Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-06-17
MILLS At W|NOOSK|
CURTA|l PRODUCTION
Cannot Sell Goods at Price II
Costs to Make Them Under
Present COnditions-Working
Force Cut One. Third and No
Improvement in Sight

The chaotic condition Of business over
the country has begun to materially
affect Winooski and Burlington through
the curtailment in production of the
American Woelen company. which at the
present time is doing about two-thrds of
what 1t did a short time ago. While It
has not touched other lines as yet, some
OF the cotton men admit that they do not
know what is coming and II is feared
other lines than textiles will be affected
in short time. The principal reason is
that the manufacturers cannot get the
price for their goods which it would cost
under present conditions to produce them
and therefore they are letting down.
How long this condition will last is
problematical. but there are few who see
any indications of improvement for some
time to come.
The American Wooden company, which
with the exception Of a few weeks directly
following the signing Of tho arms ice. has
operated night and day to capacity FOR
several years and through the immense
sums paid to employees contributed to
the prosperity of Winooski and Burling-
ton, has cut its force to two-thirds the
former size and the pay roll has there
fore been diminished from $4,000 weekly,
the largest ever paid in Vermont by a
single concern, to $4,000. Business con-
tinues to slack and many are laid on
daily. with no immediate prospects OF
conditions lettering.
There is nothing peculiar to this min
in this connection. as the conditions are
the same all over the world. Small mills
in Vermont employing less than hundred
hands have stopped production. and in
every industrial center small and large.
In the United States, help is being laid
of in small and large numbers. The
tremendous cancellation of orders and
refusal to accept shipments growing out
of the uncertain state of affairs Is the
reason. for only short time ago bust
ness on the books of the different wooden
mills made the outlook good for con-
tinuance of the record business for some
time to come.
The same situation is true in England,
where a great slump has occurred in Lon
don. and in the West, where the wool
growers are trying frantically to escape
disaster. The market has simply backed
up on wooden goods and this mill. like
the others, will have to take its medi-
cine.
The result OF laying off help in Winooski
has already been felt by the other con-
Germs in the city who have suffered from
a help shortage. At one mill yesterday &c
people applied for work. This mill has
been operating with only two-thirds the
| force needed because the help could not
be secured. The same is true to a lesser
| extent of other mills in the city. The
! farmers are rejoicing over the situation
and see in it at least a partial solution
! of the help problem which had become
| their greatest source of trouble. Up to
| now there has been no exodus OF people
| from this locality and 1t is not believed
| there will be. as the help can be
assimilated here as we'll as anywhere
! else. and probably better.
At the Queen City Cotton mill. the plant
continues to operate to capacity. as II
has for the past few years with the
| exception Of a brief period following the
signing of the armistice A. NJ. Young,
treasurer, stated yesterday that there
was no prospect OF a curtailment in the
| immediate future but that there was no
| market for goods at present. The mill
, is busy on orders which have been taken.
The market is at standstll when ii
comes to orders for future delivery or
the disposal of any surplus stock which
may accumulate This mill employees
about rs people.
A. r. Wade, superintendent of the
Chace mills. when interviewed by a Free
Press man yesterday. said that he could
see nothing alarming in the situation at
present The mills are doing a good bust
ness and while silks. wooden and leather
have fallen way OFT, spot cotton is still
up The products of his mills continue to
lind market and he felt optimistic re-
garding the situation.