Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-15
More Testimony As to Cost Of
Running Cotton Mills.
Textile Council President After In
formation, Not Giving It.
Investigation Board Finishes at Lowell,
Going to Fitchburs.

State Board of Cancellation and Arbi-
tration, the first witness called on the
opening day had not completed his tes-
timony when the hearing was resumed,
Tuesday forenoon.
The witness, Southworth, agent of
the Massachusetts, cotton mills and the
leading authority in Lowell, has been
subjected to a trying cross-examination
and at the opening it was expected he
would give way to another witness dur
ing the session.
Various unions are sending out ac-
credited representatives to arrange for
financial assistance in other mill CEN
tiers. The strikers are not in financial
straits but the leaders consider it wise
10 perfect arrangements for long bat
tie.
The attendance at the beginning Of
Tuesdays hearing was much larger
than that of Monday. AS soon as the
proceedings We're opened Edward Me-
Vey, attorney for the Textile Council,
sought to have admitted as evidence
the names of the directors of the Lowell
cotton mills, Chicopee and Dewight
mills of Chicopee, Wyman of Holyoke,
renee, Amory and Amoskeag of Man
chester, Cocheco of Dover, N. H, Great
Falls of Somersworth, Gilmanton, New
Market and Salmon Falls mills in New
hampshire and Pepperell mills of Bid
deford, Maine, and York corporation of
Saco.
1t was the purpose of the Textile
Council to show that men interested in
Lowell mills were interested in many
other mills in northern New England
which did not advance wages when
New Bedford and Fall River did. The
request was taken under consideration.
Mr.. Southworth was briefly question:
ed by Mr.. McVey, who asked if it was
possible to have the board furnished
with list of wages paid in the Massa-
chusetts plant, including the two lowest
and two highest paid employees in all
departments. Mr.. Southworth was
willing to furnish list but it would
take time to complete it.
The afternoon session was cut short
at $50 by the desire of the board to
reach Fitchburg before the day ended,
in order to bring about a solution of the
difficulty at the Park Hill cotton mills
there, if possible.
The examination of Mr.. Southworth
was completed soon after the hearing
was resumed after lunch.
Mr.. Southworth explained the differ
ance in the so-called modern cotton
mills and those built many years ago,
the Lowell mills being numbered among
the latter.
The modern mills, he said, were built
with a fore-knowledge of what they
expected to accomplish. The Lowell
mills were doing the work they were
not designed to do, owing to changes
in machinery and methods of manu-
facture. The advantages in modern
mills were many. A modern mill in the
North, said Mr.. Southworth, all things
being equal in the nature of wages
hours, etc. can undersell the old style
mill. The mills in New Bedford were
rs a rule modern, as were those in
Fall River. Mr.. Southworth thought
the cost of living in Lowell was low
as compared with that in other cities.
Regarding freight charges in New
Bedford and Fall River, the latter city
enjoyed an advantage of so cents a
ton on coal over Lowell. The same
rate applied to raw material and sup
plies. Mr.. Southworth said his plant
consumed about 10000 tons of coal
yearly.
Mr.. Southworth was questioned re-
sarding his income but he declined to
give the information, referring any
question of salary to the treasurer's
books in Boston, where experts were
1t wo.l.
fhr ,f,,,% f1,, 81
Mr.. Southworth had been concluded
ddressed the board, claiming that the
.ontentions of the opposite side re-
sarding the so-called modern mills
we're worthless, inasmuch as no specific
mill had been brought in. He thought |
he modern mills referred to had been
largely theoretical.
In reply Mr.. Southworth explained
that he had not been talking of the
theoretical mills but of actual mills. |
He told of experimenting the building |
If three modern" mills in Georgia and |
said he knew what he was talking /
about.
President Conroy of the Lowell Tex
tile Council refused to answer ques-
lions put by Mr.. Dunbar, the mill mems
attorney, saying: I'VE did not come1
here to give information; we came here
% get it,"
John J. Connell agent of the Ire Il
mont and Suffolk Corporation, who for
nerly had charge of the Cohannet and
Nemesket mills of the New England III
Cotton Yarn Co. in Taunton, said he II
thought wages in hts mills for the same
lass of work We're about equal tod
hose in Taunton and New Bedford.
lie thought the operatives in New Bed
ord worked more rapidly than those
n Lowell, where the help was not
pushed by the overseers. He thought
he cost of living was slightly less ind
lowell than in Fall River, New Bedford
ind Taunton. He knew of SO textile
community which paid higher wages
han Lowell for the same class of
work.
AT $50 the hearing was adjourned
Until II A. NJ, tomorrow.
There was no excitement In labor
,ircles, tonight. Operatives and their