Omaha daily bee., 1884-10-21

The reports of the factory inspectors
for Germany during the year 1883 con-
tain interesting facts as to the industrial
condition of the empire, and testify to
the generally prosperous condition of the
country throughout. In east and west
Prussia the sugar trade is Aourishing,
seven new establishments having been
added during the year, while the distil-
leries, breweries, hour-mills, cigar facto-
ries, and furniture shops are all doing
well, Brick, tile and glass works are al.
most the only ones that are languishing.
The inspector states that the law
for the protection of children is fair
ly well observed and seldom transgressed.
though in the case of the adults there is
considerable carelessness, not on the
part of employers, but of the work peo-
pie themselves. In yhe sugar and cigar
factories there were thirty-siX accidents
during the year, of which six were fatal.
The inspector complains of the difficulty
experienced by him in endeavoring to
bring the employers and the employed
amicably together, 30 that when accidents
happen where the liability of the owner is
not clearly marked mutual beneficial
arrangement might be entered into. AS
rule the workman refuses any advances
made by the master, and prefers to take
his chances of getting damages at law,
which, perhaps, rather unfortunately
is made little too easy for
the workman, who may prefer
his case without any expense on his part.
The providence of Bradenburg has two
inspectors, one for Berlin and the suburbs
the other for the remaining districts.
Berlin is naturally the chief industrial
center, as are the most OF the European
capitals. The number of factories using
steam power increased during the year
from 1886 to 1887, and those using
other sources of power from 420 to 42G.
On the other hand, shops not using power
have decreased from l, 709 to 1,G18, al
though the increase is more apparent
than real, inasmuch as it includes num-
Der of slaughter houses which have been
suppressed in favor of regular abattoirs.
The number of artisans in this district
increased from sc, ,231 to 80, ,039-about 3
per cent. Among these 12,340 are re-
turned as working in the textiles, 10,672
in metals, 1929 in clothing, 1875 in
printing and the subsidiary trades be-
longing to these groups. Machine-mak'"
ing, however, has diminished from 22,-
643 to 81, 122, as also have food indus
tries from 6,l77 to G,129. Children
workers have increased by IL per cent
viz, from 4, 1872 to 4,Gll; but of these
very small number only, say per cent,
are under the age of Ia. The demand
for juvenile labor is less than the supply,
for out of 151 boys and q girls who OBJ
tanned the necessary permit to work in
shops and factories only 27 boys and 81
girls were successful in finding an open.
ing. The fact Is that the employers of
Berlin are becoming less and leas opposed
to avail themselves of juvenile labor, In
consequence of the stringency of the
rules regulating their employment;
and in many establishments there
are only two per cent, and
very seldom more than six,
out of the whole body of workpeople
who come under the children's employ
ment category. This feature, however,
is not favorable for the future, inasmuch
as the juvenile industrial recruits will
fall short when the ranks of
skilled artisans require them to be filled
up. Complaints as to immortality, which
were formerly very rife, have much
and more care is taken in
the separation of sexes when at work.
Some of the employers, too, have en-
deavored to establish separate dining
places at their works, but these are not
In favor with the majority of the hands,
who view it as an infringement of the
liberty of the subject. OF 60, 800 work.
people in Berlin itself over fourteen
years of age, 8,785 were apprentices, of
whom 2,055 were engaged under written
contracts and the remainder verbally. In
78 per cent of these the term of appren.