The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1867-12-21

Ms4N an wa " rWE4pF m1nts 1&f1@
bricklayers are now obtaining prices vazJing
nom $50 and higher per dsJ, but there =
5also nufnbsf ef the members Of this trade
aa.ssss ssaus;s h1g5 sS1A4 fgsess sesf sss 4,I \ 4
This y busiuess that IL wholly under the
s-pervision cf the Hat Ffnisbcrs' Association.
Fhsse ere fosr hundred jsurneymen hat
ters now In The city who are working only
one day in the week. They make from $s6 !
% $50 per week, bat as there ere only two !
snort seasons when they are employed. |
usually they are idle from June to me aid. |
die OF August, and from the middle or No |
vember to the middle Of Decsmbsr. Several !
f.ousand people are employed In making the |
felt and deiag the other work about cans.
etc. A large number ara also engaged in /
making fur caps, but not 80 many as for |
merly, as furs are getting 70 be less worn
every year. The girls 1t this trade make
very poor wages, not averaging more than IS
per week, and now they even get less than
that The employers have. pursued 4 Yery
humane course 10 exchanging employees, %
that the hands are an ergioFea; 6nt 6rlv
every Aitefnste week do they receive wac
- 81 THE TAILoRs-
There pre- known to beasopt twenty taoc
snd -knights o. the Shears" in this city,
depending upon the hand needle OF sewxin
machine Tor support Daring the spring.
portion Of the summer and me fall thew
ceiyed fair employment, but the day ofidl
ness for many Of them has come, for the
are about tour thousand Who are almost des-
ntute Of work. They are generally paid by 4
the piece and In good times they earn frcsT
w 70 $2O per week, but tveshirds The for
mer amount Is now ths average among some
Of them. Tks small closhiefs who give cut
cloth y make into pants, and vests 70 4
army Of male and female sewers ia the cas-
ern section Of the city, along the aiphabt
zeal avenues, are surfeited with stock, ar
but for the ever-changing fashions, viii.
require new styles. there would be con DIE
stagnation In trade. As Il IL, the amount
Of work given out il thirty per cent. less
than at the same period last year, and ths
must be proportionate smonnt or suffs
alaIeas shis- olasssf she Psopla
THE rcv WORKERS.
In tina large foundry establishments max \
ing eng'ses, boilers, machinery Of all kinds
and heavy work generally, . universal stag
nation u trsde Is complained Of There has
been gFsst depression in this brauch for
some years. h4s especially for the last six or
eight months, and business has no been %
duii for TINS last twenty years as il is now
MANY thousands of men are ont OF employ
ment, and large numbers call daily ut the
manuiactoriss seeking work. Firms which
formerly employed from two hundr ID to
three hundred men, now only employ from
twenty TO thirty, and the decrease in the
quantity of wort doce v even greater than
these figures :adicate. Wages have not as
Yet been greatly reduced. but some OF he
manufactures fear tha. this sin have to be
recorted to, Or the men put on shorter time,
possibly both. The presens rates are from
20 30 to - 20 per day, according 10 the
kind, maehlnists and boiler -makers averaging
about tS. The depressed condition Of the
trade u attributed by mauv 90 the political
situatiou snd consequent derangefpenf of te 4
hrsnees Of the colntry. Capitnlista, thsy 4 q
~ will rot insest large smounts IN t,e \
present uncertain state or Afairs; atd "
hence they DO not expect any improvsmentl Z
IN business till after the next prssidsntiAll
siection, Or at least tin SOMA ao6isn Of the !.
present Congress gives greater assurance Of |
stability and security in 6capsid matters /.
than is e1joyed Mt Present. The general !
high taxes and especially the tariff on iron j
10 comphfned Of.
Small loundries making hanse kurnishingsylf )
and light work generally, Eartake In tael
conlhn xtaGnatisn, though not -.sQl
gress degree - the lsrgerv ssTs
Rhsi. business does not reqniz y
4, ana N'hare Is more const
ate dema nd for the artir'
are. Sai they har
nploy hail emp
Iaentiy out
i the shops.
ormcriy, the
ID number Of
rhe value Of VI
he larger estah
VS.
same&-
which exis
and in 6ddii a time Of 5eAr, less Dulru-
| ing being dor ..this season than a. etners.
| The prospect lior the future is considered
bad, thssrh 4 little hope ist expres 'cd tnat
the spripI 5risg uiih II some increase
sHIP BuIfbn1B.
This business, like that of Ne hsxvy fonna-
I ries, is excessively depressed. There are
only couple of ferry bosts building ON the
New York shorelof The East nver, and only
two boats ezs a ealing vessel ON the Brook
lyn side snd, with some repairing, this 10
\ all tbe.work Witch is being done It is ssti-