The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-01

ttdl u tle-uD VI uDOul all lis
silk mills in this regions is possible
ity Of the very near future if the strike
fever continues TO grow as 1t has dur
ing the week.
The strike at Harvey Bros silk mill,
on Washington avenue, which was de-
clared Wednesday afternoon, was.
It is said. amicably settled at
n meeting between the three
rundred employees and the pro-
prietors of the mill at u meeting held
yesterday morning. II was given ouc
that they would return 20 work this
morning. NJ. y. Flaherty, of tho Gem
tral Labor union. said last night that
the girls would not return this morn
ing.
The strike fever among silk mill help
has spread. however, and Wednesdays
actions of the Harvey silk workers re-
suited in between four and five hun
drcd girls employed by the Sauauoit
silk Manufacturing company yester-
day quitting work, and last night the
officials of the latter company antici-
patcd a general strike, as 1t is not
likely that the minority of hands will
hold out against the will OF the major
ity, who seem In favor of Il strike.
Besides these two notable instances,
strikes have also been declared by the
employees at Valentine Bliss silk mill
IN North Scranton and the Klots
Throwing company's plant in North
scranton. The latter was the first COM
pany to feel the strike agitation, and
over hundred hands are now out and
the mill idle. The Klots officials claim
that the wages paid the girls in their
employ have always been fair and just,
and no more can be done for them
than they have always enjoyed.
BLISS EMPLOYEES.
The Bliss employees went out early
this week. At Harvey Bros mill the
hands went out Wednesday and a meet
ing Was arranged for yesterday morn
ing. Higher wages was the sole COM
plant of the strikers, and this was er-
fectually overcome. The new scale Of
wages offered and accepted is practic-
ally the same as that declared effect
I've. February 4. by the Sauquo!t COM
pany.
The latter. apprehensive of the grow
ing pro-strike feeling, yesterday MORN
ing declared voluntary raise OF wages
cd 10 an average of about eight per
cent, and covered all the departments.
No formal requests had been made
by the employees for an increase in SAL
airy, and Superintendent Davis and the
other company officials believed that
the offered increase would effectually
ward off any impending trouble. The
notices showing the ratio of advance
were posted in all the departments,
but nevertheless at noon the strike ar
rived. About two hundred and fifty
girls, between the ages of thirteen and
sixteen years, loudly announced their
intention to stop work, and after their
lunch refused to return to work.
CONTINUED TO LEAVE
These girls We're from various de-
partments. doublers. spinners, etc. Dur
ing the afternoon there was a cOntinu-
Gus stream OF girls leaving the build
ing and by evening the only depart :
ment untouched was the one in which
the weaving takes place. In this lat
ter are employed five hundred OF the
older and more skilled help. The wages
earned here by the average worker run
from s. TO IS a week. and the ma jority
OF the weavers are perfectly satisfied.
Whether or not they will have the
courage TO hold out against the per
suasiOns or threats of the strikers re-
mains yet TO be seen. Altogether there
are between thirteen hundred and four
teen hundred hands at the mill ana
all of these may be OUT today.
Superintendent Davis said to Trib.
une man yesterday:
I'm the event OF all the hands going
out today and we can not get immed.
ate help, We will. OF course, have to
close the mill for awhile. However,
can frankly say that the company will
make no more concessions. We have
always been fair in our dealings with
our people, ana the raise we granted
them was given without amy demands
or supplicatlons of any sort.
The younger more inexperienced
gfrss seem to be the agitators in this
trouble and don't seem particularly
clear as to their grievances. No scale
has been proposed. and / merely at
tribute this strike to a sympathy feel
ing, now that all the silk mills are
having trouble. / know, for my part,
that Il number of the girls here are
striking against their own will"
SCALE OF PRICES.
The scale OF prices offered by the
Sauquoit officials varies In the differ
ent departments, and is graded accord
ing 10 ability and in some cases ac-
cording to the fincness OF various kinds
of work. The girls getting $3.50 wages
Il week receive an increase of twenty
five cents, OF ten per cent, while