The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-08-25
NEARLY $4,000 idle
Greatest Lockout of Textile
Operatives Ever Known.
Fall tRiver's Important Industries
Paralyzcd-Some Of the Manufac-
turers Have Orders on Hand and
They May Secure an Early Resump-
tion OF Work.
ton OF w ork.

Fall River, Mass, Aug. 24.-Last
night marked the commencement or
the greatest lockout Of operatives ever
known In this city, and that implies
the greatest concerted lockout OF tex
tile operatives I'm one centre In Amer
lea. No member Of the Manurac-
turers' association makes any preten-
sions OF telling how long IT will last,
for IT Is brought about by the low con
dition OF the trade and the voluntary
vacation" entered into by a vote Of 5GD
members Of the Viewers union. With
the possible exceptions Of the Kerr
Iron works, COnanicut and Seaconnet
mills, every corporation In town w;li
remain closed until IL Is shown that
vote Of "thrce-fourths Of the spindlcB
represented In certain agreement
shall decide that the gates may DC
reopened and opportunity offered for
workers TO return 10 their places.
An exact statement OF the number or
idle operatives was given yesterday,
showing that excepting the above men
toned mills, thirty-fOur mills employ
Ing 2t.9jO hands, with weekly payroll
OF $l23.475, are idle. II Is possible that
the StaCOnnet may not be able TO run
ms II now hopes To do.
During this lockout the wCavers VIII
receive no assistance from their union
and the manufacturers. by shutting
down. Will avoid the n"ce ssity Of sup
JOiting those mills that were compel "a
TO shut down on account Of The strike
or vacation OF the weaVcra.
The Iron works mills are owned by
the American Printing company and
will pay full wages, consequently the
weavcrs Will not be- ordered out; ana
the same fact holds good In regard 10
tha Conanicut mills.
All OF the manufacturers do not take
kindly 10 the lockout, but inasmuch rs
they aigned their names To- an iron
CLAD agreement, they feel I'm duty
bound TO close and await develop
rts Some Of them hIv" fair or
dtrs and would like 10 I'm them.
They Will. Of course, be n powerful
factor In securing an early rcsump-
tiOn, despite market conditions. Some
idea OF the effect the shutdown may
have on the trade may be Judged from
the fact that the city contains 80 per
cent. OF all the cotton spindles I'm the
whole state and 10 IL per cent. OF all
I'm the United States No serious
trouble is anticipated during the Idle
ness that Is pending. As rule u3-
eratlves are very orderly. and II Is raIr
10 presume that they will take the
lockout philosophically.
Yesterday afternoon n small but
heated meeting of the Wcavers' asso-
citation was held for the purpose OF
making some provision for the strikers
at the King Philip mill. who have been
idle for twenty weeks. II was voted
To pay the strikers one weeks allow
ance while the vacation Is on, and at
the next general meeting, TO be held
three weeks hence, II viii be decided
what other allowance shall be made.
During the discussion the representa-
tiycs of the strikers left the hall and
crowded into the corridors. whore the
reporters were Congrogatcd, and round
" denounced the management of the
union. They threatened TO take the
place of other weavers just as soon as
the present vacation was over, and
were very much augcred because OF the
alleged injustices on the part OF the
acting president one member or the
union told n representative of the
| strikers that some of the latter would
be receiving more under the strike al
| lowance than could be made under tn,
! proposed reduction OF wages. Secretary
| Whitehead said the trouble with the
| men resulted because the president
| would not allow the strikers represen
tatives to violate the privileges OF tn,
|