The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-03-23

town and city throughout the country and
met with like results. Laramie Sentinel
Labor "reminiscences
We find the following interesting com
munication in the San Francisco Exam
iner Of March 9th
You ask those who have information
On the hours of labor to furnish it to us.
Ten hours for days work was not lniver-
sal among all trades prior to 1896. Then
the ship-carpenrers employed in the Brook
lyn Navy Yard worked one hour more per
day than those not employed by the Gov
ernment and who worked outside and they
also received twenty-five cents per day less
than those engaged in the outside ship
yards At this date the price was 9. 90 and
81. 40 per day outside it was twenty-five
cents more. Ship-carpenters sought work
in the navy yards in the winter season at
the lowest price here mentioned, and con-
sidered themselves fortunate to obtain a
berth which was bestowed through favor
itism. The severity Of the winter prevent
ed much work being done, and prices ruled
less in winter ON short days than when full
hours could be made.
/ think it Was in 1926 Bergh a. Ives, ship
builders, built frigate for some foreign
government and gave but the same wages
that were paid in the United States Navy
Yard III Brooklyn. There was much strife
at that time between the men and the
bosses. Afterwards it was universal that
new work or that done in the yards was
paid twenty-five cents per day less than old
or outside work. In the short days it was
often the case that the men worked while it
was light, or a certain number of hours
and received but three-quarters of q day 5
pay. Hanging and floating staging were
used for men to work around the sides of
a vessel, and with great disadvantage. 1t
was also the practice to ''heave q ship out, "
which was done by heavy purchase from
the mainmast to the wharf, so the men
could sheath, cSllk or copper one side
then turn her round and heave out to the
other. This inconvenient way of working
led to railways, dry docks, sectional docks
ETC., by which the vessel was taken right
out Of water, repaired and launched. The
cost of taking up use of dock per day not
unfrequently led to strikes, and fifty cents
per day advance was not uncommon, which
dropped as soon an the job was done.
Sometimes two gangs of men were employ
ed a. in caulking and coppering.
Carpenters went to work at six a. m., at
eight went to breakfast at nine to work
to twelve dinner till two, then work to six.
These we're the hours about 1929, and car
penters' wages then were $2.25 per day.
When the cholera visited New York it was
considered dangerous to 60 in the open ali
on an empty stomach. Then ship-carpen-
tiers took breakfast first and then went to
work at seven. They still had the two
hours for dinner, while ship joiners worked
one hour more per day or had only one
hour for dinner.
A shoemaker at this date was obliged tO
work IA hours per day, and wages S6 To
s. per week, for a ''jour." A trunk k-nlakeI
was IL to IA hours, and apprentices were
obliged to work three months in the veal
until 10 p. m. A reformation in case Of
the prentices took place, requiring the in
denture TO be made by magistrate or po-
lice judge, and the boy was to have three
months evening schooling in each year,
which cost $2. 50; the boss gave this
amount in cash and was relieved
In Connecticut and Massachusetts,, in
fact, nearly all the girls employed in facto-
ries until late years were obliged to wori
l6 hours per day, but had half of each
Saturday allowed them a. holiday, when
they were expected to clean up, wash theil
clothes and be at church on the Sabbath.
In 1898 ship-riggers received 81 II perday,
and grog 1t IL and O'Clock, or in lieu d
the allowance cents each, which was paid
tothem ON Saturday night with their wages.
This custom also prevailed with ship
carpenter, and the Allowance for the meh'
was regular charge Of repairs. The law
did not allow labor on Sundays. Tho
Mayor or Common Council granted per
mission-when the men for that day re-
ceiyed double pay; the expense of Keep.
ing the vessel ON the dock being more than
the extra pay. In the cholera Of - il be.
came universal TO get breakfast and 70 "a
work at O'Clock. J.R.