Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-05-01

The sit uatlon along the Pawtuxet Valley
is growing darker hourly and before 8
O'Clock every mill operative In that
vicinity may be out on strike. The notice
adopted by the Manufacturers Club was
posted in all of the mills and that is the
cause OF the trouble.
.'Noticc.
APRIL 29th, 1895.
"The Manufacturers Club, In view OF
the present strike In the National Worsted
Mills, one Of our number, and of the
general state of unrest, and to rightly In
form our operatives, join In giving notice
that prices OF labor cannot be advanced
by US at the present time. Our goods are
sold at prices that do not warrant such
action. We are also paying the highest
wages In New England on our manu-
facture. When our level OF wage In
generally reached, and goods bring a
better price, will be the earliest reason
able moment for MS to advance present
wages.
"On these facts, regretting It, we are
obliged to give notice that our mills will
not open Monday morning, May 13, II the
help in any of our mills are 80 dissatisfied
as to be on strike at that time, to remain
closed until the present wages are &C.
cepted by all our employees"
At Manton the weavers walked out
when they saw the notice in the shop as
they were about to begin the days work.
The weavers at Taft g. Weeden's mill took
similar action and half Of the 5000 opera.
tives employed in the Riverside mill went
out. 1t Is expected every operative will
be out before night.
Manufacturers' Meeting.
PROVIDENCE, May l.-Olncyville is in a
fever OF excitement and all the mill oper-
atives will await the developments of the
next "a hours with the greatest anxiety.
Although tho Manufacturers club met
Monday night and 1t was definitely stated
that the Olncyville mills were to be closed,
this did not frighten the operatives. Now.
however. they seem anxious to know just
what the effect OF general lockout would
be.
This change In sentiment was due to tho
fact that the owners of Olneyville mills
met yesterday afternoon. 1t was meet
ing Of the representatives of Olneyville
corporations. They claim that they had
decided to take the matter into their own
hands and to treat the labor troubles I'm
the local mills In the manner that seemed
to promise tho
Best Results In the End.
One Of tho manufacturers, after the
meeting said that the present condition Of
affairs In the Olneyville mills was thor.
nyh ond S,f AI,
strikes at the Atlantic and the Providence
National mills was considered. and the
question Of the possibility of making
general raiso in wages was discussed.
After this was done, vote was taken
to close tho mills for an indefinite period,
and 1t was decided to post tho notices OF
the lockout within "a hours. This action
was taken by a unanimous vote, and there
was every reason to believe that It would
be faithfully carried out.
Although the loss for the long period OF
idleness will be great burden for the
mill owners to bear they were agreed
that they must meet the issue and stand
by their agreement to the end.
It mattered little to them what might
come, the future prosperity OF the manu-
featuring interests Of Olneyvillo were at
stake and the matter was
Too Important to Be Neglected.
Tho business men nre much worried
over tho threatening condition of affairs.
Nearly oil Of the storekoepcrs arc still car
rying the accounts that were contracted
by tho operatives during tho strike of 1893,
and they are not In condition to stand
another long period OF idlonoss
Times have been so hard In Olnoyvillo
for moro than year that many of the
business men have done but little moro
than make their expenses, and they look
with dread upon another season OF oven
worse financial depression.
What makes tho matter still worse Ia
that tho fear Of loss has reached tho whole
sale dealers In meats and provisions. and
more than one house hos intimatod that it
will be necessary TO refuse credit TO Olney.
Vile dealers II q general lockout IL or.