National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-03-14
Labor In Massachusetts,,

The fourth annual report of the
Massachusetts, Bureau OF Statistics OF
Labor savoluminous document of seven
hundred pages. The employment OF
children of tender years, from ten to
twelve, or younger, is condemned by
the report as "barbarous. Thereduc-
ton Of the hours of labor in Lowell and
Lawrence is spoken Of, and the report
says: 1--WE are strong in the belief
that n still greater reduction could
probably be made"
The whole number of laborers under
the class of agriculture, is, males, 80,
S55; females, 81 4; under the class OF
professional and personal service, in
GLIDING clerks, laborers, sailors, &c.
males, 1854 females, 1916; under
manufactures, mechanics, and mining
industries, males, 2l5, 258; females, 70,
861.
From the table presented in appears
that the total wages paid in the indus
trial and mechanical employment was
$ll7, ,66l the number of persons
engaged, 277,654; average wages of
males per pay, 49, 40; females, $l.07 ;
youth and children, GS cents. A table
is also given of the wages Of unskilled
laborers. The subject of the cost of
living is considered, and it appears that
the average yearly expense of family
of about five persons is $697.1.
An interesting feature of the report
relates to the savings the number of
deposits during the past year was 50o,-
515, the deposits amounting to an aver
age of $S4. "a to each deposition OF 35,
COB depositors in thirty-six banks, %, 900
are wage laborers. This would give an
average of seventyper cent against sixty
per cent for last year. A table gives the
number of deposits during the last year
in sums of So and under; between So
and $25, up to 1900, with the amount
of each division. Reports We're received
from ninety-six banks, showing that
l73, 495 deposits were made of $50 and
under, amounting to SO, 472, $40. SO that
72, 203 deposits were made between $50
and $500, amounting to SSS, 000 975. SO !;
of this sum, Sl2,273, 525.7l We're de-
posted in amounts less than $780,
" These figures, the report says, "are
not estimates, but the actual amounts as
reported by the bank officers. In our
report OF last year we gave the average
under $50 as Sl92S. 1t will be seen
that the average this year is 500. II. The
average deposit under $500 was given
i'll the last report rs 1854. BY these
returns it is S5035. The average de-
post exceeding $500 is 1907 26, or $780,
726 higher than the estimated average
of last year. 1t will denoted that our es-
Unnamed averages of last year were more
favorable to the hi~l r classes of de-
posts than the actual Agures will war
rent The statement of last year is
then repeated that 81 Of the amount
of deposits belong to parties who are
able to deposit more than $500 at one
time, and that the deposits Of 1914 of
the whole number of depositors amount
to little more than the deposits of the
remaining LA. The next table shows
that 33, 655 depositors, holding amounts
of $50 and under, average 1887 that
30, l6S owned amounts between $50 and
$500; that 63, 1913 depositors owned
sums under $500 amounting to 1920
2u.50, while 12,055 depositors owned
amounts over $500, and amounting to
S7,347, 7S4.1 Is. Part first of the report
ends with statements in regard to the
hours of labor. A return from one of
the largest manufacturing corporations
of Lowell shows reduction in time of
1906 per cent, q gain of twenty per
cent, and an increase in wages of men
OF 40 cents per day, and of women 80
cents,