The New York herald., 1878-07-04
THE TRADES.
Condition Of the Industrial Glasses
in the Metropolis.
BRICI<LAYERS AND MASONS.
Wages Famed by Them IN the Past
and Present.


ip ls.a the building interest has suffered ns,sray
from general stagnssion, ana tens OF thousands
OF laborsrs and Madesmsn wSo we're dspesssns on
this particular business have bsen deprived OF
employment. Many VI these have lcft ths city Ia
quest OF work In o,nsr parts Of the ceaairy, whae
not few have returned 10 Europe disappointed and
DISCOURAGED. During the present year. however.
impulse has been gwen 70 Dailding OPERATIONS,
largo number Of permits having boon granted icr lhs
erection OF dwellings, stores, warehouses and otDer
structures THIS attributable In great degree
TO the OF rapid transit and the facilities which
IL affords to that portion OF the bassness commusy
who reside in tho upper part OF me islaud.
Among the first TO bcneat by the revival OF The
building trade are the masons and brickiayers. a
class OF operatives who been seriously affected
by tho gouerai prosiration Of business Az the best
Of times their occupation Is precarous ono, deisnd-
ent AZ II is ike all outdoor work, upon tho coniitson
OF tho weather. anu or this reason they are not oceu
pied Than nino teu months OF the year. Dur
ing the winter they almost wholly unoccu-
pied and Obliged TO 1.-Two upon the surplus OF thor
earnings, which, as many have large families 10 sup
port, rarely adequate 10 their wants There was
history oi the trado in Thu city when thsy
were among the most prosperous und Independent
OF tho various industrial classes, but that
day has passed, and wnat with the revoiu-
which has taken place It Is doubtful II It viii ever
return. AS in other cases tho field is overcrow iod
the old system has been broken up the eight hour
movement compelled the employers or bosses 10 I'm
port lOreign workmen, tho home operatives were un-
able to rosis the PRESSURE the societies became dis
organized and IL was found impossible 10 hold thom
onger together. The newcomers were hired ~ much
lower rates OF wages and when the work became dull
they returned 10 Europe, to cross the ocean again
when trade revived. thus year alter year thsrs has
men, whio many have come from other States 10
compete with tho resident mechanic. The inevitable
result followed this continued and close competition;
wages steadily decreased whio the appll.
canls Increased Tho American tradesman was
under worked and hundreds were driven 10
sock employment not oniy elsewhere, but at
other occupations. England, scotland, Germany and
other countries sent thousands ~ oil the places OF
those who refused work longer Than the prescribed
eight hours, and when the damage aono II WAS
found Impossible to apply remedy The employers
sent agents " tho other side, and furnished them
with tho necessary means 70 pay the passages OF
who Wiling 70 work NJ tho stipulated rates OF
wages and The required numbor of "ours per day.
"fHE GOOD OLD TNEs
LAYERS ran from S. 70 SO per day aud their oreauIza.
ti0a as IN nourisning condition. This was during
the prsvalsncs 81 high prices which followed tne war
p0rtonaely nigh nsur6s The wages ut prcHcnt range
from 81 50 So So according 70 the skill oil The trades
nEn aud ths quality vi the work poriormcd The eight
hour systsE ms u may be saiu ucen aoapd0ned, tbe
number having Increased TO ten, except on satur
days Some employers require tneir men 70 work I'LL
nvc o'clock ON The iast day oil the week, work Is
generally suspended At iour Instrumentation ON ostab
Iisned custom has caused dissatisfaction among
the men, but they are given the alternativ,-submls-
sion duCtion Ot waRos--and with very low cx-
csE!aons 'hey naye m.ae ,, virtue tue 81 nessssy lna
msnt was 10 Increase the opportunities Tor work BY
diminishing the Time, and 10 oRsci, 10 somo extent,
IA
the number OF noura Tne eGek Of thus has al
ready beon realized Ia the influx OF labor
from other countries and the Injurious eompe-
,ilions winch /. has brought about Wages" SAID
mcmbcr OF trade. nuaipg 10 is present Go ndon,
whlie rents arc more than double what they were
then. l md AS many apartmeats IN n respsctlbs
house US l wanted for myself aud family ut sda
month-bcttsr than could got how for $40"
al had Two Easements, or basement and kitchep,
two parors and three 6edfcoms Tor 50 month"
said another, ''and everything else was rs cheap
piovision. aud clothing. You can't get the
oommodatons to-aay tor loss tnan $25 or $50 Then"
he coutnued sine wages were 81 50 day, except in
the slack seAson--ths winter tIin,-whea they went
down ~ 81 10"
This is the comuvn sxpsrIence vi all tradesmcn
who have lived la New \ ork curing the Iast tweGty
nvs or thirty years Tnere " out one expression
among them ON this subjec', when they compare ,hs
present with the pas-a feeling OF regret that tho
geod Old times, when wages were lair and work
abundant, Will never return; times when, as they
say, they cou.d get a piece bcei tor roasting
Ior forly ltty cents, Tor whch Today they wouid
have " pay III or 81 jO. Board was tucn 81 30
S3 week, and this was not oniy good board but, In
words OF our inioi maui nsro was pient ~ OF IT,
1hen." ho added, '.you could 60 to Fort Lee, Or
way On an excursion WIN only nny cents IN
your pOcket; but how IS u nowr You coulJn't ven-
lure 10 40 IL with than tbreo or iour dollars
good glass of brandy was only cents and better
luau you could ~ nov Tor twenty. Now, wHen you
tousidcr that we cau'l work than eight or vine
months out OF The twelve twV dollars aud halt Gay
Is rather poor payi whie Tie CLERK, VINO works In
doors uli the year round, ges ns much, II not more
A.. f.It ss.nt.r MI
after w are eugsgcd Tor the stone, non, TIMBER and
other material, .core We can 20 on with our work"
He certainly presented his casc In strong Ii2 aud
Ic coutrastcd condition OF the trade pre-
Win thai oi twonty years ago II was evident he
thought mat the mueh ooss!od progress " The DAY
had brought no advantage 10 hun or hts fellow worK.
non
ASrLsocALisTic OPERATIVES
Sone seven or ogLt years ngo the society OF Brick
layers WAS prospcio aud ndcpo0ucpt organ itivn,
ana ut tnat tne tue humber Ia New furg was ests-
snated about three thousand To-day, OWING 10 the
causes stated IL Is Duci usiins, but Is sale 10 say
that IN consequence OF the Improvement WHOM has
taken place ~ bulldiag operations, !. Is certainly
not loss, while II - believed, ON moderate cacuIa
lion, ~ be between three ana Vur thousand. Those
wih whom the writor conversed disciam IN the most
emphatic maunof-carnest almost ~ deuunctatiyn--
any connection with the sociast,c movement or
sympathy with It's purposes and aesigns They
wn,sn has been introduced lately into ths
tradc--the employ mont o. "excursioDists,' m
.hry s.y, are furnished by the employers In New
YORK win tickets TO aud iro and who, whom the
Tor which they have engaged has expired, return
sgau Europe. This, they insis Is unjust 10 tnosu
who live hero and spend What thcy earn ~ the coun-
Try. Inc number OF these traveiing tradesnen from
karope Is Increased by aceeasions from Massschu.
s.tls, Nova scotia, Canada and Othor pvlnis, that
the resident operatives hard 10 hold their own
and liable 10 DO ground between the upper and
tho neither milistopos. Wnen work Is du,l In New
YORK tnsy follow tho lines OF the railroaus 10 the
large eities aud ebter the leld against the
mecpanics OF Rochester, Buffalo, Aiuany ana
other PAGES, wnsre they Ms regarded by
ihs ~orxmsn as h..ie os,ier .han a species
Of tramp, ready ior any chance that may
turn Wy aud Wiling " accept lower wages Than
dsnandcd by the wofki.gnsn OF those cities IL
nay be Supposed that this receives iie toltra
tion or consideration at the hands oI their iciow
tradcsmcn who are regarded AS members In sood
stspaug An instanee was related VI tho experience
winch a prominent boss, who had taken a contract
Tor the erection o iargs bunding IN Brosdwsy had
OF gaIg OF those so called tramps or eGtuisionisH.
The structure Is one OF the bnest on The great thor
oughaic; but " the "visiting' undcsmen mud Lcen
sept on u TIC Department OF Buildings would have
been obliged To interfere ior every night whca thor
work Was Inspected n was iound necessary 10 have