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

! AVA A'A
Practical results Of the Eigh'
Hour Plan In New York.
The evil results OF tho eight hou,
movement of last summer, which fol
nearly eleven weeks paralyzed The
industries Of this city, have during
the present winter been severely
felt. The exhibit of our Commits.
sloncrs 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 employe RS
and workmen, in many branches Of
trade.
1t will be remembered that among
the builders the strike first began,
and that, although 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 the penalties Of their agree
ments rather than yield; while 9TH
ers succeeded III temporizing with
their hands until after the failure Of
the movement was assured. 1t IS
probable, therefore, that this trade
being the first affected, suffered with
even greater severity, and indeed,
bore a greater share OF tho loss, than
any other industry involved IN the
unfortunate struggle. This view, we
think, may be safely based upon a
comparison OF the records OF the
bailding trade for corresponding pc.
RODS in 1871 and 1872, tho tabulated
statistics Of which we find in pam.
l.
Gently received. From May 9th to
November 30Lh in the first mention.
ed year, 1888 edifices were erected
and alterations made in 80 more.
OF these, 52S were first-class struc.
lures, of an average cost OF SIS, 900;
SO factories and work shops, averag-
ing $4,000, and 33 hotels, public
buildings and churches, averaging
5000, 900 each. Tho aggregate sum
invested in all for tho 81 weeks was
s25,672, 900. Comparing this with
the same months in 1872; of first.
class edlfces but 1O7 Of factories,
%; hotels. etc, 16; and altogether
but 707 buildings, and 2S7 altera-
tions were completed, at an aggre-
gate cost Of $l2,S2l, 900. Deducting
this total for 1872, from tho total for
1871. we have result OF $12,S5l 900
which indicates tho dead loss TO city
improvements in the twenty seven
weeks.
1t cannot be urged that the year
would have been q dull one in any
event for the trade, as the spring
opened with All excellent prospect
for busy fall. During September,
(the principal month for making con-
tracts), 1871, 10S first-class struc
lures were begun; in the same pori.
Cd, in 1872, but ., ono-twelfth al
many, were undertaken. Here ther
is nearly thirteen millions OF dollars
forced out Of the building trade, and
into other channels. Estimating la.
Dor at one-halt the cost gives S6, 425
900 as dead loss, not to capitalists
who can save themselves by other
Investments, but to working-men
who have no other support. Almos
six and one half millions III twenty
seven weeks-S39, 1868 per days
the sum these men paid for thei
strike, and if we should add thereto
the outside expenses incurred, 0
which the money borrowed for sup
Fort during Its continuance, from
the various trade associations in 9th
er cities, forms no incouslderabl
portion, we should doubtless arrlv
at total far in excess of the larges
estimates.
We find it stated that at the pres
ent time there is but one fifth tn
amount of first-class work in thi
city to be carried over into sprin.
of that done last year, and that
employ the same number OF mel
, and then to average the same quar-
. tity Of labor as they did in 1877
r there is not four and halt hour
y work per day tLis season, for eac
9 man that is employed in The buildlr
! trade.
}. Let us add that we notice that I