Norwich bulletin., 1921-02-23
Improvement in New
 England Industries
Cotton Textiles Show 25 to 50 Per Cent. Increase Shoe Industry Has Taken a Spurt.

Boston, Feb. 22.-(By the A. P.)-Ac- tivity in the shoe manufacture and det- nite improvement in textil. lines as com pared with conditions of three months ago are reported from centers of those industries in New England. The shoe industry which was virtually flat last fall has taken spurt as a result of Easter demands, Lynn shops are working on what the trade knows as millinery foot wear production in the extensive Brock ton shoe district is reported heavier than at any time in the last six months though still far below normal and Hayerhill and other shoe cities also see some in- crease in business. Manufactures say they look for a general strengthening in the call for shoes after the usual dull period of the spring, with a return to normal production by the end of the year
 Production of cotton textiles has in- creased during the winter by from 25 to 50 per cent and even more in some special lines, according to manufacturers l who refer the improvement largely to the according to manufacturers who refer | the improvement largely to the stimulus | of low prices quoted to the trade as a reslt,t of the g 1-2 per cent wage cut. | In the cotton mill centers of New Hamp- shire, Rhode Island, Maine and Massa- chusetts distinct advance is reported. | In the two leading industrial lines in Manchester, textiles and shoes, under prosperous conditions more than 25.0OO people arc employed. and at the present l time it is estimated that about 14,OOO Of these now have steady work. During the latter part of 1920 less than half this total was employed.
 In Wocns1cket, R. l.. cotton mills are running full time with nearly full comple- ments of help. In Maine mills, the gen. eral average of production is estimated at 75 per cent. compared with a produc- ton of 50 per cent. of normal three
 months ago.
 Except in Fall River the center of the print cloth industry where the mills, employing 35.00O are now operating on full time with full crews. few instance:
 of return to normal have been reported thus far.
 In New Bedford mill men there esti
 mate production at 50 per cent. of norm al, an increase of 42 per cent. over tha1
 of three months ago In Lowell ant
 Lawrence textile conditions are gradual
 ly improving. The Pacific mills in Law.
 renee are working on full schedule fol
 the first time in three months.
 Mills of the American Woolen compan!
 in Lawrence, are empIoying more hell l than preVlouSly and are being run nor
 hours under the wage reduction of 22 l. per cent. but, are working at less tha1
 half their capacity. 1t is estimated. Sev
 eral of that company's mills in Rhod'
 Island are idle or nearly so. Woolen anc
 worsted mills in Woonsoeket employini
 the French and Belgian process hay been re6pened after a shut down an, are running full time with night s1ifts
 Other small mills in western Massa
 chusetts and other sections of Nev
 England have resumed ful time, some c
 them with night crews also.
 Large makers of cotton mill machiner, have continued to run with full force l through the dull period in textile manu facture. The Worcester works of tn American Steel and Wire company main tain the regular complement of 5000 al l though on reduced time in most depart ' ments. The Lynn plant of tho Genera Electric company had laid off 140O hand
 in the last month. but the 11,O00 ou . eratives still working full time are sai ; to exceed the number normally ernploye
 in 1913 by ten per cent
 : A considerable degree of curtaiImen Is evident in other machinery lines.