The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-01-22
SITUATION At OLMW|L[E.
Views Of Prominent Citizens
on the Present Condition.
ONE BUSINESS MANS THOUGHT.
Much Better Prospects and Relieved
Situation--So Far as the Strikers Go
. They Are I'm Fair Shapc-Thc News
Bread Fund ON the Square.
THR News BUREAU,

THE NEWS BUREAU,
oLSEyvLIE, Room I, wATEKmAs BUILDING,
Telephone 39i3.
One of the most prominent citizens OF
Olneyville and one who Is foremost in all
public movements expresses his opinion
but admits that his views may be different
from the majority OF his neighbors. He
says, "There Is no more poverty or suffer
ing here than i'm ordinary dull years but
the strike set people looking for distress
and in any city where it is looked for 1T
will be found. The strikers have lost the
savings accumulated by years OF care and
others are in debt but they are at work
and tie crisis is past, now they are
making less and must adapt themselves to
circumstances"
j. p. Fox the well known lawyer is in
close touch with labor interests and he
takes hopeful view of the situation. He
says, "Trade is improving and 1t is ex-
pected that the Riverside and Fletcher
mills will soon start on full time. The
Saranac Is shut down as their Is no mar
ket for their product and it has been re-
ported that the Weybosset mills would
shut down but it is probably only rumor.
1t is natural that there should be suffering
after such stike, but the majority of
needy ones will be found TO be those who
came here expecting work and were dis
appointed. Beyond this there is only the
usual amount OF suffering"
j. o. San Souci advances peculiar view
and one that will strike many. He says:
at strikes me that the people here at
Olneyville are better off on account of
their strike even il they gained no con-
cessions. From the appearance OF things
it Is evident that the mills would have
shut down for while. During the strike
those out OF work received thousands of
dollars in outside assistance and in my
opinion they are so much ahead. OF course
there are many cases OF suffering, but
think the worst Is over"
DIR. Twitchell, chairman OF the Johnston
Town committee, says, "There is much
suffering in the town a. only 20 per cent.
of the mill people are at work. / think,
though, that there Is more distress among
the building trades than among the mill
workers, and repeatedly in the past few
days 1t has come to my notice where car
penters, masons, ETC., are actually begging
for work at any wages. The plumbers are
suffering from lack Of work from the mild
weather, and il seems that the corps of
idle persons is increasing"
Judge w. A. Phillips says: 81 find that
municipal affairs are more quiet than
ever before in my experience. But few
cases come before the court and the term
cases are very infrequent. But few of
those who are arrested for minor offences
have the money to pay their fine and busi-
ness Is exceedingly dull. / think the
worst is past and look for better times
soon."
Captain Leavitt of Station thinks
there is about the usual amount ofsuffer-
ing for dull winter. The worst is past
and the effects Of the strike as Immediately
felt are over. The amount of suffering
shown is on account of the systematic
search for 1t.
These are all representative men know
ing the affairs of Olneyville thoroughly.
1t will be seen there is divergence of
opinion but the various opinions show the
subject as regarded in different points. 1t
is interesting as showing the opinions Of
different people.
The News Bread Fund.
At ten minutes of one Saturday afternoon
The NEWS opened its bread distribution
at G. A. Weaver's hardware store. Mr..
Weaver had generously offered the use of
his store and into the front window were
piled ten barrels of bread smoking hot
from the bakery. Long before the hour
the sidewalk was crowded with eager wait
ers each clutching the precious ticket
that meant so much to them. A
good natured officer kept the crowd
from pressing too eagerly and as the
doors were opened the line started. Two
agents passed out the smoking loaves of
bread and the grateful recipients muir
INJURED their thanks and passed on.
Mothers of families,were there whose needs
called for several loaves. They had
baskets, or wrapped the bread in their
shawls and hurried home. Little tots of
girls who seemed scarcely larger than the
generous loaf given them, and little
shivering boys formed the majority OF the
crowd. Children to send for the bread are
not lacking in most OF these families.
Many fanatics remembered to bring the
scrap Of paper to wrap the bread in, but
those who did not, did not hesitate to
carry off the prize and hastily scurried
away. Several applied who had not pro-
vided themselvs with tickets, but when
their need was shown the relief was
granted. Even the facsimile of the ticket
printed in THE NEWS was presented and
honored, and we would say now that these
coupons will be good for loaf of bread
and may be cut and presented to any
needy family.
The men were not lacking as the line
passed along, and it was pleasant to see
here the faces frightened as the loaves OF
food were passed to them and they hurried
home. In the first twenty minutes 300
loaves were given out and by half past three
nearly every loaf was disposed OF. For
the benefit Of those who have subscribed
to the fund we may say it was well disposed
Of. The tickets were given out by Rev.
Mr.. Parsons, his missionary Miss Jacobs,
Rev. Mr.. Rood OF the Tabernacle and Mrs.
Snow lent their aid. Mrs. Kennedy who
has charge OF distributing clothing at the
hall gave tickets TO families she knew to
be inAneed, and Rev. Mr.. Cocroft supplied
his people. For the future, the tickets
win be found with all OF the above
named and with Mr.. Crocker OF the
Helping Mission. Mr.. Weaver at his
store and at the Olneyville branch OF THE
NFws Mt Room l. Watermans block.