Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1883-06-02
Saturday, june 2. 1888.
FACTS AsouT MAsuFAoruR1NG.

FACVS AbOOI M
Colonel Carroll D. Wright, the chief of the
Massachusetts, bureau of labor statistics, has
made public some very interesting and signi-
fcant facts concerning manufacturing in that
State. His report covers 2, 24o manufactur-
ing establishments out of II 1853 in the State,
but those reported employ POI, ,793 persons
ont of 2s9, $40. They represent also 162 mil
lion dollars in capital out of 3o4 millions for
the State, beside 50 per cent. of all the wages
paid, 81 per csnt. Of the stock used, in raw
material consumed, and 81 per cent. of the
product.
The establishments reported are 460 shoe
factories, 270 metal works, 24O building es-
Establishments, 100 leather factories, 160 cloth
ing factories, $50 cotton mills, $50 wooden
mills, $50 machine shops, 100 publishing
houses, 80 carriage makers and other kinds of
paid wages ranging from 80 cents to Sc q
day for skilled labor and from 35 cents to $3 a
day for common labor. Out of 9, 24o establish
ments, SGT paid 81 for skilled labor, sos paid
$3.50, 2o6 paid $3, Is paid 81, s17 did not
report. Common labor had 81 day in All
factories, $1.25 in 391, 81. so in 542, $1.75 in
11S, So in 115, $3 in l.
Out of 90, ,280 possible months work was
carried on in 26, S82 or 81. so per cent The
shoe factories lost 401 months out of 5, 500,
the builders lost 1872 out of 1850, the wors-
ted mills lost no time, the cotton mills lost
months out of 1, 800; the total loss was
1,040 months out of % ,24O. The average
wage per head and working day was 81 %,
that is to say, out of 2o7,7 ,793 employees, in
Guiding men, women and children, each re-
ceived on an average 1888. 10 per year, or
81. % per working day, of which there are 3O7
in the year. The wages for actual work were
higher, as few persons worked every day of
the year. Thus brick making shows very
low yearly averages. because it was conduct
ed on but 1927 days. The highest wages
were paid by the musical instrument factor
les, namely, $5S9.O7 on an average; pub
fishers paid $531.OS; brickmakers but $780,
%; cotton factories, $25s.89; worsted
mills, $25S.77; carriage makers, $497. so !;
machine makers, $4s8 80.
This is good showing so far as work and
wages are concerned, but when we come to
the profits of the employers the showing is
not very rosy. In calculating profits an al
lowance of six per cent. on the capital has
been made and 10 per cent. of the gross
product for expenses, including rents,
salaries, insurance and freights. This
is little enough. But out of the
2,24O firms considered, s13 failed to clear a
penny after deducting the allowances made
above, and 20 did not cover their expenses
for labor and material, not to mention
rents and interest. About one-third of the
shoe firms cannot allow ten per cent. of their
gross income for expenses, and report net
loss after the expenses are deducted on the
scale suggested above
These facts, as the Boston Advertiser points
out, are not SO favorable to the manufactur-
or as to the consumer. Competition has
made production very cheap, yet with
out reducing the cost eff labor. In other
words. the whole drift of productive business
is unfavorable to the investor, and disastrous
to the man who does not watch over his dol
lars 1t is almost as difficult now to keep a
fortune as it is to make one, and, without la.
Dor as well as frugality, wealth ceases to be
worth having as much as people think"