The Republican journal., 1889-05-02

FARMING. OF ARRIVING AND THE FISHERIES TO
BE Examined BY TIE STATE BUREAU.
In the work of the State Labor Bureau last
year especial attention was given TO the con,ii-
tion of working women and OF those employcd
N the textile industries and the manufacture
OF boots and shoes. Since the annual report.
III which the results of these Investigations are
embodied. has been issued, numerol, queries
aN 10 the nature Of the work which the bureau
VIII perform this year. have been received,
usually coupled with requests that the writer :
may be allowed to add their n!itc to the col
lection OF Information concerning labor.
The Investigations of the bureau during 1889
Will be particularly directed to obtaining >tati>-
lI's and facts concerning those employed in
farming, the quarryin@ of granite and the
fisheries
A> many returns as possible will tie obtained
from farmers in all portions of the State.
showing the receipts from farm products and
the expenses and profits of agriculture.
lhe granite industry will be the especial
care Of Mr.. I. j. Lyons, of Ninalhaven. the
talented stone cutter who represented that
town i'll the legislature of 1887. Blanks are
new being prepared for quarry owners. in
curing the name of each quarry, its location
the average number of Workmen employed in
each department, the number of working davs
during the year and the rates of wages of the
different classes engaged in the business
Il.
If so how they may be altered, the gross annual
product. the amount of capital invested and
many other interesting questions.
Already at the BodWell quarry rates of
wages have been mutually agreed up0n and
Mr. Lyons writes that on the first of June a
uniform schedule of prices is to take effect
throughout the State. As the movement will
be somewhat sweeping, some uneasiness in re-
>pect to tie workings is experienced. The
eNIstng conditions at different quarries are
disSimilar. The hardness of the stone and the
consequent difficulty of working it differs
greatly, and the cost of living is by no means
uniform. These varying conditions will be
carefully considered by the bureau and the
differences noted.
The granite industry in the seaport towns is
closely linked with the fisheries, to which Mr..
Lyons will give some attention. The humber
OF vessels and men employed in this industry.
| the condition of the fishermen, partially con-
sldered Ill the first report. the wages paid and
the average profits will all be fully Investigate
ed. Particular attention will be given to the
lobster business, to the welfare of which 50
| much discussion was devoted at the last Iegis-
latlNe session. and it is hoped that an unpreju-
| diced account OF the needs of both catcher>
and Gamers may be embodied in the next
annual report. Mr. Lyons will begin work in
| May and will probably be connected with the
| bureau about four months.
| The machine shops and foundres and the
| iron business in general will also be examined
and both interesting statistics and statements
| from individual employees will form parts OF
| the report.
| The blanks issued this wear will contai,
| questions concerning the cost of living, ano
the changes in wages made during the last year
| with their causes and results [kennebe,
| journal.