The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-28
Pontiac Operatives Have Voted 10 Return 10
Work on Monday Next.
ROYAL AND VALLEY QUEEN MILLS.
The Only onss IN The Paw Isl VALLEY in Which The
Operatives Rsman 0ul-1hsJ Viii Probably
lcms In.o Line Soon.

The end OF the strike among the Paw
tuAet valley cotton operatives is in
sight. The beginning of the end was
the return of the Lippitt weavers to
their looms and at the wages against
which they had struck. This disheart-
ened the Natick operatives, who began
week ago Monday to SO into the mill
and day after cay the accession to the
ranks OF the workers increased SO
steadily that last Tuesday nearly one
half the looms were running. This was
too much for the strikers, Tor they saw
that others were taking their places
and voluntarily they ueciIed TO go TO
work, and did so yesterday.
Some of the Nauck help did not seek
for employment for the reason that
several families had moved back To
Canada, fearing that a long summer of
enforced idleness was before them and
they could live much more cheaply
there than they could In the states. 9th
ers had found work in other cotton
manufacturing centers, ana this gave
work to several who had come into the
village because they had heard that the
machinery was TO be started up again.
stranger dropping into Natick yes
terday would not have known that
there had been strike and that the
music of the looms singing OF industry
and prosperity had been interrupted by
the dlscord OF discomfort.
The action OF the Natick operatives
had its effect upon the strikers at Pom
tiac. There the weavers had been very
firm and IL was said that they would
fH=etft,Eetat- yesterday y-aft tefaseeff
they took a common sense view OF the
situation and voted TO return to their
work next Monday.
This leaves the Royal and Queen
mills operatives at Riverpoint the only
representatives of the big strike who
have not taken a back track They will
probably do so and without much fur
ther delay. They were scheduled to
hold a meeting tomorrow afternoon, at
which a secret ballot was to be taken
relative to the question OF returning to
work; but the action of the Natick and
Pontiac help has startled the origlna-
tors OF the strike. and they will hold a
conference this afternoon and probably
vote TO go back on Monday.
The strike has been costly one all
around. 1t began on the Sd instant. In
the first three weeks there was lost 10
the operatives an aggregate OF $4,000
In wages. That is under rather than
over the actual figures. and II Is esti-
mated that by tomorrow night the
wages sacrificed will have reached a
total OF $4,000.
This means that the tradespeople OF
the Pawtuxet valley have lost not less
than $780, 900 in cash business and that
they have allowed credits TO run up to
sum total which will be a load for
them to carry for long time. Every
body has run behind and business has
been hampered In every way.
The operatives OF the Kent Woolen
company at Centerville claim they have
been cut more than % per cent. since
1893 and have received a raise OF only
a per cent and that some OF the pay
taken from them on the plea OF hard
times should be restored In order that
they may earn more than IS week.
They want the 1898 schedule restored.
At present the price paid per yard for
30-pick work Is .052 cents: for 40-pick
work .064 and for 60-pick work .09 cents
They also claim that the filing is so
poor that II Is almost impossible to
make perfect work. and the fines great
Iy reduce earnings. They complain, too
that much OF the work is fine shuttle
work. for which half a cent more per
yard should be paid.