The Portland daily press., 1898-01-27
STRIKE SITUATION UNCHANGED.
Rumors of Probable Settlement All Ap.
pear to be Unfounded.

strike situation remains practically the
same with both sides holding out as firm
ly as ever to all appearances. The dis
agreeable snow storm Of today had a
tendency to discourage the strikers, but
It's effect Is Of no serious conseq uence.
The mill firemen at meeting of the
union tonight reported that the flremen
at Gil the striking mills had been guaran-
teed that they should be paid at old
schedule prices pending settlement OF
the strike and consequently they will not
join In the movement Of resistance to the
cut down. 1t is necessary for the mill
men in order to NEST the provisions OF
their insurance policies, TO keep certain
amount OF steam pressure up. and this
concession on 5heir part toward the fire
men may undoubtedly be traced to this
cause.
The demands upon the poor departments
for assistance continue. The rumor which
was spread today that an unofficial
proposition had been made through the
medium OF the director Of one Of the
striking nills ana q former member OF
the Spinners' Union now engaged in
other business, does NOS appear 10 have
been started from q reliable source. Inc
general strike committee did not take 1t
up at their session this afternoon, mas
much as 1t did not come to them with
any mark OF atShority.
The strike committee adopted resolu-
tion disappearing of the action of certain
dealers who hays begun q practice OF FUR
nishing free beer 20 the strikers and
strongly condemned such action. The re-
ports from the collectors who have In
charge the contributions to the, general
strike fund, were entirely satisfactory.
1t was recently announced that John
W. Knowles, superintendent OF the
Acushnet mill, was to sail for England,
and now comes the Information that
Superintendent Robert Burgess OF the
Pierce mill, and Albert r. Pierce, son OF
Andrew G. Pierce, who is at the head of
the local manufacturers, are to sail for
Europe on short notice. These facts have
given rise TO belief that the manufaet-
urers intend to buy yarn in England for
the striking mills and thereby be enabled
to manufacture their cloth without this
aid of spinners who, it Is believed, ere
strong enough to stand long strike.
But the weayers' union is not SO power
full, and as there are many non union
weayers now out, it is believed they will
be ready to go back to work whom the
English yarn arrives. The question
comes whether the English mule spinners
will strike when they learn they are
manufacturing year to defeat the strikers
here but the manufacturers say they will
not. sSecretary Samuel Ross of the ma
tionalEmule spinners' union, has advised
the union in England Of. the state Of
affairs.
MATTERS IN FALL RIVER.
Fall River, January 26.-Although the
striking frame spinners at the iron works
mills have no union ar1l are not in the
regular labor union of tlie city, they are
making fight which bids fair to be
stubborn one, at least until all their re-
sources have been expended. They are
gaining in mum bers and this afternoon
succeeded in getting some Of the opera
tives out of No. l mill, thus making the
strike include and affect three of the four
mills operated by this company.
The strikers ut the sycamore mill say
that their places have been partially filled
by help from the other mills, but they re-
fused to go to work today. They claimed
that their pay was reduced about thirteen
per cent and beside this, the speed of the
machinery was increased. They Informed
the mill authorities today that if the fast
pulleys are removed, they will accept the
reduction.
The loom fixers have decided to support
their brethren in New Bedford by ASSESS
ing each member twenty-five cents a
week.
AHlS CSio fOCAA OPOAts-
tives of the King Philip mill met and
devised plan whereby those looked out
may report and be paid. Tonight the
oarders Of the Granite mill held q shop
meeting, at which about twenty five were
present. They reported reduction In their
wages, which in nearly every case Is
above ii 1-9 per cent and in some cases as
high as twenty-five por cent.
After che meeting many of them quoted
f;VurpH. One Young man earned DuU
$8 ~ under the new schedule and pays
So week for board. He earned $4.20 be-
fore the reduction.
Secretary Tansey was instructed to in
terview Agent Shove and ask that the
sohedule be revised. The union will not
accept the reduction as 1t now stands and
will order strike II the wages are not
revised.
Tomorrow night, the carders of the
Laurel Lake will be given a hearing and
on Friday night those of the Hargraves
and Parker will be heard, all on similar
grievances to those Of the Granite. The
Indications of further trouble with the
mem bers of this union are strong TO-
night.
TROUBLE BREWING IN LAWRENCE
Lawrence Mass, January 26.-It looks
as if the operatives of the Pacific mill
have taken the reins in their hands and
Wall oppose the cut down orcered ny
the management. A committee of four
men, representing the mule spinners Of
the Pacific, waited on Agent Parker this
morning AMI laid their demands before
him. Mr. Parker was seen at noon and
said that he had nothing to say to the
newspapers.
1t was learned, however. that the only
demand the spinners made was that the
reduction Of 10 per cent in wages be with
drawn. Mr.. Parker is said to have re-
piled that he would lay their demands
before the board of directors at the earliest
opportunity.
. The operatives in this department are
all agreed that they will see their demands
through to the end, and the outcome OF
the affair will be regarded with interest
by all the mill operatives in the city.
The united textile workers met tonight
in Carpenters hall. Seventy new mem
bers were added. During the meeting
a '"spy" was discovered and was elected
after q hot session. The union is being
strongly organized and all efforts will be
in this direction for the present. The
union will net act on the question or