The New York herald., 1873-11-08
PENNS YIvAA.!A.

The Outlook for the Laborins Classes
Gloomy-Obscrvations Of Tour
Through the Mills and Factorics-The
Coal strike Ended.
PITrsBuRG Pa. Nov. j. 1875.
The outlook for the laboring classes OF this city
at the beginning OF a hard winter is not by any
means as cheering as could be desired and,
though the commercial depression has not been
followed by any apparent suffering or alarming in
crease in the number OF inmates to the charitable
institutions yet the small army OF loungers the
streets becomes more numerous day by day, and
must continue to augment IN the event OF iurther
crippling of the Industries and business OF the
city 1t is only the question of a lew weeks-f
the present stringency in the money market con-
tinues-when each and every one of the iron mills
will be obliged to suspend operations altogether,
and the thousands that have earned their susie
nance, and too dearly, by working in them from
early morn TO nlghtfall, will be thrown on the
charities OF the city. The manufacturers have
faced this stringency Tor almost swo months aud
battled against
SUSPENSION OF OPERATIONS
most bravey, but evidently, ii the banks refuse or
are powerless to assist them IN the present emer-
gency, they must close up and this painful fact
fortunately Is becoming more and more manifest
as the gloom OF the panic hoyers about. In
versation to-day with a prominent iron manu-
facturer your correspondent learned that there
was 40 little profit at the present time in the run
ming OF the mllls thai certainly did warrant
any one OF them continuing operations. But aa
long as sufficient money is realized from the pro-
ducts OF the establishments to delray expenses
and keep the men employed so long would they
continue. What length of time this can be done
is matter Of conjecture. In tour through
number OF large mills the following Items OF TACT
gathered
AMONG IRON MILLS
The American Iron Works next to the Cambria
at Johnstown. the largest in the country. They
employ upwards OF 5000 men, and since the COM
mencement OF the panic have been obliged TO dts
charge a lew, but the number is OF no great mo-
ment. The works are running full time, and this
they are enabled To do through a reduction In the
wages of their workmen OF ten per cent. The men
readily yielded 10 the shrinkage, understanding II
they did not the works would close up altogether
Brown Bros are running the iull complement
Oi hands at both turns, day and night. reduc-
tion OF about ten per cent has been made In tue
wages OF skilled labor on the sliding scale basis,
All workmen earning less than s2a day receive
their wages In iull. Those who exceed thls amount
are paid 1ity per cent me remanuer nam s s ns'r az ,h m
can pay on all their obligations, which day they
look forward TO with no great amount OF anxieV.
Scnoenberger, Blair n Co., another great iron
manufacturing concern, were Obliged, some time
since 10 discontinue running double turns, but
continue steadily along single turn. The firm
have every confidence In "A rich yield Of orders for
the spring trade when they will put on their full
Iorce the wages OF their present employees
have been reduced from ten 10 Twelve per
cent the men receiving one-half their earnings In
cash. with which arrangement they seem perfectly
Lewis, oliver Phillips before the present
money stringency had IN their employ something
Ike l, 100 men and steady work for every one Ot
them, with orders far into the future. However,
they nave been Obliged TO curtal their working
force, but not To any great extent, and all their
establishments have been and are yet running full
time. The more skilled workmen, earning high
wages, receive one-half In cash, while those en-
ploycd to perform the more ordinary work are paid
three-fourths In cash OF what they earn.
Ntmich Co., iron and steel maj anuacyurers werc.,
" may be said over head and ears In work before
the nnaucal crash since which time thcy iei.
themselves obliged to reduce the number VI their
employees and also TO make
REDUCTION TEN PER CENf
| IN The wages Oi those retained. Ihcir prcscns
! force numbers about TOO men, VINO work Single
turn. Like most oil the other extensive estaDiish-
mcnts they pay their workmcn onc-halt cash. a
member oI the firm told your correspondent thuL
/ orders were Stacking and they c0uld not give
| assurance OF continuing operations lor any con
! siderable period.
Gran, Bennett Co., very large iron works,
! employing upwards oil 200 men, arc now running
! single turn a change from double turn taking
| place saturday last. by this curtailment OF work
| inc hours quite a number OF men are thrown out
i OF cmplOyment. but are promised their old post
l tons suond an Increase Of orders warrant the