St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-09-07
The Great Fall River Strike.
No Signs of Yieiding-many Seeking
Employment EIsewhere-Some Curl
ous Incidents.

there would be but few signs that the
people were enduring financial or in
dustrial disturbance; the stores are gen.
orally busy for August; the people gen.
orally are comfortably, and many are
very well dressed: and during large
part of the day the street cars carry con-
siderable numbers of passengers, while
the hegira by steam cars is quite as great
as in summer. Only by walking about
the mill sections of the city could it be
ascertained that stop had come to a
modest incomes of 3d. 900 residents, and
only by passing along Bedford and
Fourth streets could any idea be gained
of how many persons are being fed by
charity.
There are several large manufacturing
concerns which either have not stopped
at all, or, having suspended business for
a short time, have lately resumed opera
tions, which employ large number of
operatives. The Kerr Thread Mill, a
branch of the American Thread Company,
has not stopped, but, indeed, has had
is yielding very solid dividends. The
Barnaby mill, which produces fine goods.
after brief shutdown have resumed,
and is running steadily. The Fall River
Bleachery, owned by Col. Spencer Bor-
den and members of his family, largely,
continues to run, and, as always, is rum
ming to marked profit. The Fall River
Iron Works Company, paying more than
$4,000 week to it's employees, is run
ming full time with no thought of a shut
down on account ofstrike or curtailment
plan. There are line-making concerns,
hat manufactures and other Industrial
establishments which employ many hum
dred hands, and which do not propose to
suspend operations, and hence there is
some measure of prosperity here, al
though so many thousands have been
crippled, both because of deprivation of
work and deprivatio of dividends, in
other lines.
The departure of idle operatives to
other places. and the acceptance by some
Of work in other lines in the city, con-
tinue. Probably more than 5000 of the
10000 out of mill work have gone to
work Or to seek work here or elsewhere.
OF the remaining $4,000 there are many
who, if the mills remain closed until cold
weather, will obtain employment in
other places, as opportunities are OPEN
ing in several directions daily. There is
now a good opportunity for women who
have had any sort of home training to
resort to primary grades of homework
for the purpose of makeshift. Some are
trying their hands at this kind of work
here. A young woman who can get her
board and So or 81 week at some form
of homework need not complain until
the mill-bells ring again. A youth who
was earning from Sc to ST week at
weaving accepted at Sc place as driver
for a wealthy old man who wanted
somebody to take him over to Somerset
every morning, and drive him about
town. Others have done equally well in
other directions, and think they have
improved their situations because,
whether they receive the same pay for
their services as before or not, they are
getting better ait to-. breathe than the
mill air, and are learning that there is
quite as attractive employment for them
as the stuffy overheated mills afford. If
idle operatives would continue to follow
this course, and to leave the city in hun
dreds, the mills would be obliged, on
resuming, to take what help they could
get, and they might be obliged to pay
what they were paying before the cut
down. If the market should rally, this
would be perfectly justihable result.
The receipts of the labor-union secre-
taries this week are'relatively small, but
the secretaries profess to be in no wise
discouraged; they say the collections will
soon be larger; as judging from the great
number OF sources of gifts, it is probable
that they will be. The relief stations are
affording aid all this week, and bakers,
butchers and other dealers are giving
freely. One of the brewery companies
contributes in cash 5000 weekly to the
relief fund. 1nasmuch as there is much
drinking of strong drink by male opera
tives, and since the brewery workers
have an organization as branch of the
local labor union, one can understand
this contribution. which would appear
to be very large if the contributor were
disinterested.
prolonged strike, and there is no sign on
will be surrender soon.
Imposition is discovered, here and
there, as the work of charity goes on,
and the Associated Charities. discrimi-
mating and critical local organization,
has frequent occasion to smile as it per-
ceives it's assertions in this way proved
startlingly true. 1t seems incredible that
some things are done by impostors. On
Tuesday French Canadian woman at
tempted bold piece of imposition at the
rectory OF Notre Dame church. She was,
she assured the rector, very DESTROYS of
going back to Canada, but she had not OBJ
tanned enough money by $l4 to pay her
fare and that of her family. The rector,
like every similar professional, is kind
he arted, and he was inclined to help the
lady, although she was a stranger; he
advanced the $14 and she departed.
Shortly after she had gone, member of
the household found fat wallet on the
vestibule floor, and passed it to the rec
tor, who, opening it, discovered a roll of