Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1886 — THE FIRST STRIKE. [ARTICLE]

THE FIRST STRIKE.

The Rebellion of the Factory Girls at Dover, N. 11., in 1827. The first strike among our working people, I think, was at Dover, N. H., in 182/ or 1828. The Cocheco works were estab ished in 1820, and the operate- es were a most entirely American girls, who deemed that weaving , and spinning were better than farming, and b came “factory girls” on the erection of the works at Dover Falls. A small factory up the river was No. 1, and the works at the falls were Nos. 2, 3 and 4, as I believe they are at the present time. Everything went <n spinning y and smoothly untd the year of which I write. There were exactions on the part of the corporations that the independent spirit of the fair spinners and weavers could not brook. A rule was made that the great gate should be shut at bell ringing, and those who were late should go through the counting-room passageway to be marked for reduction of pay largely disproportioned to the delinquency. This gave great offense, other measures awakened opposition, and on a fine morning the mills were idle. Every operative was out, leaving the overseers to run them alone. They met at some convenient square, and, forming a procession, with a band, and bearing the Ameri an flag, they paraded the town, under a leader whom I very well knew a year later, and a stalwart manly guard of one for their protection. The corporation came down at once, the offensive rules were withdrawn for the time, and everything went on harm niously. But there arose again threats of war between Janies F. Curtis, a new agent, and Mill No. 2. He was not a fortunate selection for the office, as he had been a sea captain, and endeavored to introduce ship’s dis ipline among his crew of girls. It would not work, and a general irritation prevailed. The climax was reached when he ordered the windows of No. 2 to be nailed down. This was done over night, and in the morning, when they found out what had been done, and one of the loom girls had fainted, their anger knew no bounds. A strike in that mill was the consequence. I saw the excited crowd from an upper window opposite, and such a clatter of tongues has not been heard since Babel. Agent Curtis was sent for, and went among them, angry at first, but that bird wouldn’t fight, and he came down to coaxing, begging them to return, arguing the necessity for the nailing down, which excited them the more, until he compromised the matter by allowing the windows to be opened part way. Other inducements were given, and they returned to their work, but during the altercation with him they had spotted his 'black coat with cotton locks until he looked like a new description of leopard.— Bouton letter in Hartford Post.