New-York tribune., 1903-07-24
COTTON MILLS CLOSE.
Manufacturing Checked by High
Prices for Cotton.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. J

Hoosick Falls N Y, July 23.-Mill owners
and operators in this part Of the county are
closing cotton mills because Of the scarcity OF
cotton and the high prices. Mills at North
Pownal, VT and the Williamstown Manufact-
uring Company. Of Williamstown, Mass ootn
operated by the same concern. will be closed
Saturday night for at least ten days, awaiting
developments. These mills have some cotton
left but as owners have concluded that the
price of cotton will be maintained until new
cotton is placed on the market. they have de-
cided that it would be good policy to close AZ
this time in order to avoid shortage later OF
By the closing of the North Pownal and Will
Jamestown plants large force of operatives Is
thrown out of work. for a short time al least'
Some of them will seek employment eisewneIss' sSis
thus placing their late employers az %;I, ulSaT
vantage when they are ready 10 start asIia., So.
Some have given out statelhent eIos& 5i1%'
work will be resumed one week AIoiH ~. 49, In
evidently trusting that the price or COTTON VIZ M
be down to the average by that IlIe. - Lo'
the same reason mills in New-Englano are Gus
ing 20 .or+s q Dound
When the mills bought in December tor VIII
ter stock the price was or cents
Lowell. Mass. July 23.-The only cotton man
ufacturing company in Lowell 10 curtain pr
duction on account of the high price OF raw ma
reriaI is the Lawrence Manufacturing Company
which make underwear, hosiery and yarn Ihls
corporation did not run Saturday of last Week.
will not next Saturday. and may continue 'iie
curtailrnent indefinitely. The Lawrence com
pany usually employs about thirty-hV huhoreo
operatives, and the full force is now al ""rN'
It is the only one Of the seven large cotton COM
panies of Lowell which was not compehed 10
stop work during the strike in April ana May
The Lawrence does not curtail on account OF
the scarcity Of cotton 1t has enough to run full
time until the new crop begins to come ln ouI II
seeks to be conservative in productloh- Inc
six other cotton companies are running at ap
proximately the customary extent 1or liiusu nus III
mer. W. S. SouthWorth, secretary OF lhe vi
ganization OF agents. estimates that I,olG Ia .Loi,
30 per cent of the machinery IN opeId'io-l "eo0 o
the strike is now running, with the force OF opeI
atives in the same proportion. Four loCal lrIiis ms
sold more or less cotton during the strike pLt
enough was kept by all to carry them through
the season. and contracts made before the s'rlhe
began are being filed. ,.
Other mills in the Merrimac valley are dIso
understood to be we'll supplied, and in TINS sec
ton no mill of any size excepting the Lawrence
has chosen to curtail at all ,.o
A. G. Cumnock, treasurer OF the APpIeCi'
Manufacturing Company. hears OF no move
ment toward the restriction of output save tnaI
of the Lawrence company, and every local lhui,
cation Is that the enforced curtaiment in April
and May is the only one this year.
Fall River, Mass, July 23.-The continued
high price Of cotton has brought local manu-
facturers face to face with unusual conditions.
There is a market for their goods. but they re-
fuse to supply it, for the reason that few OF
them are in a position to do so without loss
Few mills have any great quantity of the raw
material on hand. Those supplied bought when
the quotation was under 10 cents, and they are
still able to sell cloth at marke+ prices with
margin of profit. They will continue to meet
the demand until their supply Of cotton gives
out Some would be In a bad way were not the
majority of contracts running out Mills meet
ing contracts made months ago with cotton at
present prices are doing so at loss
week 100000 spindles were stopped and i.lOO
hands were idle This week 100000 spindles
were stopped. and other mills will not operate
next week. In a short time, unless there is a
change in the cotton market. some of the mills
will close for an indefinite period. as their man
ayers refuse to buy cotton at present figures.
None of the mills. with the possible exception
Of Borden's iron works plant. can operate be-
yond October without buying more cotton. There
is serious thought of disturbing the wage
schedule. No reasonable cut could be made to
meet the high price of cotton, and curtailment
or complete idleaess until conditions are favora-
BILE is the only course open to the mill
There is surplus stock to meet the demand
for spots, and no long term contracts can be
made