Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-15
DIRE WANT AT BLACKSTONE.
MANY OF THE INHABITANTS ON THE vERG
 OF sTARvATION.

MANY OF THE INHABITANTS ON THE VERGE
 OF STARVATION.
 A special dispatch to the Boston Herald, from Blackstone, Mass. says:
 The inhabitants of this town, once pros- porous and contented, are now, many of them, in dire want, with numbers on the verge of starvation.
 Such is the pressing condition of affairs that meeting of the tax payers and others interested will be held tomorrow night to devise some plan to relieve the prevailing distress.
 . The overseers of the poor are now aiding directly and indirectly nearly 300 persons, and are refusing calls for aid every day for want of funds. The population of the town is less than 5000.
 A reliable man stated today that he knew of young men who now occupy rooms in boarding houses, but must find their meals as best they can, their boarding mistresses being unable to longer support them with out pay, but unwilling to deprive them of the use of the rooms until such time as they can secure work.
 Two years ago four large mills and man ! ufactories in this town were running full time and employing 2500 hands. Today the machinery of three of them is silent.
 The town comprises the villages of Black stone, Millville and East Blackstone. The Millville branch of the United States Rub-
  It makes the Woonsocket rubber boots and employs 1900 hands--all men. It is entirely shut down for an indefinite period, and has run barely half time during the past year. In the southern part of the town, near the state line, stands the two large wooden mills formerly run by the Blackstone Woolen company and Evans, Seagrave & Co. Within two years the leases of the mills of both concerns expired, and on &C., count of the business depression were rot t.r.r ,..l< xr.a atxx |. Iu
 The combined pay rolls of the rub Der works and wooden mills amounted to up- ward of S25 ,000 0 week. The withdrawing of this sum from circulation weekly has blighted the village. Many have moved away. Many others are in actual want.
 The only concern which has run steadily is the cotton mill of the Blackstone Manu- featuring comp pany, which is owned by the Goddards of Providence. portion of the smaller woolen mill has been run irregu- but has afforded no permanent relief.
 Among the several propositions which will be discussed in the meeting tomorrow night will be to give relief by building a new road, which is much needed, and which would give employment to hundreds of idle men. Some are in favor ofthe town borrowing S35. GOO iu anticipation of the taxes of 1896. Others suggest that a com mittee be appointed to call on the United States Rubber company for the purpose of finding out how sooh the works will start up, and if the company intends to keep the works running more steadily in the future than in the past. If the committee should fail to receive favorable reply it is sug- gested that the taxes on the Alillville plant be largely increased.
 All say something must be done imme- diately to relieve the terrible distress. There are DO other industries in the town of any account.
 Many farmers complain bitterly of the heavy poor rate, which they allege is caused by the irregular running of the rubber works.