New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-01
LID OFF In Hat TRADE.
Orange Threatened scith Disastrous
Strife of 5000 WOrkmen.

orange. Jan. 81 (SpeclaG.-A lockout ard
Etrike IN the Orange hating district are immi-
ueut tonight and st is estimated that by noon
Tomorrow at least three thousand men and
women employed in the hat factories Of the Or
auges viii be out Of employment Following q
demand on the part Of the Orange Association
OF the United Hatters Of North America for an
increase in the wage scale from SIS 10 $2o a
week. and the withdrawal Of the union label
from the factory Of Austin, Drew & CO. which
was the first firm refuse to meet the scale, the
Orange Hat Manufacturers Association an
rounced this afternoon that fast the IN
finished product in their factories is COM
pIe1ed they viii discharge the employees in the
various departments until a complete lockout is
carried into effect.
The officers of the hatters' union are laying
plans to call a strike OF the fnishers and trim
Iners. so that the employers won't be able 70
finish off the hats now in process Of making
This strike VIII probably be declared tomorrow
morning. The principals on each side regard the
situation very serious and ii may be a death
blow 10 the hating Industry in Orange. The
hat manufacturers. which include the firms Of
Austin, Drew s, Co. T. Berg & Co, E V Connect
& Co, the no Name Hat Manufacturing Com
pany Brennan 6. Carr, c. B. Rutan & Co, and
ElIor Bros. & HaWIey. all declare that they Will
shut down their works indefinitely until the
union yields. The union says it won't yield,
The trouble started at the works of Austin.
Drew & Co Robert y. Drew. head of the firm.
said to-day that an agreement was made with
The United Hatters last May, which provided
that the wage scale should be SIS q week, but,
he added, a matter OF fact the men had been
making SIS 30 Three weeks ago the union
made a demand him for an increase 10 $50
4 week. and he refused TO pay II. a discussion
followed. IT the end OF which Mr. Drew agreed
20 try the scale for week He declares the
men yeTaEed less work ana his firm lost money,
20 last week he refused to pay the Increase
for another week and returned to the Ole scale
To-day the officers Of the union Conhscated ths
label which makes The shop a non union shop
The other hat manufacturers. in accordance
with the agreement, are standing by Austin.
Drew q Co, and viii declare the lockout
President John A Motif OF the national body
Of the United Hatters OF North America. is now
Sn charge Of The situation far the union
IS concerned. and he said this afternoon that
he would probably issue a formal statement IN
the morning.
This viii probably be the most formidable
strike in the history OF Orange. which IS of
the great hating centres of the country. The
manufacturers declare that the union has
broken faith with them IN the wage scale and
also in refusing arbitrate, there being an ar
hitrat ion clause IN the tentative agreement
which exists between the manufacturers and
she union. The strike viii seriously interfere
with the business Of local tradesmen. who were
hard hit last summer by the destruction Of the
Cummings hat factory ana the subsequent re
7noval from town OF hundreds Of hatters with
their families