The New York herald., 1873-11-07
INDUSTRIAL DEPRESSION.
The Strikes and the Half-Employed Producers
Notes of Herald Reporter Among the Manu-
facturers Of New York and Vicinity
A Gloomy Prospect for Winter.


few OF the bosses were reported as having put the
men to work at the old wages while others have
supplied themselves with non-society men under
the new rates. Others. notably the large JOBS OF
the Western Union Telegraph and Tribune build
ings had none OF these classes OF workmen en-
gagged, the work just at present being confined TO
stone and iron work. on the church for DR.. Halls
congregation, in Filth avenue, Mr.. Stuart the con-
tractor had force OF new men. as did MIR. Black
ledge, at the corner OF Bank and Hudson streets.
MIR. Demarest, 1t stated, had put his old iorce
on at the old rates. and the same has occurred at
the New Boucicaut Theatre. corner OF Broadway
and Twenty second street. Ii appears that the
employers are by no means firmly united as TO the
wisdom and propriety OF the proposed reduction,
while the workmen are all painfully Interested in
avertng 1t. From statements of members OF the ex-
ecutive committee of the brickayers central body,
which is in daily session at headquarters SO long
as the contest continues, 1t appears that owing to
the previous dulness in the trade, there not
more than seventy five OF their number excluded
from work by the dispute.
THEY MAKE HAY WHILE THE son SHINES.
Brickayers complain that their labor consider
ing its hardshps, which compel them TO face the
in summer and the cold winds in winter the
paid OF al trades. Still, out OF their 81 per diem
they calculated TO save from the summer wages OF
say 5000 enough to keep them and their families
through the cold idle season. II they are not able
to do this many OF them rely on finding situations
on the city raf Dads or as pOrters or other helpers
in the stores whose heavy business comes in the
winter months, so that they may earn whatever
they able and avoid appealing for pauper assist
ance. According to the most sanguine calculations
not even the most rigid economy can enable
brlcklayer to save money enough to have any con-
siderable accumulation at the end Of the year.
Man In find uwttttnr
work in the city make practice OF going for some
tmonths, after their summer jobs done, into the
country, to some Southern city, or visiting their
old homes across the ocean. AS class they ap
pear to have no fancy for staying months at a
time, without labor, walking the streets or hyber-
mating at home.
NATIONAL APPLICATION.
'Strength in union" has been studied by the
bricklayers. Their ORGANIZATIONS In thls city,
which count about 45O0 members, are connected
with similar ones In all the cities OF the United
states. They correspond, and, in case OF local
strike, each member is entitled receive 81 per
week from the national society," They thus equal |
ize the pressure OF local distress by making the |
whole guild through the nation bear a portion OF
the burden. Besides this their union, like several |
OF the strongest trade societies, has many benefits
to which Its members are entitled under the rules
They have help when SICK, fixed sum Is approprl- |
ated for burial, and medical attendant Is pro. |
vided by the union to keep or as long as possible |
the necessity OF calling the coffin maker.
NO INTENTION TO GIVE WAY.
Not the least apprehension IS expressed among /
the DrlcklayerS tnat tney VIII be forced TO accept
WORK at the reduction and the officers say that I
they have mad no Information that any OF the |
union members have gone to work under the rates. |
They say that those who have gone TO WORK at !
reduced wages are men who have not been |
able to obtain admission into the union for the |
reason that they cannot do a workmanlike days |
work. These will oner to take the places made |
vacant by the absence of union men, where the
bosses have not cut down the pay. Whether these
outside men can do work to the salts action OF the
bosses Is as yet an open question:
THE LABoRERS.
A dail ilv n he
held in reference to the building laborers who
resisting the attempt TO cut down their pay to So
day. These idle laborers number about 200
Their society has 5000, being the strongest, numer
ically. all the unions. Tney claim that they are
Tor assistance from outside. AS their ranks
represent all kinds OF labor outside OF the |
idle at any one time; therefore, those who
have work are able to help the strikers with |
out distress TO themselves. They claim that the |
action OF the building bosses is peculiarly hard |
upon them their old wages OF 81 so afforded |
very scanty means OF support for families, espe-
cally when the necessarily lost days deducted |
from the years earnings. laborer must pay rent |
well as a mechanic, though probably he will |
be forced to accept cheaper and less comfortable
coarsest OF iood and clothing He has margin |
even in the best OF times for extravaganza.
SKILLED LABOR
Plenty OF strong men walk the streets in quest
OF labor, but the striking building laborers claim
that theirs Is an occupation requiring certain
and no inconsderable amount OF trained skill and
experience. Take the very high buildings, such as
not every inexperienced gang OF men who can
put up scafods SO that 1t would be safe TO trust
life upon them. SO many other OF the duties of
simple laDorers require certain drill and educa-
ton which might seem to justly entitle competent
men to command wages higher than Will simply
procure the toughest and simplest livelihood.
We're II not for the general sagnation In all indus
tries these building laborers might, many OF them,
get other kinds OF work to do. No doubt, II the
bosses accept such service as may be rendered by
raw hands, they will be able to dispense with the
men strike. Therefore there is no present hope
4
some improvement in the general business situa-
have exhausted their private savings and credit
from the unions.
NO NEW STRIKES.
None OF the other labor societies having been
disturbed by propositions TO cut down wages
there is no further strike in immediate prospect.
Whatever check building receives from the Idle
ness OF laborers brlcklayers tends to cut short
the work OF carpenters, plasterers, painters stair
builders, roofers, plumbers housesmitns, sash,
blind and door makers and others whose labor con-
tributes to the completion OF buildings. Upon the
work OF the aborers and bricklayers going steadily
and promptly forward depends the regular en-
ployment OF all others connected with the build
ing industry, and II is therefore detrimental all
that there should be any unnatural cneck upon
these branches OF the force which constructs cities
The enforced idleness want and suffering result
ing from financial embarrassment are far TOO great
without dispute about wages in the building
trade.