The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-28
SOUTHERN CHEAP LABOR.
Northern Cotton Factory Forced To
Close and Inhabitants To Leave.

close and Inhabitants TO Leave.
Hartford Comm Letter In New York Teie-
gram.
Cheap labor in the South is said 10 be re-
sponsible for the abolition on three weeks
notice Of a payroll Of $4,000 a month in
a village OF two thousand inhabitants. That
is what is rapidly Transforming the pretty
New England hamlet OF New Hartford.
few miles west Of here, into a typical de
serted village"
In 1893 John c. Smith. who had been a
manufacturer in Massachusetts,. visited
New Hartford and in that section OF it
known since colonial days as Greenwoods
saw a good location for a cotton factory.
Associating several capitalists with him
self including the father Of the Rev.
Francis Goodwin. of this city. he built what
was a large mill for those days and en-
gagged in the manufacture of cotton duck
Since that time several fortunes have been
taken out Of the concern. which has con-
tinued in the Smith family, Robert Smith
succeeding his father and being succeeded
on his death. in 1890. by his brother. Walter
NJ. Smith, the present general manager.
After Southern competition began TO make
itself felt the concern saw some compare
lively hard times but it paying divi-
dend OF per cent. easily when it alb
sorbed recently by the trust known as the
Mount Vernon-Woodbery Cotton Duck Cor
pOration. Mr.. Smith, the manager, lived IN
hopes that there would be no change in the
business. and when the mandate for re-
moval came he was as sadly surprised as
any one, but he was powerless. The bust
ness is TO b. removed TO Tallassee Falls
Ala, and the mill here is 10 be abandoned
on Sept. j. Ii employs between 700 aud
500 persons. with their families, making
about 100 souls, or more than half the
population Of the village. Outside Of the
village proper there are about lSo persons
in the town. farmers.
While a large proportion OF the employees
Hungarians and French Canadians. OF
exceedingly thrifty habits, many are Amer
leans, who have worked for the firm for
years and have built their neat little
homes, which give the village its charm.
These are the ones who Will suffer most
by the change and il is the loss Of them
that will be the most serious blow 10 the
community.
a walk through the streets of the village
even to-day is enough TO give one the
shivers," in the language OF a store pro-
prietor. Some OF the houses are locked
up and the gardens are oVerrun with
weeds. gates are off their hinges and signs
of To let are conspicuous on every hand
Closing out at cost is displayed IN large
type in some OF the store windows, and
the very churches wear mournful air, TOR
il is estimated that already 400 Of the en-
ployes, or 500 persons, have left town.
conductor on train says 500 left during
the week, and more are going by every
train. Hay wagons and trucks file through
the streets to the little station piled up
with household effects and few besides the
Overseers and the house owners remain.
Indeed. Mr.. Smith says. If the exodus con-
tinues at the present rate he viii be un-
able TO fill the orders now on hand.
Most of the operatives who have depart
ed have found employment in cotton mills
in Massachusetts, whose agents hurried
here. when the news of the shut down was
published. None Of them Will go South.
II is the general belief that the reason
for the removal OF the plant is that in the
South there are no laws against child labor
and no restrictions 10 hours, for IL is said
on good authority that the raw material
can be landed in New Hartford about
cheaply as il can be in Alabama