Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-12-29
The Hard Times.

Tho New York Tribune gives review of
the condition Of the trades in that city and
neighborhood. In tho iron business, only one
half Of the usual number Of men are en-
ployed, and many of these are only upon half
time. In printing, there is great depression,
greater than for many years many leading
offices have discharged two-thirds Of their
hands. Not more than oue-third of the -tcr-
eotypers are employed OF 1000 book bind
ors, between 200 and 300 are out Of work.
In building, there is a sad falling Of almost
nothing is doing. 1t is believed that not more
than 1000 out of 5000 to 1000 masons are now
at work, and wages are down. House car
pcnters, plumbers and plastercrs and all kin
bred trades arc suffering in like ratio. The
blow falls heaviest there. In brass work
there is falling of Of one half. One UNI
brella maker employed 300 hands last year,
and now but 10. Only one-third Of the ave
rage force is at work upon hats. One halroi
the tailors are ont Of employment, and in
another week, one thousand more will be
thrown out Of work. Says the Tribune -
I'VE are informed that from five thousand
to six thousand tailors in this city (mustly
iemdle-) do not know where to get the next
job from. The prospects are dull in the ex-
IRENE; the wholesale trade is said to be
dead In dry goods, there has been a
great falling off in the wholesale trade, esti-
mated at 90 per cent The retail trade is re
wing, for IA short time, on occount Of the
holidays. There are some few exceptions
lo IL.
example, with whom business has rarely been
better. They say they have sold as many
costly dresses this season as ever. Stewart
says women are even more cXtraya CANT than
in former years lie thinks the present strin
gency in the money market will cause IL great
decline IN the amount Of imp0rtations in the
spring, and a consequent increase i'll the con
sumption of home manufactures.
Alta recent meeting of the ship-owncrs AND
agents i'll New York, it was resolved to re,
duce the wages of ship-carpcntcrs from - tc
80 a day. it has been estimated that al
least one-half Of the ship-carponters i'll New
York are unemployed. In the nine ship
yards of Williamsburgh and Greenpoint, en-
/ ploying, on all average, in good seasons, al
aggregate Of | 900 persons, only 237 men ar,
now at work.
The iron business is largely Frustrated al
/ over the country. In Detroit, Mich, scye
raj hundred workmen in this business hav,
been turned adriit in Buffalo 500 to 400 ii
in philadelphia, the Messrs. Norris have
alone discharged 600 men from their locomo
tive works in New Jersey and DelIwar,
there is a Large reduction both OF the number
Of workmen and the rate of wages of thos,
who remain. In Massachusetts,, manutactu
rers Of iron work, locomotives, and cars ar,
rapidly reducing their operations for lack o
orders Such are the accounts from Boston
Worcester aud Springfield
The Iron Works across the Lake have haol
obliged 10 contract their operations. \
keoscyillc, We understand, M,s>rs. kinsslant
have discharged all their sinslc hands. Sue
married men Us choose 70 stay with them
the, keep, paying thy,n not in money, bat il
the provisions, &c., necessary lor their iaiui
lies
One OF the splendid brown stone uptown
palaces Of New York, in Madison Avenue
that cost 81 900 exclusive of the lot, few
months since, has been sold at auction foi
Sll 500 with the l,t aud We hear of simila
downilliing in real estate elsewhere.
Such are some OF the results of living t.,
fast, a. country, ofborrcwinG capital abroaC
to build our railroads at home, aud especial
~ OF buying abroad what might and should
have been mute at home, The money which