turers, and Charles F. Reichers, Henry White and Myer Schoenfeld, who represented the United Garment Workers of America. The whole day was spent in a discussion of the questions in controversy, and it was believed that all differences would be adjusted. The only obstacle to a settlement was the demand, which the representatives of the garment workers insisted upon, that the contractors employ only union labor. Upon this point there was a disagreement, and the manufacturers asked that the conference be adjourned to Monday, September 23d, but the officers of the United Garment Workers would not consent to any adjournment.

On the 23d of September, at 3 o'clock p. m., and again at 7 o'clock p. m., the board held conferences in Rochester with the contractors and workmen, General Secretary Reichers, General Organizer Schoenfeld and an officer of the local union representing the garment workers, and Messrs. Myers and Hultze representing the contractors. The trouble was discussed in all its phases, and at the evening session the contractors submitted a basis of agreement which met every point but one, viz.: The demand that the contractors employ only union men, and that in each shop a representative of the union be in charge on behalf of the employes. The representatives of the garment workers insisted upon this concession, and the contractors refused to grant it. Therefore, no settlement could be effected.

On the 17th of October another conference was held between five contractors and five members of the local union. The first demand of the contractors was that the boycott on Rochester clothing be raised. The workmen replied that they could not control the boycott, as it had been indorsed by the American Federation of Labor and had become a national affair. The question of union shops was considered. The contractors again stated that they would not concede this point, and the strikers asserted that no settlement could be effected unless this demand was granted.

On the 22d of October the board renewed its efforts to adjust the differences, and on that day and the next it held conferences with representatives of the contractors and workmen. Again

the obstacle to a settlement was the question of employing union men, and upon that point they failed to agree.

During the progress of the strike a large number of coatmakers left Rochester, at their own expense, and sought employment in other cities. About the middle of October the United Garment Workers of America decided to provide transportation for those strikers who wished to leave the city, and on the 21st of October 100 of them went to New York city and 30 to Chicago. A few days later another large body of tailors went to New York and Boston.

On the 27th of October the board made a final effort to settle the trouble. Another conference was held between representatives of the manufacturers, contractors and workmen, but they came no nearer to an agreement upon the question of employing union workmen exclusively.

At this time the funds for the support of the strike had been exhausted, and on the 7th of November the garment workers returned to work in all the shops. This practically ended the strike, although it was not formally declared off.

UTICA.

On the 9th of August the tailors employed in a shop in Whitesboro street, Utica, went on strike and demanded that a certain fellow-employe be discharged. The so-called grievance against this workman was that his wife and the wife of another employe, who instigated and led the strike, had had a quarrel. On Sunday night, the 11th of August, the employer stated to the strik ers that, if they did not return to work the next morning, he would employ other men. He also informed them that he would not re-employ the man who had caused the trouble. The next morning the tailors abandoned the strike and returned to work.

TANNERS.
OLEAN.

On the 14th of August, 9 men, who were employed in a tannery at Olean, struck for an increase in wages from $13.50 to $15 per

week; and about one week later the other men employed in the tannery, about 100 in number, struck in sympathy with them. The proprietors of the tannery removed their finishing department to Massachusetts, and now do only tanning in Olean. The force of workmen has been reduced from 110 to about 35, and none of the strikers have been taken back into the firm's employ.

TEXTILE WORKERS.

AMSTERDAM.

On the 11th of July the boys employed in the carding-room of a knitting mill at Amsterdam struck for an increase in wages. The next day they all accepted the old rate of wages and returned to work.

CLAYVILLE.

On the 29th of July, 13 girls, employed in a woolen mill at Clayville, went on strike because of a misunderstanding in reference to the adjustment of prices for work on different grades of goods. The girls returned to work on the same day, after the differences had been amicably adjusted. There was no change in the scale of wages.

CоHOES.

On the 11th of January the seamers employed in a knitting mill at Cohoes went on strike, because of a disagreement in reference to wages. The proprietor of the mill had proposed a new schedule of wages, which was satisfactory to all the employes except the seamers. He advertised for hands to take the places of the strikers. His business was not interrupted, all the employes in other departments of the mill remaining at work.

On the 12th of April the winders employed in a Cohoes knitting mill demanded an increase in wages of $1 per week, and went on strike because their demand was not granted. Other hands were employed, and the strike was not successful.

On the 27th of May the superintendent of a knitting mill at Cohoes found fault with the work of a boy who was weighing yarn

in the spinning department. The head spinner became involved in the dispute, and quit work. He was followed by the other spinners, seven in number, two bobbin boys and the weigher. The employer immediately secured other hands, and the next day the mill was in operation as usual.

On the 15th of July the girls employed in the finishing-room of a Cohoes knitting mill were notified of a reduction in wages of one-half cent per dozen. For some time they had been agitating the question of asking for an advance in prices, and when the reduction was announced they went on strike. The next day they applied for employment, but their places had been filled and they were not allowed to return to work.

HERKIMER.

On the 30th and 31st of August about 20 of the hands employed in a knitting mill at Herkimer struck for an advance in wages. They received $1 and $1.123 per day, and the proprietors of the mill refused to grant any advance. A few days later the strikers returned to work at the old rates of wages.

JAMESTOWN.

On the 8th of March about 200 women and girls who were employed in the spinning department of a large worsted mill in Jamestown went on strike because, as they alleged, their stools had been taken from them and they were obliged to stand while working. As soon as possible thereafter a member of the board went to Jamestown. He found that the trouble had been settled by the superintendent of the mill acceding to the demands of the strikers. The proprietors of the mill claimed that the trouble was caused by a misunderstanding on the part of the employes, as the superintendent never intended to take the stools from them.

On the 12th of March, at 3 o'clock p. m., about 200 weavers in this mill quit work, and a committee waited upon the superintendent and asked for an advance in wages. The superintendent informed them that it was impossible to grant their request, as the prices received for goods would not warrant any increase in

the cost of production. He assured them that the mill had been run for two years without profit to the proprietors. The employes claimed that there had been several reductions in wages, the last one, in the fall of 1894, averaging about 30 per cent., and that their earnings did not exceed $5 to $7 per week. The weavers held a meeting and decided to ask for an advance of 25 per cent. on all grades of goods. The next day a committee presented this request and the firm refused to grant it. On the 15th of March the weavers held another meeting and decided to return to work on the following Monday, at the old scale of wages.

At the time a member of the board visited Jamestown trouble was reported in another worsted mill in that city. The managers of the mill informed the commissioner that no strike had taken place and, so far as they knew, none was threatened. On the 25th of March a delegation of the employes waited upon the proprietors of this mill and requested an advance in wages. The request was refused, and about 200 men and women went on strike. The next morning a few of the women returned to work. The strike lasted only a short time and was not successful.

NEW YORK.

On the 8th of October 18 weavers, employed by a woven label manufacturing company in New York city, went on strike because the company proposed to reduce their wages and deprive them of the Saturday half-holiday. On the 17th of October they returned to work, the company having acceded to their demand for a continuation of the Saturday half-holiday. The weavers claimed that they had lost, on an average, two days a week waiting for orders and material; and the company promised that in the future they would not be kept waiting for work.

OSWEGO Falls.

On the 3d of June, at 6 o'clock p. m., the spinners employed in the large woolen mills at Oswego Falls went on strike. They complained of being required to work until 9 o'clock every night, and asked that additional help be employed, in order to relieve them of the necessity of working overtime during the warm