The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-04-08
4 BIG STRIKE.
Seventeen Thousand Cotton Mill
Hands Quit Work.
WANTED a TEN PER CENT RAISE
Which Was Refused and the
Strike Followed. The Cotton
Industry Of Lowell is
Paralized.
Strike Followed.

Strike FOklOWcu. me CoICou
Industry Of Lowell is
Paralized.
A big cotton mill strike is on at
Lowell, Mass. A dispatch from that
city to the Augusta Herald says Wed
nesday morning, for the first time in
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-
rying to their work. are almost de-
serted and a stiffness pervadeS the
mill district. OF the seven mills
which have shut down four had prac-
tically no help with which to operate
their plants "Wednesday if their bells
had pealed for the call of laoor.
Seven cotton mills closed by strike
of 100 operatives. who demand
ten per cent increase in wages. Four
of the mills are in good condition f.
nancially, while the others are not.
These mills are in a combine with the
others outside to keep down the wages.
The operatives are proffered generous
aid from the other mills in other cities
and 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 tie other industries
by controlling the sites and the mag
niicent 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 non-union,
and were opposed to a strike. This
sentiment changed Saturday, and
when a second canvass was ia ken OF
the loom hxerS, Spinners, carders,
nappers, weaverS and beamerS it was
seer 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 were told
to leave. When speed went down at
noon Saturday fully 1900 operatives
had been forced into idleness. The
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-
Gil, composed of IS unions.
Agent w. S. Southworth, of the
Massachusetts, mills, secretary of the
Manufacturers Association, says that
if 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
pli6es matters. They have simply
anticipated US. If they had not de-
clared shutdown we would have
tied them up, any way, and they
know it. This makes it easier for US
to handle the men. l can't say what
will happen. There may be trouble
yet"
The shutdown will affect primarily
the I6, 900 and more operativeE In a
month many hundreds Of operatives
in small industries supplying material
to 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, SUI
folk and Lawrence mills is about one
mile in length by three-eighths OF a
mile in breadth, bordering on the Ner-
rimac river. The Appleton and
Hamilton mills are nearer the geo.
graphical center and are embraced in
an area about half mile square. The
product of these mills ranges from the
coarsest Of gray cotton to the finest OF
dress goods, going through all grades
Of print cloths. sheeting, shirtlng,
sateens, nainsooks, dimities, blankets,
toweling, table linen and silk-Warp
goods. The weekly payroll is $685.
900.
| 4 Tangled TWine.