Putnam patriot., 1916-08-11
WEAYERS STRIKE AT WATERMAN COMPANY
Refuse To Go in Friday Morning Make Various Demands
FRIDAY

kl IlA
 The day shift of weaNers at the Wa terman Worsted Company on Pemfret street refused to operate their looms last Friday. After uperintendent Percy l., Waterman had refused to re. tain Thomas smith, boss weaver, the men left the mill Tue refusal to rein- state Smith is stated as their chief grievance by the weavers and it was the discharge of their boss they claim that brought the matter to head. Af- terward they decided to ask for ten per cent increase for the night weavers and 10 demand the inspection of the perch by the county sealer of weights and measures as they claim the perch does not measure accurately and that they are losing yard in every cut Of cloth taken from the loom. One wom- an among the weavers said ,"We ought to ask for new shuttIes too.h
 When the operatives left the mill yard they congregated in Gargih park and along Pomfret street. There is no local organization but soon several among the number took the leadership upon themselves.
 The spokesmen were free to discuss the situation with a PATRIOT repre- sentative. They said that the strike was the culmination of a little trouble that occurred some months ago. They stated that pereher named John Mcclure was al that time in the em- ploy of the company and was severe in the inspection of the cloth and the imposition of fines for imperfeetions. II is the duty of the percher to inspect the cloth after 1t comes from the looms and measure it. If impertections are found in the weaving fines are imposed accordingly. It was due to dissatis. faction with the methods employed by Mcclure that led to a protest from the weaVers to the boss, Smith. AS Q re- suit Of this protest the weaNers say that MeGuire was allowed to go. Since that time the system has been to disregard all fines that did not amount to over 20 cents and to make rehson- able allowance for all imperfections.
 A week ago Smith was given notice that his services would no longer be required and he was 10 have finished his duties with the company Friday, The weayers stated that they believed the discharge of smith was a retalia- tory measure to get back at them for making complaint thet led to the discharge of Mcclure and some were oI the impression that as soon as smith went McGuire would be rehired. They also claimed that man named Barney Gauzeman from Webster, who had been hired by the company to succeed Smith, had been on the ground this week and had already begun imposing fines ranging from 20 cents to two and three dollars.
 Those who assumed the lead in the matter hired Foresters' hall about nine o'clock and shortly before ten o'clock a meeting was held in the hall.
 The PATRIOT representative was In. vited to attend the meeting as ii was stated by one or two that they wanted the public to know just what they were doing. There was gathering of about forty in the hnll including five women. The gathering took the mat ter philosophically and were in Jovial and good naiured frame of mind. Be. fore the meeting was called to order some one on the north side of the hall sad, "I make a motion that we have a song.u From the other side came the reply, "I second the motion, you sing it.p There was no song. The next motion was for dance but 1t only brought forth a laugh. Then one of the women said 1t would be nice if some ice cream was furnished. In the meantime more weagers had been coming in. Members of the night shift had finished breakfast and added to the numbers.
 When the m eeting was formally called to order and chairman was appointed, motion to take up a col. lection to pay for the hall was lost as il was voted to defer the collection until later. A weaver on the south side oi the hall made motion that no one be allowed to stay in the meeting that did not work in the mill. The PATRIOT representative felt self conscious know ing that the motion referred to the press and before action was taken vol. unteered lo leave if there was any ob- jection to his remaining, after stating that he wes present on invitation of the chairman.
 Soon after the press representative left the hall he was sent for as il was stated that vote had been passed tc allow representatives of the press to bs present. No sooner had the PATRIOT man entered the hall than man in the middle of an emphatic talk ceased and all became quiet. The same wea' yer who objected before to the presence of outsiders said that he thought 1t wa. | inc spuse Of the meeting that the press