The Cotton Factory Times. — 1904-09-02 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

VOICES FROM THE SPINDLE AND THE LOOM.  • OLDHAM. Holidays.—The mills and workshops will reopen on Monday, after being closed the whole of this week for the Wakes holidays. At the Egyptian spinning mills work is not expected to be resumed until Tuesday morning, and this also may be the case at a few other concerns.  Items.—lt is freely stated that a loss greater than that of the United, and resulting from the same cause, will be shown in connection with another Oldham spinning company. A loss of £.14,698 was announced by the United directors on cotton transactions.—The building of the Bell Mill at Hathershaw has now reached the top storey.—Repairs and alterations are being made to the mill at Scottfield, taken by the Scott Mill, Limited, ready for an early re-start.—ln connection with the rumoured new mill it is on the cards that there will be a slip.—The whole of the mules at the Maple Mill will now soon be at work.—lt is reported that a manager of a spinning company in the Glodwick district has resigned.  The Late Mr. John Rowland.—By the death of Mr. John Rowland, J.P., whose funeral took place on Saturday at the Chadderton Cemetery, Oldham and district has lost a gentleman long connected with the cotton trade of the locality, and whose name is one of the oldest in the trade, his father and grandfather having been prominent spinners in Oldham. Two mills, which have been razed to the ground—the Orleans and Park, both in Rochdale-road—were the property of the Rowlands, and so long ago as 1860 Mr. John Rowland and his brothers dissolved partnership. He then built the Gresham Mill, Featherstallroad, which proved a prosperous concern, and in this he continued to fake an active part until some five or six years ago. The mill is now owned by a limited company. He had attained the age of 76 years.  Mill Girl's Suicide.—The borough coroner (Dr. G. Thomson) held an inquest on Friday afternoon into the circumstances attending the death of a girl named Louisa Mills, a ring spinner, aged 17, who was found drowned in a lodge near to Mr. Robert Stott's Alexandra Mills, about noon the previous Wednesday.—Amy Slater, of 144, Derker-street, said the deceased had been lodging with her about eight weeks. Deceased left the house at twenty past one on Tuesday to go to her work. Witness never saw the deceased alive again, but had heard since of a little girl meeting the deceased on Tuesday night and speaking to her. The deceased then complained about her work. There had been no unpleasantness between them, but she often complained about her work. Deceased had worked at another mill and had got discharged. Her last employment. deceased had said, was a very'hard job.—Joseph Nadin, 79, Barry-street, labourer, spoke to finding the body floating face downwards.—The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane."  Assaulting an Overlooker.—At the local Police Court, on Thursday last, the magistrates had before them a summons for using threats brought by Norman Middleton against John Fitton. Mr. Sixsmith, who appeared for the complainant, said that Middleton was the overlooker in the same cotton mill at which some months ago the defendant was engaged as overlooker. For sdme reason the defendant lost the situation, and complainant was appointed in his stead. That first siemed to have given Fitton some umbrage. In addition to that, the defendant's son left the mill to go to America on six weeks' leave of abrence. He overstayed his leave some time, and when he came back his place was filled, and that seemed to further annoy the defendant. When Fitton left the mill he said that the first time he got the complainant outside he would knock his face off. On the night of the 10th of this month the complainant was going down by car to Werneth. The defendant was on the same car. Complainant got out of the ear and was proceeding home down Oxford-street when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned round and practically fell into the arms of the defendant, who proceeded to shake him and threaten him. A friend of the defendant came up and, instead of trying to make things better, said, "If I were you, I would punch his -- legs from under him." Defendant thereupon resumed his violence, but upon a threat of police court proceedings being uttered by the complainant he desisted and said, "I'll wait for you further down the street," and he did, his friend stopping with him. To avoid further bother complainant called in a neighbour's and stayed there some time. Middleton denied using any threats, but admitted catching hold of the complainant's coat, and he called the man who was with him, and who corroborated. Bound over for twelve months.