Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-12-05
THE FACTS
OF THE CASE
State of Affairs at Mr.. Vests Plymouth
Mill.

great deal has been printed of late
in the newspapers of this section rela.
tive to labor troubles existing between
Thomas West and the employees of the
Wyoming Valley Knitting Mill of which
he is proprietor. In order to obtain
reliable information relative to the
status of affairs at Mr.. Vests mill at
plymouth representative of this paper
Monday called at the Knitting Mill in
this city, also owned by Mr.. West, and
was accorded an interview
No secret was made of the fact that
trouble exists at the Plymouth mill
But there is no strike The help be-
came dissatisfied, Mr. West affirms, and
rather than experience strike he de-
cided to close his mill The employees
are members of the Central Labor
Union. The wages paid in Mr.. West
mill, however, are higher than the
union rates. Indeed, he declares, that
he was paying higher wages than any
other hosiery manufactory in the whole
valley.
The supply of suitable help in Ply
mouth, it seems, is inadequate to the
demands of the industries. To over
come the difficulty somewhat Mr.. West
installed some very modern knitting
machines Those in use in this city re-
quire girl for every three machines.
The new ones in Plymouth facilitate
the work so much that one girl and a
helper are able to manipulate six mach
ines. When the helper or learner be-
comes proficient she herself is given
charge of six machines with another
girl as learner and thus hands are be-
ing slowly instructed. The amount of
additional work entailed by this ar
rangement which is hardly appreci-
able, Is more than counterbalanced by
the increase of earnings. Besides, the
knitter employs and pays her own help
CT and topper and thus while she is re-
sponsible for quality of work turned out
she is also invested with authority to
direct, to give orders and if necessary to
discharge help. This plan Of work
ing, it seems. does not suit the employees
and it is one of the causes Of dissatis.
faction.
1t begins to look as though Mr. West 5
employees at Plymouth have made q
mistake, as through their action the
town is about losing one of its most
valuable industries. Mr.. West has be-
gun the dismantling of his plant, hav-
ing already shipped away from Ply
mouth 100 of his fine up-to-date knit.
ting machines. Eighty Of these have
arrived at the Danville plant. By max
ing use of the old fiat school house
which he recently leased Mr.. West Sx-
poets to clear considerable space in the
big mill, which will enable him to in.
stall all or nearly all the new machines.
Thus Danville profits by Plymouths
loss. Eighty of the machines shipped
from Plymouth are on their way to the
knitting mill at Millheim, in which Mr.
West holds an interest.
Eighty Of the knitting machines Just
onethird of the original number, re-
main at Plymouth. Those, Mr.. West |
has notified the employees, can be operat-
ed where they are provided sufficient !
number of employees apply in person
and are willing to work at union rates,
which hereafter will be the prices paid, !
before any arrangements are made TO
place the machines elsewhere.
Mr.. West in addition to Danville and
Plymouth owns Knitting Mill at Nan
ticoke. He says that the trouble at Ply
mouth shall not interfere in any way
with work either at this city or Nanti-
coke. He insists that he is paying the
highest wages in the state and anticip-
ates no trouble on that score.
The people of Plymouth if they act
promptly, may be able to keep hold of
one-third of their plant, which before
Tue "OTh VI ulsulduGilnS DeSdu pTONlu- !
ed work for some 800 hands. Mr.. West
seems indifferent as to whether or not
the dissatisfied employees go to work and
declares that he will not recede, pre-
ferring rather to remove his plant.
The dye plant will probably be brought
TO this city. Up to the present it has
been kept in operation at Plymouth, but
II it is found necessary to ship away the
remaining knitting machines, it will
be removed. The Danville
mill is fsvorably situated for dyeing
and Mr.. West for several months past
has been thinking seriously of establish
ing dye plant here.