Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-31
BATTLE IS ON.
LoweII's Great Cotton Mills
Deserted and Silent.
Nearly 10000 People Start What
May Be Long Vacation.
Mill Agents Will Finish Work, Take
Stock and Rest.

textile labor, today, showed it's strength
in the shutdown of the seven largest
cotton mills here and not content with
this the Textile Council, the delegate
body of the local unions, considered the
advisability of compelling an even wild
er application of the shutdown order
by producing strike in the Lawrence
Hosiery. This hosiery was exempted
from the strike order, last week, the
Knitters' Union being permitted to re-
main neutral. as they had shown that
they had no grievances either in wages
or time schedule. The council, tonight,
did not find the strike extension well
received, and the outlook is not favor
able for a strike of the knitters.
The incident was the chief one of the
first day Of the unprecedented shut
down of the big cotton mills in Lowell.
To one not familiar with the city the
aspect of the streets was that of Tol-
iday or Sunday. Operatives wore their
best clothes and promenaded the side
walks; no smoke came from the tall
chimneys, and there was an absence of
the hum of industry which marks a
rushing, busting New England mill
city. No trouble of any kind occurred
at the mill gates, through which many
operatives passed at different times,
and nothing occurred on the streets or
at the meeting places of strikers to
bring forth criticism. Labor unions
met, some IA of them using various
halls and being addressed by either
their own officers or prominent labor
men of other bodies.
The running of the Lawrence Hos
iery, it is said by labor men, may lead
to some friction a little later despite
the permitted neutrality of the knitters.
Already other operatives are CRITICS.
ing the Textile Council for allowing
part of the Lawrence to run. The Tex
tile Council took no action in the mat
ter. tonight, except to arrange for a
mass meeting, tomorrow night.
The Loom FiXers' Union has chosen
walking delegates to visit other New
England cities and inform unions of the
situation in Lowell.
The Greeks held meeting, some 700
of them attending, and they decided
against joining the union or drawing
any money from the union treasury.
They were of the opinion that the mon
the union members and if there was a
surplus a little might be given to the
Greek church.
Lowell, Mass, March 30-For the
first time in many years on a working
day the bells on the great cotton mills
in this city We're silent, Monday morn
ing, and the streets usually marked by
the hurry and hustle of thousands of
operatives on their way to work were
still and almost deserted. Although
the shutdown of the seven plants af-
fected by the strike order of the Tex
tile Council which was asked to enforce
a demand for a 10 per cent. increase in
wages, was issued, Saturday, it's full
effect was not apparent until Monday,
all the operatives having been in their
places when the notices were posted.
Absolute quiet prevailed in the sec
ton occupied by the cotton factories,
Monday forenoon. No demonstration
of any kind occurred and the period of
inactivity, the duration of which can
not definitely be predicted, began with
out notable incident, save perhaps, the
fact that a few men and women who
had started to finish up some work in
the cloth rooms of one or two of the
mills, We're turned back by committees
from the labor union. This was done
in a way which attracted no attention
from outsiders and the operatives
yielded readily to the suggestions of
the committees.
OF the seven corporations which are
shut down four had practically no help
working, Monday. AT the Merrimac
and at the Hamilton plants the print
works were not closed. These depart
ments are not directly involved in the
contest over wages but they are af-
fected by the suspension in that when
the present stock of material is finished
they will be forced into idleness. 1t is
thought there is enough cloth on hand
to last for about two weeks.
The Merrimac works will finish what
they have at once. The Hamilton mill
will spend the next week or two in
taking account of stock and then finish
up the goods on hand.
At the Lawrence mills the hosiery de-
partment was in operation, the union
having decided that the knitters there
should be considered neutral. There
was some fear that disturbance might
occur Monday morning when this help
went In but nothing developed.
The office forces at the several mills
were at work as usual. Nothing could
be learned as to whether this class of
employees would be affected by the con-
ditions now prevailing.
At the Massachusetts mills the en-
gineers and small force of men were
taking down the engine and taking
such other steps as were considered
necessary to prevent damage to the
machinery. The same method will be
adopted by most of the other mills and |
some of them, it is understood, will
improve the time during suspension of
operations TO make necessary repairs.
In spite of the presence of these few
employees here the cotton mill district
appeared deserted and there appeared
to be little change from Monday and
a Sabbath quiet. There was an appar-
-. obcauca of activity abo,,t %l,o So