The Portland daily press., 1895-04-11
JOY IN FALL RIVER.
Large Mills Grant Employees Increase
Of Wages.
THIS WILL FORCE OTHER MILLS
TO Do THE SAME.

| Attempt to Bull the Print Cloth
| Market-Employes Greatly Elated-
1900 Employees are Affected by This
Restoration of Wages.
| Fall River. April 10.-The Fall River Iron
Works mills posted notices this afternoon
| of an increase in wages to the rates paid
| before August 20. the increase to take effect
| April 22. These mills were not in the Cot
| ton Manufacturers association.
| This action caused CONSERVATION in man
| ufacturing circles. as when the reduction
was made last summer the Iron Works cor
poration did not at first follow the exam
pie set by others in the city. Alter the ten
weeks strike proved unsuccessful the
| operatives of the Iron Works were COM
PEELED to get down to the standard made by
| the Manufacturers association. They have
| been receiving the highest average wages,
however, owing TO the high speed of ma
| chineIy and the character of work exacted.
| The manufacturers in general Will, in all
| probability. be compelled to advance to the
| rates established by the Iron Works. A
| few abelieve the increase was dictated by
philanthropic motives, out one in a position
to know the situation. explained it as fol-
| lows: 1.-THE Iron Works mills furnish the
| American Printing company thirty thou
| sand pieces of goods weekly. and they are
not baled nor prepared especially for ship
ment. as is the case with ell local mills.
They are new mills operating 5000 of the
| best and speediest looms in America, and
| they can undoubtedly deliver goods into
the print works at ten per cent cheaper
cost than any other print works can re-
ceive them. The American Print Works and
| Iron Works mills are oNn ned and controlled
| by NJ. G. D. Borden of New York. and in
| the past few months it is known he has
been carrying a . large amount of goods that
| he does not care to dispose of at the pre- sent
| prices. He bought up the market two or
| three times, and very soon afterwards some
| weak -kneed manufacturer sold small
| quantity under the market price de preciat-
| ing the value of goods he had on hand.
Manufacturers here in some instances would
rather undersell the market in ! this way
than advance wages. The latest noye on
the part of the Iron Works is. consequently.
regarded as means of getting square, and
at the same time bostering up prices in the
general market. The American company's
goods now.on hand will be greatly en-
hanced in value by the increase in wages
which must follow elsewhere
When the news OF the advance was first
given out, it is said that the whole scheme
was still further to bull the cloth market at
this centre. Some credence was given this
view. from the fact that the margin of pro-
fit in manufacturing is very low. and brok-
ers say very few mills could make print
cloths at profit if cotton was being pur-
chased at the present prices. The Iron
Works company bought 10000 bales three
months ago, when the price was u cent a
pound less than at present quotations, and
nearly all other. loal mills have large sup
ply on hand. While bulline the market was
undoubtedly one cause of the increase, it
is fully believed there were other motives
actuating the owners of the American mills.
The news of the advance caused great JOY
to the operatives.
The strike last fall was brought 10 an end
only because starvation and winter faced
he operatives if persisted in, and also be.
cause their funds were nearly exhausted.
The weavers. were working but short
hile before they demanded a restoration
through letter sent 10 the Manufacturers
nor its receipt acknowledged. They have
been discontented since the strike. and
were taking steps towards making another
demand, which would.in all probability. be
backed up by another strike. So great was
the discomfort that many mills are short of
wea vers- the past winter, condition rarely
krown here in the winter season. The
weavers consider that Mr.. Borden's course is
q ,oIIa and ,,hjja n hrooio ono A raoul,r
general meeting will be held tomorrow
night. when very likely formal demand of
a restoration will be drawn up and sent to
the manufacturers. Secretary Whitehead
said it was full time the advance was
granted, as the operatives were working
for the lowest wages known for ten,years
and much lower than living prices. A wea-
Yer who was present at the headquarters
of the union told the secretary that notices
of the restoration were posted in the Ame-
rican linen mills and Secretary Howard of
the Spinners' union, said that the restora-
tioa of wages here will be followed by high
er prices elsewhere. That will give people
wages that they need in buyin goods upon
which they have been stinting themselves
for long time. He felt free to say that the
margin of profit was not very large at the
present time. but when the people were
well paid would work better and get of
more and a better production. At the spin
ners' general meeting tonight the news was
receive with great rejoicing. Business men
are highly elated, as some 1900 hands will
be affected by the increase. They receive
now Sl2.0UO u week in wages.
Escape of a Daring Train Robber.