The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-12
$IO,OOO,OOO
ANNUALLY.
Advance in Wages OF Cotton
Mill Employees
Benefits 100000 Workers and
Million People.
$1SO,OOO PER WEEK
In Excess Of the Pay They
Have Been Getting.
Wooden Mill Hands Are Sharing
in the General Advance.

Boston, Mass, Dec. 1.-THE advance
in wages granted by the Fall River
cotton mills has been allowed by other
New England cotton mill operators and
WOOIen goods manufacturers until now
100000 mill employees are to be granted
increased pay. The advance amounts
in most instances to 10 per cent The
new scale goes in effect in some dis
tricts at once, While other operators
have set January as the date when
the higher scale will become operative.
From advances already announced it
is estimated that cotton mill employees
will receive $780, 900 weekly in excess of
their present earnings. The increase to
WOOlen mill operatives thus tar
amounts to about $4,000 weekly.
In round numbers the mill operatives
under the new order will receive $lO,-
100000 per year in excess OF their pres
ent earnings. This is not counting on
advances which may be granted by
mills which have not yet shown dis
position to increase wages
The adoption of a sliding scale is still
being agitated by the print cloth mills,
and a plan of action is being formulated
which will be discussed at Fall River
by the cotton manufacturers assOcia-
tiOn and the representatives of the tex
tiles union on Monday.
Counting the families of the mill
workers, not less than 100000 people
are rejoicing in increased wages and
prospect of steady employment
That the cotton manufacturers can
see their way clear to make such an
advance in wages is proof not only of
the present and prospect volume of
their business, but of gratifying profit.
The contract between the present wage
situation and that Of 1898 is marked.
So severe was the prOstratiOn of busi-
ness then that in Massachusetts COM
mission was appointed to look into and
report upon the subject of the unem-
plOyed.
The prosperity of the woolen trade is
similar. On Friday the executive COM
mittee of the American WOOlen COM
pany voted unanimously to raise the pay
of the operatives in all its mills 10 per
cent. Some 90 600 hands will be affected
by this advance, which applies to the
following concerns:
Washington mills, Lawrence, Mass.
National and Providence woOlen
mills, Providence, r. I.
Saranac mills, Blackstone, Mass.
Fulton wOrsted mill, Fulton, n. 7.
Fitchburg worsted mills, Fitchburg,
Mass.
Beolf mills, Fitchburg, Mass.
Valley worsted mills, Providence,
Riverside worsted mills. Providence.
r. I.
Assabett mills, Maynard. Mass.
Sawyer wooden mills, Dover, N. H.
Faulkner mill, Lowell, Mass.
Collins mills, COIlinsvilIe, Mass.
VassalbOrO woOlen mills, Waterville,
Me.
Puritan wooden mills, Plymouth.
Mass.
ANDERSON mills, SkOW neSan, Me.
jesse Eddy Mills, Fall River, Mass.
MantOn mills, MantOn, r I.
Inman Mills, Harrisville, r. I.
Sheffield wOrsted mills, Pascoag, R. I.
Chase mills, Webster, Mass.
Brown mills, Dover, Me.
Rays woOlen mills Franklin. Mass.
Weybosset mills, Providence, r I.
Baltic mills, Enfield, N. H
Miner mills. A1oOsup. Conn.
Lebanon mills Lebanon, N H
The conditions are such as to war
rant the increase" said William NJ
Wood, treasurer of the association, "as
the WOolen business was never in a
more hOurishing condition than today.
The mills are busy, and are looking for
ward to the new season with the high
est anticipatiOns.
THE situation is a great change from
that OF early last spring, when the
wOOlen goods reached the lowest point
ever known under a protective tariff.
1t looks this season as though these
goods will reach the highest point un-
der a protective tariff
Several independent wooden compan-
les have announced similar advances,
and others are expected to fall in line.