The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-02
PRAY FOR RAIN.
Lack of Water May
Cause Webster
Mills to Stop.
SOME ALREADY LACK POWER.
Shoe Strike Goes On as
Merrily AS
Ever.

Webster, Nov. mill owners in this
vicinity who operat their factories by
water power, are praying for deluge
Of rain, Never in the history Of the
Manexit river has it been so low as
now. except in instances when the wa
ter has been drawn off by artificial
means.
Along the banks of this river are sit
uated nearly ell of the mills in this
section, and they are nearly all oper-
ated by water power. In some cases
steam is also motive power, but the
river is relied upon principly. Last
night at o'clock the Perryville mills
ceased operations, and today the en-
ployes Of the concern are enjoying an
enforced vacation, Water was alone the
power that operatived this mill but
lately the river has sunk so low that it
was next to impossible to get enough
power to keep the machinery going fast
enough.
The big wooden mills at the south viii
lage are working in a roundabout fash
ion. The water is so low and the power
accordingly so weak that only half Of
the big plant can work in daytime,
while the other rooms work at night
The water power has been discarded,
but not enough steam can be got up
only to run certain rooms, and during
the day various departments are com
PEELED to load and run at night when
the parts that were being operatiVed
during the day are closed. The assist
ant superintendent, II. M. Knowlton, is
responsible for the statement that the
entire plant will cease operations Sat
urday unless something can be done to
~.
Rain came down in showers last night
and this morning, and soaked the
ground but it was only q drop in the
bucket compared to the amount need
ed to restore the now almost drained
river.
The strike in the Mckay sewing de-
partment at Bates shoe factory still
continues. The striking operatives are
just as determined not to go back under
the cut as when they quit, and as the
management does not seem to relax, it
is probable that a controversy will
spring Up at the factory before the mat
ter is settled. Tonight there are about
$50 cases ahead of the sewers, but as
there are no sewers to do the work, they
remain a serious hinderanee to the run
ming of the shop. Unless new sewers
are secured, and it is not probable I'M
close In few days, as the other de-
partments cannot work unless there is
work for them to do, and while the
Mckay sewers are out there cannot be
any. When the shoes that the strikers
last worked on are completed, the doors
Of the factory will be closed.
In Few days, John F. Chase, accom-
panied by Vernon Jewell and eolored
jockey will leave for SavanGah, Ga,
for the winter, where Chase has several
stables Of blooded animals. He will
take with him seven of the horses he
has had during the summer training
when he goes.
John H. Putnam, Webster's heavy
hitter of last summers ball team, re-
Gently engaged in coaching the Worces-
ter Tech foot ball team, returned to
Worcester last night, after few hours
in town He has quit the Tech. He is
going to Gushing academy, Ashburn-
ham, where he will train the team of
that college for while.
Today was observed as All Saints
day, and the Catholic churches and
schools observed the day. The churches
held special masses this morning,
while there was no session at the
schools.
The David Harnum recital in Odd
Fellows hall tomorrow night, under the
auspices of the A. o. U. W., will be
largely attended. Augustus P. Howell
Of Beaton will be the chief attraction of
the evening.
The Ladies' auxiliary of Division II,
A. o. H., will hold a carnation party in
the opera house next Monday night
AS the republican party could not Sc
cure the speakers they wanted, there
will not be any rally in Music hall Fri
day night, as was arranged.