The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-05-15
Practical results Of the Eight
Hour Plan In New York,

The evil results Of tho eight houl
movement of last summer, which 70,
nearly eleven weeks paralyzed th,
industries Of this city, have during
the present winter been severed,
felt. The exhibit OF our Commits.
sloners Of Charities and Corrections
shows that tho numbers of lndustri.
Gus and unemployed poor craving
tho benefit Of public charities has
been unusually large, while such sta
tistics as have been gathered indi-
cate serious losses both to employee RS
and workmen, in many branches of
trade.
1t will be remembered that among
the builders the strike first began,
and that, although 4 certain proper.
ton Of the employers having unful
filled contracts on hand were coorced
into compliance with the demands of
their operatives, many preferred to
incur tho penalties of their agree
ments rather than yield; while 9TH
ers succeeded IN temporizing with
their hands until after tho failure of
the movement was assured. It Is
probable, therefore, that this trade
being the first affected, suffered with
even greater severity, and indeed,
bore greater share OF tho loss, than
any other industry involved III the
unfortunate struggle. This view, we
think, may be safely based upon
comparison OF the records OF the
bailding trade for corresponding pc.
RODS ia 1871 and 1872, the tabulated
statistics of which we find in pam.
p1l,co o'1...n 1,---..---. .-.,a~.
Gently received. From May 9th to
November 30th in the first mention.
ed year, 1888 edifices were erected
aud alterations made in 80 moro.
OF these, 52S were first-class struc.
lures, Of an average cost OF $4,000;
So factories and work shops, averag-
ing $4,000, and 33 hotels, public
buildings and churches, averaging
100000 each. Tho aggregate sum
invested in all for tho 27 weeks was
$25,672,0 Comparing this with
the same months in 1872; of first.
class edllicos but 1O7 Of factories,
90 hotels. etc, l6; and altogether
but 7o7 buildings, and 2S7 altera
lions were completed, at an aggre-
gate cost of $l2,s2l,0oO. Deducting
this total for 1872, from the total for
1871, we have result of $l2, ISL 900
which indicates tho dead loss TO city
improvements in the twenty seven
weeks.
It cannot be urged that the year
would have been dull one in any
event for the trade, as the spring
opened with ali excellent prospect
for busy fall. During September,
1.-THE principal month for making con
tracts) 1871, 10S first-class struc
lures were begun; in the same peri.
cd, in 1872, but 9, one-twelfth as
many, were undertaken. Here then
is nearly thirteen millions OF dollars
forced out of the building trade, and
into other channels. Estimating la
Dor at one-hali the cost gives Sc, 1926
900 as a dead loss, not to capitalists
who can save themselves by other
Investments, but to working men,
who have no other support. Almost
six and one half millions III twenty
seven weeks-$39,363 per days
the sum these men paid for their
strike, and it we should add thereto
the outside expenses incurred, OF
which tho money borrowed for sup
Fort during Its continuance, from
the various trade associations in 9TH
err cities, forms no uncomfortable
portion, we should doubtless arrive
at total far in excess of the largest
estimates.
We find it stated that at the pres
ent time there is but one fifth the
amount of first-class work in this
city to be carried over into spring
Of that done last year, and that to
employ the same number OF men
and then to average the same guam
tity Of labor as they did in 1872
there is not four and halt hours
work per day tLis season, for eacl
man that is employed in tho building
trade.
| Let us add that we notice that re