New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-18
THE NEW-ENGLAND STRIKE.
MANY MILLS CLOSED OWING TO THE
WAGE REDUCTION.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND
wopxNrN AFFECTED BY THE CUTDowN
TROUBLE BETWEEN EMPLOYERS
AND woRKNEN AT NEW
BEDFORD REPORTS
FROM OTHER

BEDFORD REPORTS
FROM OTHER
TOWNS.
Roston Ian. IA reduction in the wages OF
about one hundred and twenty-five thousand opera
t;ves employed in nearly one hundred ana MY COTTON
mills in England which the manufacturers de-
cIaed unon as a temporary remedy for a widespread
depression in the cotton goods industry OF the North
went into effect IN majority OF the mills TINS
morning In several mill centres, nancy new
BEDFORD Mass and Biddeford, Saco ana Le"S-
ton Me- the dissatisfaction among the mill hahus
Is intense and strikes are The eighteen mills or
the Nrst-named city. which give employment 10
about nine thousand hands have been shut down
because the operatives have refused TO accept inc
reduction and the contest thus begun promises 10
be one OF the most stubborn In the history OF 'ne
textile industry. The situation In New-beuioro ~
viewed from a very gloomy light by the business
men OF the city many OF whom have not altogether
recovered from the depression which followed inc
failure of six mill corporations last spring
The thirty-nve hundred employees at the Tacoma
and Pepperell mills. in Bddeford, Me, reInseu 10
80 to work this morning under the new scheouie
and II IS thought the strike there Will not De ser
tied easily Some of the employees OF the YORK Mis-
OF saco also joined the Biddeford movement
The Audroscoggn Mills. IN Lewiston and the
King Philip plant. in Fall River. were hahdicaPpeu
by strike OF a number OF the hands ana tno
Queen
closed on account OF strike which foho"eo INC
posting of notices OF reduction.
Excepting in the spinning department OF the hl"s
Philip Mills, at Fail River. in which all the oper-
atives refused 10 go 10 work this morning there
was no trouble in that city.
A. Fitchburg the Nockege cotton ana PRINT
works shu. down in the forenoon, when the WeaN
ers struck against per cent reduction ana ID
hands were thrown out.
The York corporation Saco. Me, closeu al
noon the operatives having mode a general move
TO ioin the strikers in BddefOfd. III,
on January the reduction TOOK erect III HII,l9
employing about thirty-nve thousand hahds mo
reduction today affected the cotton mills OF Mann
Rhode Island Connecticut. the mills OF NeW-,b
ford Lowell. and a large number OF smalet pIdcees
IN This State and NcW-Iiamps hfe. Inc ,NtIditlC
and Pacific CORPORATIONS. OF Lawrence, aho pIOui-
bly, the other cotton mills tl.rc ana IN on on wv
places elsewhere will make a cut next MOiludH. -
The cut amounts about - per cent III many
places but in several centres it is IL 10 per cent
and higher. While N a Few siha'' MINIS j. -
only about per cent 49,, .s e,,.,
caly by the operatives in other centres, and II IS
said they are prepared 10 hold out until SpTlhe.
The National ORGANIZATION OF textile unions mas
also voted 10 support the New Bedford strike
Il is estimated that the reduction means . loss
Of between S75 600 and $4,000 week to the wage
earners in the States. and the additional loss 10
strikers in various centres II they remain ldle
even for short time, VIII swell this amount 10
much larger hgure.