Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-05-27
BELLOWS FALLS.
strike in the Paper Mills.
II. rnrtnnntr md Amicnhle Enhinr.

It, Fortunate and Amicable Ending.
strike in the mills of the Fall Mountain |
Paper company began at O'CLOCK, last Fri |
jav morning ON account Of an order from
tbe new superintendent requiring the men
in charge of the large rapid-ruunng paper
machines to bring their dinners and not
leave their machines during the noon hour.
The men demanded modification of the !
order, which was refused, and practically
all the men employed on these machines
left the mills. Much excitement was caus-
ed by the unfortunate. development Both
sides were firm and new men were sent for
by the management to run the machines
An adjustment was reached over Sunday,
however, and the men returned to work
Monday morning, as told in the following
article from the EveningsPhunix ofsNIon-
lay:
The strike in the paper mills which has
caused considerable uneasiness and deep in
,erest in our village the last two days of the
week, is practically over, the larger part of
the men returning to their work this morn
ING. The machines are all running today as
usual and no one would know that any
thing out of the ordinary had been taking
the attention Of the men.
Without doubt if the obnoxious order
had been fully explained to the men when
given by the foreman, or had the men
themselves seen General Superintendent
Murphy before they left the mill, they
would not have gone. As the order reached
Il. :. / i -, -
might. They felt aggrieved and acted
hastily.
From the nature of paper manufacture
the machines have to run continuously from
Monday morning until Saturday night.
They are complicated machines requiring
expert attendance at all times. This is in
the hands of a machine tender on each ma
chine who receives from 1925 to $3.50
per day, while the three other men on the
machine get only ordinary pay.
The larger part of the time, while the
machine is doing goodwork, the actual la
Dor of the machine tender is not heavy. The
gangs of men alternate each week one COM
plete gang running the machine one week
nights, beginning at 6 PM. and working until
"a. NJ, and the next week they work days
from A. M.to p. NJ. Since the manufacture
of paper was begun here the machine tenders
have gone to their dinner leaving the ma
chimes temporarily with the second and
third hands, who, the company feel, are
not competent in emergencies and serious
complications and loss often occurs. At all
other points the men stay with their ma
chimes continuously, and the management
here required that they should do the same
as at other points and ordered the change,
woich caused the trouble Friday morning.
The five machines of the Fall Mountain
mills, making newspaper, were the only
ones involved.
A few men were ordered here from 9th
err points Some local men kept at work, al
though but few during Friday and Satur-
day. A part of the machines were kept
running. During the two days various
conferences between the men and with the
general superintendent were had, with the
usual various phases at different times of
expecting to return to work, and then de-
Gliding not to do so. Superintendent Muir
ply early assured the men that he would
like them to return to their work, that he
would like to see any of them and discuss
the trouble, and whenever he had oppor-
tuntv he clearly showed the reasonabeness
of his position, as well as his wish to do all
he possibly could, but the machine tenders
must remain with their machines. If the
company here were not paying enough for
the continuous service, or were not paying
as high a schedule for the same work as
at any other point, he would change the
price. He would furnish them good room
in which to eat and smoke, they could have
their hour of time, but must be within call
A man would be furnished to get the warn
dinners from the homes. In short he
would do anything possible for their com
fort.
Arrangements were made Saturday fol
the starting of all the machines this morn
ing with what help could be had here anC
what had been brought in from other paper
mill points During the day yesterday {
large number of the old men came to Mr.
Murphy and accepted his terms, the mos
of whom were taken back. A few whC
had intended to leave soon any way die
not return, and few were not accepted
but as a whole the same men are running
the machines today that were a week ago
only few new faces appearing.
The episode has enabled the men to ge
acquainted with their new superintendent
Mr.. Murphy, many of whom had neve
met him. They without exception expires
pleasure at the better knowledge, and tina
he has acted in an open, fair and just man
ner throughout. They concede the desir
ability of having the machine tender Their
at all hours, but would have Been glad t.
avoid it if possible. 1t not being possible
they accept the situation and will be loya
again, while upon the part of the company
everything will be done to make the burdei
as light as possible. Mr.. Murphy speak
in the highest terms of the personnel of tn
men, and says he has never seen bette
average class in any mill. Nothing un
81 nor