The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-05

The Simpson silk mill at NIinooka
was voluntarily closed yesterday by
the management and the forces of the
striking textile workers We're thereby
augmented by about three hundred and
fifty recruits. Ever since the begin
ming OF the strike movement there has
been great deal of strike talk"
among the hands. and much dissatis-
faction expressed.
The proprietors therefore decided to
close the mill until the present agita-
tion Is over, and this determination
was yesterday morning announced to
the girls. In answer to their demands,
superintendent Butler announced that
the Simpson people would be willing to
pay the same wages as those offered
the Sauquoit workers by Superintend-
ent Davis, in the notices posted last
week, offering a general eight per cent.
increase.
OF the larger establishments the
only two now running are the Cam
bria Silk company's mill. in Dunmore,
and the Petersburg silk Manufacturing
company's plant. Valentine Bliss con-
trolls the former, and Reilling. David &
Schoen the latter. The Petersburg
girls have given the proprietors notice
that they will continue work until the
uniform wage scale is formulated by
the unions committee. This scale will
he presented to Reilling, David G.
Schoen, together with the other mill
owners. today, and In case the Peters
burg proprietors do not accept the
scale, the hands threaten to join the
other strikers.
SCALE PRESENTED.
superintendent Davis, of the Sauquot
silk mill, was waited upon by the
strikers scale committee yesterday
and a wage scale presented, establish
ing rates to be paid the mill employees.
Superintendent Davis returned this
and made q counter offer.
He declared that the company's vol
untary offer made last week, Offering
an average increase of eight per cent,
still held good, and this was supple
mented by an additional offer to the
weavers, for whom no provision was
made in the notices which were last
week posted. They are paid according
to the amount of work done, and the
fineness of the material upon which
they are employed. In some cases the
increase offered amounts to one-halt
cent a yard.
The weavers demanded an average
increase of twenty-six per cent, in
some instances demanding a raise OF
one and one-half cents on the yard
Mr.. Davis offer is considerably smaller
than their demand, and accompanying
his approval the Sauquoit superintend-
ent gave out his ultimatum. He said:
III our complete offer, that made last
week. and my proposal of today to the
Weavers is not accepted by tomorrow
noon, everything will be called off The
company will withdraw the entire
scale offered"
Yesterday afternoon the strikers
committee was busily engaged in
working on another scale, the demands
OF which will be less peremptory. In
establishing the uniform wage scale
the committee strikes an average be-
tween the highest and intermediate
wages now paid, and uses this as a
basis wage upon which to operate. The
scale will be completed this morning
and will be put before the various mill
owners this afternoon.
ANOTHER VISIT TO-DAY.
The committee will wait upon the
Sauquoit, Haveys, Bliss, Simpson and
Petersburg mill authorities and present
to them the scale, later reporting upon
the matter to the union. The offer
| made by Superintendent Davis Is in
reality one which would be granted by
| all the mills, as Superintendent Joseph
Harvey has already announced his ac-
quiescence, and the Klots people are
quoted as having expressed their will
ingness to pay the same wages as go
into effect at the Sauquoit. The offer
yesterday made to the Simpson hands
was practically the same as that which
Superintendent Davis made.
Yesterday afternoon the striking en-
| ployes of Harvey Bros mill met in the
| Central Park hall, in South Scranton,
| and there We're organized into a local
| The work of organization was conduct
| ed by j. f. Hammes, of the Stonecut-
ters union, and Miss Matthews and
Miss Jordan, Of the Hand Silk Work
ers' union,