The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-04-27
!. Especial to the PREsS.l

Sanford, April By invitation, the
PRESS reporter. attended the meeting
OF the striking spinners and twissers
held at the home of Mrs. Riccard, on
Allen street, last night. The crowd was
a Joyial one and treated the PRESS man
With the greatest respect and courtesy.
VI the assembled 100 or more, 60 at least
were French, and the reporter asked if
they were all perfectly willing that the
reporter should remain. and the answer
was vehement "Oui, oui, QUIZ.
y 1t was expected that speaker would
be present to address the people in
French, bu the gentlemen with, whom
arrangements had been made failed to
put in an appearance. After. waiting
reasonable length of time it was decided
to put. the matter to vote, the situation
having been thoroughly explained to
all. The corporation officials had sent
word that all those who desired to go
back to their. work at the existing wag-
es might do SO in the morning, with the
understanding that as soon as it was
possible for the company to advance
wages to the standard of 1898, it should
be done. From the very first it was evil
dent that the American and English,
who understood the situation, preferred
returning to work and while many of
the older French girls, and some of them
are beauties, too, were of 1.-The same
mind, but they allowed themselves to be
dominated by the younger element who
preferred loafing to working. The
question was put in both French and
English, as to whether they should re-
my 70 rx,Dr II 4
swer from the younger French boys and
girls was a chorus nos. They expressed
desire to meet the Hon. E. NJ. Goodall,
the president of the corporation in a
body, and asked the PRESS reporter il
he supposed Mr.. Goodall would talk with
them again. The PRSS man stated that
he believed that the president would
show them every courtesy and his offer
to see Mr.. Goodall and ascertain from
him if he would meet them at the
counting room and discuss the situations
with them, was gladly accepted. Ac-
cordingly the PRESS report arranged the
conference which took place this morn
ing, and finally resulted in all the ope-
ratlves returning to their work this
noon.
The strikers were very indignant when
they learned from the PRESS reporter
of the rumor to the effect that the
strikers intended setting fire to she
mills. Mrs. Lillian Murphy said that
she did not believe that any of.them
would even think of anything so mean
and contemplate. Many others said
that they had left aprons and hats in
the factory and. had refrained from going
to the factory to get them, fearing that
ifianything happened they might be sus-
pected OF mischief if seen in the neigh
borhood of the mills. They asked the
PRESS man to assure the owners of
the mills that they need have no
fear as far as any OF the strikers were
concerned, and that if anything should
happen to the mills before the trouble
could be Settled, they would be only too
glad to tender. their assistance in their
behalf. Certainly no fault can be found
with the manner in which the opera
tives conducted themselves. They are
now nearly all at work and the balance
will return to their frames on Monday
morning. So ends one of the most
unique strikes, except the one of the
"kids" that ever occurred in New Eng
land.