The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-01-06
Manufacturing Concerns Re- =
nize Necessity for a Revi-
sion of the Scales.
EFFECTIVE IN MANY STATES
Thousands of Workers Benefited by
Raise in Wages Made Necessary
by the Increased Cost OF Liv-
ing-Miscellaneou Labor
News of Interest.


been announced at the Taconic, Pom
toosuc Russells, Tillotston and Berk-
shire wooden mills in Pittsfield, Mass
the Sawyer-Regan Wooden mills in Dali
ton and the Hinsdale Wooden mill.
About $500 employees are affected.
During the year wage increases nave
totaled 27 per cent for general mill
help and 80 per cent for laborers IN
these mills.
Each office employee who has been
with the Saxon Motor Car corporation
for a period of longer than 80 days re-
ceived a bonus of per cent OF the
salary received during the year, or
for the term of employment, If less
than one year but more than 9O days.
Each factory employee shared on
like basis with those in the office de-
partments, except those who have been
paid on d premium of piecework basis,
and they received bonus OF 3 per
cent.
A 10 per cent increase In wages
went into effect at the Willimantlc,
Conn, mills of the American Thread
company on December 4. About 200
employees benefit, and it is understood
that a similar increase will be made
in other mills of the concern, AFFECT
ing in all about 5000 persons. This
is the third wage increase in the
thread companys mills since January
l, the aggregate being 20 per cent.
Employment agencies throughout the
empire report that there is great de-
mand for female labor in Germany.
Women now employed are demanding
that their wages be raised to at least
10 cents an hour. Unskilled female
labor in the leather and metal goods
trades is in special demand, and al
ready thousands Of women have taken
the places of the men called away to
the war.
In this country $50 cities have pen
sion funds for municipal employees.
All city employees Of Joplin, Mo-.
were forbidden to 'drink Intoxicating
liquors at any time in resolution
adopted unanimously by the Joplin city
commission in executive session. Five
city firemen Immediately resigned, as
a protest against the dry" order, it
was said. Their places were filled.
A 10 per cent increase in all the
mills of the American Wooden COM
pany, which employs $4,000 hands in
New England and New York state, was
announced at the headquarters of the
company. At the same time the Ar
lington mills, whose large cotton plant
at Lawrence employs 5000 hands, an
nOunces "a higher scale of wages" the
amount of which was not specified.
The w. Fl. McElwain company, shoe
manufacturers, with plants in Boston
and New Hampshire, announced an
increase of 10 per cent in wages and
q reduction in the working hours of
It's $500 employees. Beginning De-
cember the factories will be operated
on a basis of 50 instead of "a hours a
week.
Notices were posted in the factories
of the United States Envelope COM
pany, at Springfield, Mass, announc-
ing an emergency bonus" to en-
ployees of 10 per cent. The executive
committee announces the increase is
made because of the abnormal increase
in the cost of living.
The Cambria Steel company posted
notices announcing a wage increase of
10 per cent which will affect practical
ly all of it's $4,000 employees. Offers
of higher wages elsewhere are said to
have led the company to make the
raise in order to hold its men.
The first steel ever manufactured in
| the KanaWha valley was turned out q
short time ago from the new plant of
the Charleston Steel company at Belle,
near Charleston, w. Va. The plant
will operate day and night.
One of the centers established by the
Nottingham (Eng) educational COM
mittee to instruct women in agricultu-
raj subjects will be closed on account
Of the students preference for NUM-
ton work.
Ten of the shoe manufacturers of
Denmark have amalgamated in order
the better to meet foreign competition
after the war.
Amsterdam reports the organizing of
cooperative society of Dutch iron
works.
Coal miners in the Fernie (B. CO
district want 25 per cent war bonus.
Street railway men at Fort Smith,
Ark, have secured union recognition,
] Many Northumberland (England)
miners are averaging over So day.
Quebec and Montreal, Canada, have
municipal employment bureaus.
Letter carriers throughout England
are demanding higher wages.
Women are employed as section
hands on German railroads.
Wage earners Of Mexico will be
thoroughly organized.
Female millinery workers in the
country total $4,000.
There are 1900 coal miners EN-
ployed in Iowa.
The United States has SIT button
factories