Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-09
WEAVERS STRIKE.
Trouble at American Wooden
Co.'S. Fairfield Mill.
The Strike Is Partly in Sympathy
With Other Strikers
And Partly on Account of Certain Lo-
cal Conditions.


The weavers in the wooden mill Of the
American Wooden 90. Of this town,
went out on q strike, Thursday morn
ing In some respects the strike is
similar to those that are now in
progress in other mills Of the company
and in other respects is dissimilar, the
difference being caused by special To-
cal conditions. In a way the strike is
the first step in the effort to carry the
fight against the company into Maine.
This may perhaps be considered as the
chief cause. This movement is aided
by some of the local conditions, and
the walking delegates are pushing their
arguments. based on these conditions,
for all they are worth.
In the first place. it is claimed that
the cost of living is higher in this
town than in many other places where
the men receive about the same wages
and this position is we'll taken. Board
costs from "a to $3.50, which is from
81 to $3.50 more than in some other
places where the mills Of the company
are located. Tenement houses are very
scarce and rent is therefore compare
lively high These conditions give rise
10 one of the best arguments of the
strikers for more wages. But the
American Wooden co. naturally cannot
consider these. If they advance wages
here in the local mill they viii make
a big opening for attack, or in other
words Will make breach in their wall
of defense in other places.
About 30 per cent. of the Weavers in
the local mill are beginners. The
average for the whole number is about
So per week. Some of the beginners
earn considerable more than this and
some Of the older hands earn more.
Some of the men make 50 per week and
some 80 or more. Then the grade Of
goods now being manufactured by the
mill is not so favorable to the weaVers
as the light stock and other kinds that
viii come later in the season. The
prices paid in the mill are about the
same. all things considered, as those
Of other mills of the company.
When the local prices are compared
with the Providence schedule the aver
age is about the same. But the men
say that the comparison of the local
prices with those of other places is
not fair because Of the greater cost Of
living here. They claim that the wages
on. in reply 10 this the mill authori-
ties point to the employees Of the pulp
mill and other industries, whose wages,
they claim, do not average as high as
those of the wooden mill employees. The
average number employed in the
wooden mill is 200 and the weekly pay
roll is from $500 to $1,000 per week.
1t is claimed that the pay roll of other
industries in town will not compare
favorably with this.
one of the most perpleXing of the 10
cal conditions is the rents. There are
not enough in the town to accommo-
date all the employees of the wooden
mill. superintendent Anderson tried to
influence the company to put up some
tenemcnts, but they refused on the
ground that they We're obliged to build
tenements in several other places where
they have mills and did not feel like
doing tins in Fairfield.
Eut the superintendent was author
lied to make the proposition to any
local responsible party that if a block
of tenement houses would be erected
the company would guarantee interest
on the investment at the rate of 10
per cent. The company was willing;
to do this even If it should lose money
by the deal, but it did not feel like
going ahead and building tenements
OF lis own.
The influence of the scarcity of rents
on the wooden business has been this :
A ditferent~class of help has been en-
ployed, what is known to the business
as FOUNDERS" or tramp weavers.
These men have nothing to hold them
in any particular place and are as will
ing to work in California as in Maine
When a strike is being agitated they
make fertile field for the walking
delegate as they have no special in
terests at stake. If the fight goes
against them they have simply to take
their hat and walk out to count sleep
ers or ride first class to the next mill
1t is claimed by the local mill authori-
ties that n good per cent. of their for
eign weavers belong to this class.
With plenty of tenements different
class Of help is secured, what is known
as family help. This means men with
families who settle in the town and
call it home. A strike means much
more to them, for if it goes against
them it means the moving of the house
hold goods as well as their head gear.
Naturally, therefore, they are much
harder for the delegate to work and
with Il majority of them employed a
strike is much more difficult
The members of the committee which
represents the strikers are all men who
have been employed at the mill short
terms. One of them has been working
here six weeks. the second eight weeks
and the third 10 weeks The mill au-
thoritieS claim that these men repre-
sent the FOUNDERS" who are always the
more willing for a strike. and that the
weavers of the mill outside their class
are not particularly favorable to the
strike.
SO much for the peculiar local condi-
IiohS Now the general conditions are
much the same as those that have gov
erned in Rhode Island and in other
states where the American Wooden Co.
mas mills. Most people are familiar
with the fight that is being made there
and which originated over a dispute
regarding the two-loom system in the
mills. The weavers have been in the
Tight since February and have been
making desperate efforts to cripple the
company. They have had more or less