The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-04-08
A BIG STRIKE.
Seventeen Tn, usand Cotton Mill
Hands Quit Work.
WANTED 4 TEN PEI GET a..iisI
Which Was Refused and the
Strike Followed. The Cotton
Industry Of Lowell il
Paralized.

Industry OF Lowell il
Paralized.
A big cotton mill strike is on at
Lowell, Mass. A dispatch from that
city 10 the Augusta Herald says Wed
nesday morning, for the first time I'm
many, many years, on working days,
the bells OF the mills have failed to
ring out their morning call. Streets
which are usually marked by the rush
and hustle of thousands of people hur-
rylng to their work, are almost de-
serted and stiffness pervades the
mill district. Or the seven mills
which have shut down four had prac-
tically no help with which to operate
their plants Wednesday if their bells
had pcaled for the call of labor.
Seven cotton mills closed 10y strike
OF 1900 operatives, who demand a
ten per cent increase i'm wages. Four
OF the mills are i'm good condition fl
nancially, while the Others are not.
These mills are in u combine with the
Others outside to keep down the wages.
Ihe operatives are prCifered generous
aid from the other mills in other cities
aud the American Federation of
Labor
The progressive citizen would be
glad If the mills would 90 south and
never reopen here. They are the
curse OF the city. The nonresident
owners keep out The other industries
by controlling the sites and the mag
nl1Ctnt water power. The prospect
is for long struggle. The state
board OF arbitration has tried in vain
to effect settlement and will make
another effort to compromise on five
per cent Increase If possible.
In preference to fighting the textile
unions the agents of seven big cotton
mills ordered an entire suspension OF
work for an indefinite period. These
agents have officially announced that
canvass of the help showed that up
ward of so per cent. were nun-union,
and were opposed to strike. This
sentiment changed Saturday, and
when a second canvass was ta ken of
the loom tixerS, spinners, carderS,
nappers, weaverS and beamerS it was
seen that the textile council was able
TO fulfill its threat and strike in the
mills.
Without delay notices Of a shut
down, TO take effect at once, were
posted on gates, and as piece hands
completed their work they weretold
TO leave. When speed went down at
noon Saturday fully 1000 operatives
hnl III
length of the shutdown is problemati-
cal, but is likely to last many weeks.
as the unions have been promised IL
nancial support from the United Tex
tile Workers OF America, the National
Mule SpinnerS' Association, the
American Federation OF Labor, and
from the local trades and labor Coun-
ell, composed Of 40 unions.
Agent w. :. Southworth. of the
Massachusetts mills, secretary OF the
Manufacturers Association, Says that
II the mill people think that the shut
down will be for fortnight they are
greatly mistaken. 1t will last, he
says, until the agents are positively
told that all the operatives want to
work, and when this time comes the
agents will consider the matter of
reSu mptiOn. President COnrOy, of
the Textile Council, who stands as
the strike leader, says:
The action of the mill agents sim
plitieS matters. They have simply
anticipated us. If they had not de-
clared shut down we would have
tied them up, any way, and they
know it. This makes it easier for us
TO handle the men. can't say what
viii happen. There may be trouble
yet"
The shutdown will affect primarily
the 5000 and more operatives. In a
month many hundreds OF operatives
in small industries supplying material
10 the big mills will Join the army of
the unemployed, and the longer the
enforced idleneSS the greater the par
alysis OF industry here
The area covered by the MaSSachu-
SettS, Boott, Merrimac, fremont, Suf-
! folk and Lawrence mills is about one
mile in length by three -eighthS OF a
mile in breadth, bordering on the Mer-
rimac river. The Appleton and
/ Hamilton mills are nearer the geo.
| graphical center and are embraced in
an area about half a mile square. The
/ product OF these mills ranges from the
coarscSt of gray cotton TO the finest OF
/ dress goods, going through all grades
OF print cloths. Shceting, Shirting
satecns, nainSOokS, dimitieS, blankets.
1 toweling, table linen and Silk-warI
goods The weekly payroll is $l3S,.
| 900.
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