Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-16
STRIKE HEARING.
Taking Of Verbal Testimony at
Lowell Completed.
Textile Council Asked by Mills to
Show Books to Board.
Statistics to Be Presented, Arguments
Made and Mills Visited.

OF Arbitration and Cancellation which
is Investigating the textile situation
here and the cause of the great strike,
was completed, this afternoon. Each
side will submit statistics, arguments
of counsel will be made and the men,
bers of the board will inspect Lowell
mills and a so-called model mill in
New Bedford or elsewhere. 1t is the
claim of Lowell manufacturers that the
model mill can afford to pay higher
wages than the old style plants here.
The operatives have put in no verbal
testimony, the burden of proof" being
placed on the mill agents, who sought
to show they could not afford a 10 per
cent. advance.
Today's hearing was the most spirited
of the investigation, which began, last
Thursday, and sharp passages were not
few. Among the features We're the
request of the mill owners that the
union books be submitted to the board,
a request which the council will act
on, tomorrow, and the allegation by
Agent Nourse of the Lawrence hosiery
mills, that certain striking spinners
who desired to return to work, had
been threatened by union men. The
agent thought his mule department
could be started if the men were not
afraid of meeting the opposition of
others.
The state investigation was resumed
at City hall, today. Notwithstanding
the heavy rain storm the attendance
was large. Chairman Reed requested
counsel for the mill owners to furnish
the names of competitors. 1t was agreed
to provide n list. John j. Connell,
agent of the fremont and Suffolk Cor
poration, resumed the witness stand. AT
the request of Frank e. Dunbar attor-
ney for the mills, Mr. Cornell rehearsed
the condition which led to the last adj
vance in wages in Fall River. He told
of the large purchases of print cloth by
M. G. ID. Borden of New York, owner
of the Fall River Iron Works, the fore
ing up of the price of cloth and an adj
vance in wages by Mr.. Borden in the
Iron Works mills. The other manufac-
turers were obliged to follow Mr.. Bor-
denis action on the wage question. Mr.
Council thought that the Fall River
mills could have afforded to pay rs
per cent, advance at that time, as the
that city.
Edward D. McVey, attorney for the
Textile Council, then took Mr.. Connell
in hand. The agent considered that he
was paying as good wages as anyone
engaged in the same class of work. Mr..
Connell declined to tell Mr.. McVey how
many employees he had in his mills, re-
ferring the lawyer to the examination
of the books in Boston. Several lively
passages at arms followed between the
witness and Mr.. McVey
Mr.. McVey requested Mr.. Cornell to
be as simple as possible in his replies.
You need not be as technical as Mr..
Southworth. who was so technical that
he tangled himself up" said the attor-
ney.
The agent was questioned concerning
the work at the New England Cotton
Yarn Cos. mills, with which he had
been connected as superintendent In
Taunton. Mr.. Council failed to see
what the Yarn Co. had to do With the
Lowell mills.
A technical description of the work.
ings of a spinning mill was given. Mr..
McVey brought out the fact that the
fremont and Suffolk Mills sold yarn
possibly in competition with the New
England Co. The yarn was produced
by modern machinery. The mills
bought little machinery once in a
while.
Mr.. Council would not say if New
Bedford advanced wages he would do
so. He was not building castles in the
air.
Nj. Council had never heard of the
Lowell mills splitting trade. Mr.. Nc
Fey labored long time to get Mr..
Connel to explain.
Explain how he completed his wage
rate There was fixed price list, the
agent said.
"A long hypothetical question put by
Mr.. McVey in an effort to bring out
information on wage system was not
successful.
AT this point Mr.. Mcvey requested
the board to obtain a statement of
wages paid employees and salaries paid
in Boston and Lowell of each corpor-
alton for 1900, 1901 and 1902; also a
statement of dividends paid, amounts
paid to selling commissions. and for
supplies of all kinds by each company
80 eAoSC yStIo-
Mr.. McVey endeavored to have Mr..
Connell explain why he did not pay
spinners as much as was paid spins
ners in Fall River and New Bedford.
For the same quality and for the
same kind of work l am paying just
as much" was the reply.
An effort to have Mr.. Cornell tell
what he paid for yarn spinning per
hank resulted in clash. Mr.. Con-
nell said he did not have the price
list.
Mr.. McVey: you have the infor-
nation in your head and We want it,
Mr.. Dunbar thought the position Of
Mr.. Mcyey was unreasonable, as every
one knew price list was posted in
every mill and could be easily seen.
Mr.. Connell stated that he was not
an encyclopedia and did not carry
prices in his head. He was accused of
eyading questions by Mr.. McVey. He
denied that he was and said he had
promised the board to give them all
fta ir1f f{ry, he bod