The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-10-03
HUNGER'S GRASP
Will Break the Deadlock at Fall
River.
GREAT SUFFERING AMONG THE
FAMILIES OF THE STRIKERS.


to Get Work Again-Charity Freely
Bestowed in the Spindle City-Free
Soup Kitchens Established-ProbabiI
tyof an Early Settlement,
Fall River, Mass, October 2.-Alhough
Saturdays conference of the spinners
andsmanufa cturers did not brig forth the
good results expected, Secretary Robert
Howard said after today's general meet
Ing OF the mule spinners he was not wholly
convinced some satisfactory settlement of
the present condition sof affairs could not
be made within few days, so poI tionssof
theahelp in the city, at least could be given
work. His idea is particularly valuable
justsnow because itssis entertained by many
prominent manufacturers and mill owners,
who have not hesitated to express them
selves on the quiet corners this afternoon.
A glance over the daily papers convinced
manyatreasurers there !. is great suffering in
the city or business men have gone daft
on the subject of providing necessaries of
life for the poorspeople.
Today's benefaction will show to what
extent six weeks idleness has reducedsmany
families. Every check for food, coal and
bread had by the weavers' Union was ex-
hausted before ten this forenoon and
great many applicants for aid turned away.
AT the Union headquarters it is kown
several well to do members have been dis
penslng charity from their own pockets.
At Salx alton Army hall from IL till eight
hundred children were fed with beef stew
and soup given by Chas. T.. Sherer, dry
goods dealer, who will hereafter give $50
day for this purpose. At the Globe Village
recently three hundred quarts of pea soup
were given free in the same neighborhood
and many deserving people were invited to
eat heartily of wedding meats prepared by
locally popular couple. Mr.. Regan, the
Fouth street baker. began dispensing two
thousand loayes of bread. r. A. Nc cWhirr
and company gave away bread tonight and
several restaurants are quietly giving free
meals to deserving persons. There are the
usual amount of appeals to private charity
being made. an org ganiZed system of aims
giving is formed among.the energetic French
Canadian population and it is safe. to say
none of that nationality will suffer much.
All these things are known by the mill
authorities ssand the Union authorities and
it is grating on the sensibllities of each
consequently there is
MOVEMENT ON FOOT
among many agents to have the gates Of
the mills opened within a few days, and
again offer work to those who seek it al. the
prices offered eight weeks ago.
There is no doubt even among members
of the executive committee of the Manu-
facturers Association, at least 80 per cent,
probably 95 per cent of the idle operatives
would flock to work Monday morning rath-
er than be pushed into starvation. . as
would be the case if the present policy is
followed to its legitimate end, regardless
might take after the determination OF the
manufacturers to open the gates was made
known. 1t is stated by several mill men
the only stumblingsblock in the way of im-
mediate settlement would be the attitude
of the Spinners Union. On this
SECRETARY HOWARD SAYS
he offered one form of compromise He
knows men in the Union with him would
not be SO foolish as to be unwilling to list
en- tosany offer that may be made and from
talks he had yesterday and today with
manufacturers he feels satisfied some sort
of settlement can be made when the
manufacturers either open emills to 90
per cent of the operatives who are willing
to work, or when they show some desire to
end the present suffering by Offering terms
TO be complied with it at an early day, if
not within week.
Many manufacturers said this afternoon.
they would like to do something for the
people and already have talked over the
situationswith the directors