Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-06-16
Lack Of EmpIoyment in cities.


There is greater lack Of employment in cities
and consequent lack of bread right in the
midst Ofthis plentiful year of cheap provisions,
than has before been known since the revulsion.
Many of both sexes managed to struggle along
through the winter and carly spring buoyed up
with the hope that the opening of the business
season would furnish them with usual employ
ment, who arc still Idle and are really at the very
portals of want and suffering, and some of des-
pair. The unPrOpitiOus weather, prOtracted to
the middle of June; the general prOstration Of
business and universal dallness in every depart
ment of labor and trade; the laying up Ofnearly
allthe Lake steamers, except propelleTs, and the
little commerce for sail vessels; the stern ne
cessity employers and manufacturers feel of re-
trench;ng every possible expense; combine to
produce condition of things among the men and
the women of cities who depend upon the wages
of daily labor for livelihood, that is truly dis
tressing. The unemployed from week to week
and month to month in the cities and towns are
to be numbered by thousands. They know not
where to go to better their prospects or cOndi-
ton. In all the cities begging for work has be-
come the order Of the day, and IN some the press
ing demand for work or bread has led to demon
strations never before witnessed in the towns
of the abundant West.
In Detroit the unemployed recently held
meetings in the streets, and to the number of sew
eral hundred demanded work or bread. The
Buffalo Express of Saturday states that there
was gathering of several hundred sturdy look
ing men, who passed about the streets of that
ely the day previous, demanding "WOrk or
Bread" and says:
This an alarming condition of things when,
in the midst of productive country, with
abundant crops and much land to be possessed
and TILED men remain in idleness and are driv-
en- to the extremity Of demanding " Work or
bread al the public hand. These men and
their families must have bread Misfortune must
not entail Starvation while there IS plenty IN
the land
1t is earnestly to be hoped that The darkest
day has been passed, and that the silver lining
OF the cloud is about to appear. The health of
the country continues remarkably good; there
is plenty to eat growing or stored up in the
land. an aDuHQanL harvest VIII 6Oou nave % ue
gathered; boarded capital cannot rustin idleness
always; and the ten thousand wheels of indus
Try must ere long be set in motion All must
bear and forbear, and help each other to wealth
erthe turning point
LsTER.-A demonstration Of about 500 of the
unemployed was made before the Mayors office
in Buffalo Monday forenoon. demanding ''wOrk
or bread" Mayor Lockwood stated TO them
that he knew of no immediate way for the city
to interfere and supply their wants, bat he
would lay their claims before the Council, and
perhaps work in the shape of public improve
menfs might be provided, which would furnish
them with employment In the afternoon about
the same number assembled The Alderman,
Chief Of Police, and several prominent citizens
were present The Mayor informed the crowd
that nothing could be done by the city for them,
and that they must disperse and make appiica-
ton to the proper authorities for relief, which
sh1uId be attended to. There was some grumb-
ling, but after little the five hundred dis
persed. The Express intimates that the move
ment is the work of demagOgues who want
Office more than work.