The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-24
MANvILLE1
STRIKERS
STILL FIRM
Report Of Break In Their Ranks
Unfounded Operatives Go.
Ing TO Other Places.

Another strike took place at woon-
pany yesterday, when nearly 200 OF the
frame spinners quit work at about 2:3O
o'clock. Two reasons were given for
leaving work One was that the frame
spinners were In sympathy with the mule
splnners. and the other what the work
put upon them since the mulespinners
went out has been much more arduous,
as they are on fine work, which needs
more care and attention than course
work. which they were doing before the
mulespinners' strike.
For this reason they asked n ten per
cent Increase In wages, which was re-
fuseed them by the management
The report was circulated yesterday
afternoon and IL was printed this morn
ing that all of the invent back TO work.
That Is not so. although few did The
company. as soon as the spinners left
the mill. sent agents around TO some Of
the frame spinners who formerly worked
In the Social mill. which is closed. And
while their efforts were not very success
ful, some OF them went TO work. Some
OF the night frame spinners stayed out
last night and thus only a portion OF the
Nourse mill could be run
AN EXCITING SCENE.
There was an exciting scene I'm front OF
the Nourse mill this morning when the
day help were going I'm. Almost the whole
body OF frame spinners who had struck
came and stood I'm front OF the gates and
as every frame spinner who did not stay
out and those OF the Social mill who went
TO take the place OF the strikers went in
20 the mill. he or she heard loud choruses
or 'scab, scab!" shouted at them. Many
were induced to stay out and as result
part OF the Nourse mill spinning room
was idle today.
ter written by Mr.. Ltppitt Mr.. Lippitt
says that the Lowell mills did not give
the voluntary increase In wages last April
that the Manvlle Co. did and now that
the employees OF those mills are asking
for an increase the manufacturers OF that
place have refused II. showing conclusive
ly that IL cannot be affarded.
The strikers claim that this is no argli-
ment. because the mule spinners in Low
ell are receiving much more at present
than the Woonsocket mule spinners The
Lowell mule spinners receive an average
or $l3.75 weekly, so they say, while the
average weekly pay OF the Manville Co.'S
mule spinners is Al week.
A FALSE STATEMENT.
There have been reports circulated that
some Of the strikers at ManYlle were
going back. but the statement is untrue,
for at roll call every man responds 10
his name every morning. The strikers
there say that the putting in Of spinning
frames was contemplated and ordered by
the company long before the strike came,
and that now they have arrived the com
pany is using IL as an issue against the
strikers.
Many OF the strikers and their families
are leaving Woonsocket TO get work else
where, and also many OF the employees
OF the Social mill. who were locked out
last Wednesday. II is stated that the
company when It paid its help last Sat.
pay. In order to keep them I'm the city.
RAPID EXODUS.
. Since the lockout OF the employees OF the |
Social mill OF the Manville company. the |
help has been leaving the mill. The past |
day or two the exodus has been very |
rapid Yesterday many families with
their household effects left town. some |
for Canada and others 10 neighboring |
places In Rhode Island Massachusetts |
and Connecticut One expressman has
orders OF % families ahead TO move their |
household goods TO the depot that they |
may leave town. This morning eight fam |
HES took the train for. Canada.
The merchants OF the city are very
sorry that these people are leaving town |
as they predict that there will be n big |
falling on In their spring sales The big /
department. stores will feel II more than
any others. and man connected with
one said today that the effects OF the |
strike were already visible He recalled |
an intsance of how three young ladies
made purchases ut the store the dav
before the mule spinners struck. leaving |
their purchases for alteration On the |
day after the strike these people called /
at the store and countermanded tho order
saying that some Of their folks had
struck and they could not afford the
extra luxures.
1t is stated that the company. when
" paid It's help last Saturday. held back
some of each ones pay in order to keen
them In the city.