Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-02-16

q. Clay shepherd Furnishes Some
Valuable Information for the
workingman.

valuable Information for the
Workingman.
correspoadence Of the Ledger.
Los ANGELES, CAL, Feb. 3D.
There are . great many mechanics
here of all classes out of steady en-
ployment. / have been working
on one job for the past seven weeks
and some days We would have two
and on others fifteen men apply
for a job, and then again several
days would pass without an appli-
cant. To ask them what was the
trouble, we would get as many diff.
ferent answers as there were APP
plicants. Some ofthem having had
work for two, four or six months
and sometimes for a year or more
had just got through. Men never
get bounced" in California ; they
always get Through" Men are
"getting through" all the time, and
new ones are finding work. The
cause / do not know. 1t looks a
little like a game of chance, at
which some are more lucky than
others. Any class of mechanics
coming to this country must take
its chances among thousands.
The situation is forcibly illustrated
by a lottery in which there are
many blanks, and at the same time
small prizes varying according to
the luck of the ticket holder. To
men who have the pluck, inclina-
ton and ability to contract work,
and will attend to their business
and keep up the gaps, | believe
there are but few places better for
them to try their hand. Lack of
material is the cry on every hand
here; but / believe one-half of the
cause of that is a failure upon the
part of the contractors to make
their bill large enough in the first
place, and the other half is caused
by not ordering in time. Parties
seem to have no trouble getting
the bulk of their orders, but when
it comes to finishing up, dealers
pay but little attention to small
orders of a few feet of this or a
small bundle of that, as they are
very busy sending out wagon loads.
All kinds of material, on an aver
age, is about one-third higher than
in Missouri, but there being not
more than two grades, is in favor
of the contractor, as he is not led
astray as to what he is to furnish,
and he can find out easily what
will be the cost.
1t has also been said of California
that work is not done as we'll here
as in the States, but my .observa-
ton SO far has been that the work
is not only well.done, but of much
neater designs than in your part of
Missouri. It seems to be the am
bition of each to o~utstrip the other
regardless Of cost. In talking with
men who have been here for four
or five years, and are not excited
over real estate, claim to have more
confidence than ever in the future
building boom, and predict that it
will take the place of the real
estate boom. In the support of
this 1 find there are quite a num-
Der of men of means, who have
travelled the world over, buying
high priced lots and building good
houses in which, they say. to pass
their remaining days. I find, by
referring to my notes, that there
has been during the last three
months seven rainy days, which
hindered outside work, the balance
of them about equal to May wealth
err in Missouri, comfortable work
ing out all day in shirt sleeves. So
much for the climate from actual
experience, and this coupled with
the fact that wages are good and
money sure, is certainly in favor Of
the workingman. The remark is
often made of one going to a new
country, especially California, that
they expect to find money growing
on trees. Well, money does grow
on trees out here, but they have to
be cultivated the same as other
trees, and we also have to wait foi
harvest time. Picking time was
just over when we arrived, and the
new crop is a little backward or
account of an unusually cold winter,
but I do not think the crop entirely
destroyed. | have set it down that
there are three classes of persons
to whom this country is especial.
ly adapted: First, those who have
plenty of money to live at their
ease and are willing to spend it for
their own pleasure second, those
who have a few thousand, backed
by good judgment, with which te
speculate /; third, those who do not
care TO work, and let each day pro.
vide for itself. But, at the present
time, to the man without an,
money with a family to support, ant
a desire to make more than a liv'
ing, there are two things which
presents themselves for careful con.
sideration First, rent is SO higf
that he cap hardly nav that and Ia,