceptions of the Kerr,
Iron Works, Conanicut and Seaconnet
mills, every corporation in town will re-
main closed until il is shown that vote of
"three- fourths Of the spindles represented
in certain agreement" shall decide that
the gates may be reopened, and an oppor-
tunity offered for the workers to return to
their places. Thirty-four mills are idle,
employing q $50 persons, with weekly
payroll Of of Sl35,f75. 1t is possible that
the Seaccnnet may not be able to run, as 1t
now hopes to do.
During this lockout the weayers will re-
ceiye no assistance from the unions, as
they voted to dispense with the benefits by
voting to take vacation, beginning last
Monday. Whether the spianers will re-
ceive benefits will be determined at a m2et-
ing to be held Monday night. 1t IS not
probable that the funds viii be touched for
two or three weeks, as stormy times are
ahead and the spinners are very c0nserVa-
tive with their funds.
The manufacturers, by shutting down,
will avoid the necessity of supporting the
mills, being compelled to shut down on ac'
cOu1t of the strike or vacation of the weav-
ers. The Iron Works MtIs owned by the
American Printing Company, will pay full
wages, consequently the weavers Will not
be ordered out and the fact holds good in
regard to the Conanicut Mills. All
the manufacturers do not take kindly
to the lockout, but inasmuch as they have
signed the iroDclad agreement they feel in
duty bound to close and await develop
M .nts. Some have fair orders ard would
like to fill them. They will be a powerful
factor in securing an early resumption, de-
spite the market conditions.
The city contains 80 pr cent. of AL the
cotton spindles in the state, and - l-2 per
ceht. OF all in the United States. No seri-
GUS trouble is anticipated during the idleness
impending. As rule the operatives are very
orderly, and inasmuch rs a portion voted
for vacation, it il fsir to presume that
they will take the lockout phiosophically
This afternoon small but heated meet
ing of the Viewers Association was held
for the purpose of making some provision
for the strikers Mt the King Philip mill! who
have been idle 20 weeks. After a discus
sion lasting two hours it was voted to pay
the strikers one weeks allowance while the
vacation is on. During the discussion repre-
sentatives OF the strikers left the hall and
roundly denounced the management of the
union. They threatened to take the places
Of other weavers as soon as the present va
cation is over, and are very much angered
because of the alleged injustice on the part
of the acting president,
Secretary Whitehead said the trouble
with the men resulted because the president
would not allow thestrkers' representatives
to violate the privileges of the floor.