River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-12-25
The Unemployed Thousands.

The investigations undertaken by Brad
streets shows that so far as reported, three
hundred and sixteen thousand fewer employees
are at work in manufacturing establishments
in twenty one states, containing 80 per cent
of the manufacturing employees, than have
hitherto been required 1t is fair to presume
that a more detailed inquiry would reveal near
er three hundred and fifty thousand as the to-
tai; in part due, of course, to customary stop
pages at this season. the enforced idleness
among lumbermen in the Northwest and the
North is not included III the totals presented,
nor are the reductions among clerks and other
employees in mercantile houses IN the larger
cities
Wisconsln-Promnent numbering firms in
Wisconsin say that the cut Is expected to be
about two-thirds of that year ago. Last
year about eighty thousand men were em-
ployed, which number, it may be inferred,
will be reduced in just that proportion, show
ing the probable number out of employment
Minnesota-The single instance III this field
where a large number of men have been
thrown out of employment by the pressure of
the times is the case of the Northwestern Car
company at saltwater, which went into the
hands of a receiver recently The lumber
business of the Northwest 10 severely de-
pressed. Saltwater lumbermen claim their
cut in the woods will be reduced 80
per cent for next year, with proportion
ate reduction of logging forces this winter.
Wages in the woods will be from 10 to 20 per
cent lighter than usual The Minnesota iron
company had on their pay roll, NOV. /, at their
mines 500 men Their force is now not to ex-
coed 400 men, and they have made a reduction
of wages of all their employees of 20 cents per
day Two large lumber mills, one atDuluth and
one at Superior City Wis have been idle during
the entire season. The Duluth Iron company's
blast furnace works have raised but little
small cut being made in higher priced labor.
Men will go to the woods at reduction from
last years figures Investigation at ST. Paul
develops light reduction of working force in
many Instances, with an average wage reduc-
ton of at least 10 per cent taking all employ
ments. 1t is thought there are from :, 800 to
:, 600 men out of work. The manufacturing in
dustry of Minneapolis shows little change
The largest estimate of iron workers thrown
ont of employment is 200 and this about the
mark Wages are reduced about 10 per cent
on the average The lumber mills have all
been running but with reduced crews averag-
ing three fourths of full number In wood
manufacturing from 400 to 800 men are out of
employment 1t is considered safe estimate
that less than 60 per cent of the number OF men
sent into the woods will be employed this winter
per cent and wages will be lowered by 81 per
cent Taking all branches of manufactures,
there are probably from 8 600 to !, 600 men out
of employment. The Touring mills have been
running at profit, are employing more men
than at the same time last year, and have made
no wage reductions No strikes worth chron-
icling are reported from the Northwest. In the
cities of Minneapolis and st Paul there are,
ABSOLUTELY speaking, more men employed day
than one year ago. The expansion of industry
has made way for new hands. The pressure of
tho times has made itself felt upon wages,
which are uniformly from 10 to p per cent
lower