Evening journal., 1898-01-01
WAGES CUT AGAIN.
Rhode Island Cotton Manu-
facturers Take Action.
IT AFFECTS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
The Cutdown Averages About Eleven
Fer Cent. and Mnls In Eastern Con-
necticut Intend, IL Is Said, to
Adopt Similar Measures.

Adopt Similar Measures.
PROVIDENCE, Jan. 1.--After delay
ing their decision TO the last In the hope
that in the meantime conditions might
change so as to render the step unneces-
sary. the agents OF the leading cotton
manufacturing corporations in this
state have decidSd to reduce wages.
The cutdown win average about IL
per cent. 1t viii take effect Jan. II, and
notices to that effect win be posted
Monday In the mills Of B. B. & r..
Knight the I.onsdale company the
Manville. Social aud other companies
controlled by the Lippitts and the
smaller corporations throughout the
state. Mr.. J. w Danielson Of the Quin-
nebaus company, Lockwood Manufac-
turing company and others corporations,
with mills In eastern Connecticut, said
the reduction would take effect at his
mills on Jan. II. although the amount
OF the reduction had not yet been de-
cided upon.
Tho other eastern Connecticut corpo-
rations will take similar action, and
mills operating about 100000 splndles
In this state and Massachusetts and
earnings Of between 10000 and $4,000
operatives viii be affected by this de-
cision OF the Providence agents.
Many firms oppose the reductions and
would have favored running shorter
hours. but they say they cannot AFFORD
70 keep up the cost OF production and
then curtail the output when the other
mills are turning out the regular guam
tity at 10 per cent less cost. The exact
amount OF the reduction Is not fixed
vet. but It win be on the same line as in
other cities.
Comparatively few of the Rhode Is
land factories turn out a product that
completes with that OF the Fall River
mills but the majority. including all.
the heavy goods mills, come In direct
competition with New Bedford. and so
when the mill treasurers OF this city
announced their decision Il rendered ac-
tion by the local agents imperative. Cot
ton manufacturing Is Rhode Islands
greatest industry, and the list of mills
affected, with their capacity and force
of operatives, is as follows
Social Manufacturing company at
WoonsoclSet, 1877, 900 spindles. 3099 looms,
about 1900 hands, and the Manvllle
company at Manville. n, 900 spindles,
2.450 looms, about 400 hands.
The Goddard mills control the Ions
dale company Of Ashton and the Lons-
dale. r. l., 10000 spindles $500 looms;
Berkeley company, Berkeley. r. l., as
900 spindles, 1850 looms; Blackstone
company Blackstone, Mass, 4S,4O0
spindles, 1921 looms; Hope company,
A, 1000 spindles, $50 looms.
y. p. y r. Knight company operate
about 425o0O spindles estimated 5000
people Operatives and families) 70 be
affected by 100000 spindles.
Tho mills are as follows:
jackson Manufacturing company
Fiskeville. r. l.. 1900 spindles, 1900
looms: Arctic mills. Arctic, $1,000 spin
dies. 1857 looms Lippitt mill Phoenix,
r. l., 92S2 spindles, 23i looms; Natick
mill. Natick. r. l., $4,000 spndes. 3,1OC
looms; PQntlac mill, Pontiac, r.. l., %,
0QD spindies GA looms; Royal mills a.
$40 spndles 1914 LOOMS Valley Linen
mills, 1900 splndles 400 looms; White
Rock mills Westerly. r. l.. 27.60O spin
dies, 7O5 looms; Clinton Manufacturing
company, 21.3OO spindles 5i2 looms
Fiskevilie mills. $3.50 spindles. SO looms
The Goddard mills probably affect
10000. Lippitt mills about 0,500 and the
knight mills $4,000 people.
Colonel r. II. 1. Goddard, in discuss.
ing the cutdown, said:
Il should have preferred TO keep the
wages where they are and run shorter
hours for. say four months, but as tn,
rest decided 10 run fun time we shall
be obliged TO do the same. No doubt
the first action taken in Fall River was
largely due to southern competition
The low wages and standard of living
with the longer hours. there make Il
very hard for us TO compete with them
In our mills wages were almost neve
higher than at the present time, excep
o-in the period of imitation during th'
war And the worklngman lives cheap
er today than ever before / do no
think that the cotton manufacturing
business win ever leave New Englan,
for the south, bus things viii have &
equalize themselves. The south has M
advantage over us other than wages AM
length Of working hours"
Mr. Robert Knight said OF the cut
down:
1--WE have got to put ourselves on
level with the other manufacturers. w
are opposed to A.. and I do not heliev
Il Is going to better conditions yer
much. It VIII only bring us 10 per cen
nearer the southern manufacturers
This Is the key 10 the whole situation
and where today the southern mills ar
sold up and can go on making and sell
ing at a profit we are carrying stock
and when we sell cannot get back
new dollar for an old one. About a
- the good that this reduction in wage
gili do VIII he 70 open the eyes Of som
the labor agitators TO things tha
do not seem TO see now.
legislatures have done niue
the north by interfering. an
IS have attempted more than the
8d any business TO. and a change wi
- have to be made in present laws
laws viii nave TO be made In the soui
to regulate the working hours there"
CutdoVvn In New Bodfora