The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-08
[PhIIadeIphia Tlmee. 7th.I

| philadelphia Times. 7th.I
During the past few weeks a feeling o
dissatisfaction on the part of many trad,
| guilds, with disposition To insist on higher
| rates of wages, has been made public. Meet
lngs OF trades unions have been held amos
nightly. and, although no strikes of i'm
pOrtance have token place, The leaders o.
various industrial organizations have stated
that the increased c'st Of the necessities Of
life demands that tue wages OF the working
man should be proportionaIIy increased
and the men have been called on &c
decide upon and insist on some Ger
tain basis OF wages. Several employer.
have of their own accord and without
waiting 10 be asked increased the wages OF
their employees. Others have complied with
the requests made To them without dispute
The sDocmt6ers, brickmakers. and brick
layers have all received il creased paw, and
IL Is expected that the sloDe-maSonS, carpen.
ters, and pldStererS will shortly ask for
higher rates. With a view If learning The
general feeling in the matter, IA number OF
employers and workIngmen. Representatives
OF different inOustrle,, have been visited by
reporters for the Times. and the following
is the result Of their inquiries:
NOIlBkS AND 1AILORS.
The garmeutcutte,s are said to comprise
the aristocricy Of the working classes. They
number in this city about 500, navea strong
ly-OTganZed guild, and are very well paid.
The union admits all m n who cut any sort
Of wearing apparel. The lowest rate of
wages that any member of the union en-
pi0yed in tail0i's shop is permitted 10 re-
celve i Sl6 per week. SUirt.cu'ters are al
lowed TO work for SIS week. The average
wages of a fairly good taiOr'S cutter Is
about $40. Many cutters employed in the
more fashionable shops receive from $50 to
$40. The cutters appear to be perfectly
contenied with their lot. and. it is said
have not had occasion 10 strike for twenty
five years. The tailors, on the other band,
appear to be in a state Of discomfort. They
say that they are obliged TO work eighteen
hours a day in the busy season, and, taking
into account the time they are forced to be
idle, cannot earn more than 80 week
There is no difference in the rate of wages
between this and last year. The bill OF rates
submitted 10 the "bosseS' last spring has
not been altered as vet. Work this spring is
said 10 be scarce. The season has been so
backward that nobody seems to want light
clothing OF any sort, and tailors who are GEN
Nldll1 htIl DbS1 .haiNb tiiu tbt
part OF April making up spring overcoats
are this year almost altogether idle. Owing
TO the dullne>S OF the season and the fact
that most merchant tailors have a large
spring stock left over, the taiors will not
at this time make any demand for an ad.
vance of rates, though they claim that their
rates here are fifteen per cent. below those
of It. Louis and twenty-five per cent be-
low those of New York. Machine button
hole manufacturing, quite new branch Of
tailoring, Is assuming important proper
tiOns. There are between two and three
hundred OF such artisans IN the city, who
have formed themselves into well-organ-
lied guild. Their wages average $40 a
week, and the demand for such labor j.
greater than the supply.
CIGAR-AAKERS.
The cigar makers appear 10 be in a state
OF helpless dlsaiiectIou. They are receiving
wages which they say are mere pittances.
From 81 tO S6 for mould work and s. to 50
for ordinary band work are now the pre-.
vailing rates, which are g lower in each
case than those Obtained year sgo. Work
is fairly brisk. Gumpert Brothers. employ
ing about I25 hands Bachelor Brothers,
with 80 hands; T. J. Dunn, with - hands,
and j. n. Jeitles, with 80 hands, have been
kept going pretty steadily. The cigar
makers nave recently formed a new
union, and have held number OF
meetings with a view to devise some
means of bettering their condition. The
result. however, is stated to have been un-
Although the affairs OF the
,igar-makers appear TO the minds OF many |
)f them 10 be in anything but pleasant |
,laie, they profess a strong antipathy 10 |
strikes. "We don't want to strike" said |
member OF the union. ave have tried !
hat before and never gained anything by it. |
hope we shall be able to better ourselves,
)ut am opposed to strikes a> rule" The
.igar manufacturers say that thev are 20
,eayilV taxed and the competition is so
.Ielt that they cannot afford to pay such !
ates of wages "a ruled in former years.
\ fair cigar-maker earns from eight TO
en- dollars week, and very good one
caches twelve dollars. A few expert Gu
ans who work on fine cigars receive eigh-
zen TO twenty dollars. A large number OF
,omen are now employed in cigar-making
nd are paid the same rates as men. About
: Der cent of the cigars lurDed out, IL Is
lid by a leading manufacturer. are made
lin the use OF the mould, only the very
nest brands being made altogether by
and. There are about 80 manufacturers
various parts OF the CITY that employ
ON two TO four men each, and, IL Is al-
ged, pay very small wages.
BRIcXLAgERs AND BgICKMAKERs.
There are in this city about eight hum .
ied bricklayers. They orgapized in May
<, when their wages were 1928 day. :
I the beginning OF this year they de- :
anded an increase OF fifty cents per day,
a allowed the bosses" until April lot
decide upon the matter. All the leading
aster bricklsyefs, it is stated, have ae-
ded TO the demand. Only few men, I
isHy sub-contractorS, who say that they q
mot afford to pay the increase. Sill hold a
\ against il. The Drickiayers say that q
en- 81 Is per day is much below the rate r
id IN other large cities; and moreover. p
ding into consideration The TACT tiiat tbey 81
We only about two hundred working days G.
the wear. the wages are not more than a.
. necessary to decently support man u
tn family. Many men, before the form. u
on OF the union, were working for sl.o0 IL
4 81. .75 per day, Notwithstanding the TACT
t before 1875, IL Is stated. the ordinary u
ges OF a brlcklayer was "a day. Fine q,
.ssed. brick layers will. under The new rates Di
abIished. receive about $3.50 day, ana ia
, inside workers about SO. BrIckmakers,
whom there are about five hundred In
, city, have also within shoit time sue. pa
for