Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-07
EVERYTHING LOVELY.
The Weeks Business Shows a Large
Gain Over Same Time Last Year.
A SILLY CANARD AGAIN REFUTED.
Local Street Improvement Aired at Length
by Prominent Citizen.
WAGES NOW AND 100 YEARS AGO.

Considering there was an ''off day." the
volume of business transacted in Pittsburg
last week was la. ge-over 5000, 900 ahead OF
the corresponding time last year. This
should be satisfactory to reasonable people.
There was no particular change in values.
which, however, developed hardening
tendency in anticipation of an early demand
for fall goods.
There wasa q larger movement in local Sc
curities than for some time, and prices were
we'll maintained-the closing figures on sew
eral of the favorites being from one to three
points higher than the opening. The out
look is good for continued active firm mar
ket. The total sales so far as reported. were
$500 shares of which Philadelphia Gas and
Electric contributed one-third.
Petroleum was dull, with few and small fuc-
tuations. Ths new deal has SO far failed 10
catch the outside interest. Many dealers ex-
pressed themselves in favor of returning to the
old plan.
Real estate was rather more quiet than usual,
but the transactions outnumpered by nearly 80
per cent those of the same time last year. The
number of deeds recorded was l90, represent
ing 1885 90.
The business in mortgages showed q slight
falling of as compared with the average run.
The number officially reported was 2l7, aggre-
eating s3os.s3a Several for large amounts
were placed but not settled, and are not in
cluded in the count. About 40 per cent were
for purchase money. The largest was for
$4,000.
Permits were taken out for Il small build
iugs-homes for working peopls-the estimated
cost of which is s5s.375.
There was a buoyant feeling among all
classes of business men. who, while entirely
satisfied with the summer trade, are locking
forward to an unusually busy season next fall,
and are already making preparations for it
$50
Here is another refutation Of the story that
all the manufacturing sites in and around
Pittsburg have been bought up. It comes from
one of the Oldest real estate dealers on Fourth
avenue He said to me yesterday: IF you
know Of any person wanting to purchase o
manufacturing site, send him to me. have at
least half dozen splendid ones on my books.
They are situated on the Monongaheia and
Ohio rivers, close to the city line. convenient
to railroads. with an abundance Of natural gas
and every other advantage that could be do
sired. Some Of these properties can be bough
for 81. 500 an a. re- The very best are held at
81. 900 and 81 900.
"The idea that all the manufacturing sites
have been bought up Is ludicrous. Who bought
themf If such were the fact think would
know it. There never was q greater canard
concocted. Why, that would mean that Pitts
burg is finished and ready to be fenced in. On
the contrary. she has Just commenced to spread
out. Natural gas has given her a boom that
will carry her ahead Of all her rivals. She
invites outside capitalists to come In and assist
in developing her exhaustless resources. She
has thousand mills and factories, but there is
room for a thousand more
1t may add to the interest that IL being taken
in this matter to state that negotiations are
pending for a site near Williamsburg whereon
to erect a large glass factory, and also for
several acres near Hawkins for . wire and nail
mill.
Pittsburg has entered upon system of street
Improvement which, II judciously carried out,
will produce good results, but If prosecuted
without due regard to the rights of property
holders directly interested, will have = contrary
effect. ard be the source of expensive and
tedious litigation, besides piling up the taxes,
which are already sufficiently burdensome. On
this subj ject prominent business man remarked
yesterday:
81 am in favor Of street Improvement but I
think that those who petition for 1t and are
directly benefited should pay the cost It
would be manifestly unfair to levy . general
tax for strictly local improvements, the object
of which is to benefit abutting and adjacent
property. If the property holders on Diamond
street. for instance. think the widening of that
thoroughfare would be to their pecuniary ad-
vantage, they should pay for it, and not attempt
to saddle the cost upon the city. Another case
IN point affects St Clair street. In the East
End, the widening of which IL opposed by every
property holder on the section of the street
which it is proposed to improve except one.
THIS unanimity, of remonstrance should have
great weight with Counciis, as it involves per-
sonal rights-the right Of the individual to hold
and enjoy his possessions-a right that consti-
tutes the basis of our system Of government,
the impairment of which under any pretext
would weaken respect for Law. and might lead
to deplorable consequences.
'In my judgment street improvements Of the
character proposed should be left entirely to
the initiation of the pror srty holders directly
concerned, the city acting merely as the ex-
ecutive Of their will. In this way individual
rights would be respected and no one violently
dispossessed of his property. Besides there Is
no particular hurry in this matter. The streets
will keep. Let the various projects be thor
oughly discussed in all their bearings, and
then. when all is over, no one can say that he
wac coerced or deceived. We had better let
the streets remain as they are than 90 i'm
prove them In opposition to the wishes of those
who would be most affected. Let US hear all
they have to say before taking any further
step"
The condition of American wage workers
nearly century ago is full of instruction, and
presents q striking contrast to the condition of
the same class of people in this more liberal
and enlightened age. Wage workers in Pitts
burg are among our most thrifty and useful
citizens. They are welltpaid, well housed and
well fed, many Of them owning the houses in
which they live, and taking an active part In
public affairs for which their practical train.
ing gives them special qualification. Pitts-
burg is proud of her toilers whose brain and
muscle have contributed largely to make her
what she is-the greatest industrial center in
the Union.
A century ago, in the large cities, unskiiied
workmen were hired by the day, bought their
own food and found their own lodgings. But
in the country. on the farms, or wherever q
hand was employed on some public work. they
were fed and lodged by the employer, and
given few dollars month. On the Penusyl-
vania canals the diggers ate the coarsest diet
were housed in the rudest sheds and paid So a
month from May to November, and IS month
from November to May. Hod carriers and
morta: mixers, dlggers and choppers, who
from 1873 to $500, labored on the public build
ings and out the streets and avenues of Wash
ington. received tI0 year, or, If they wished
$50 for all the work they could perform from
March / to December 20 The hours Of work
were invariably from sunrise to sunset.
Wages at Albany and New York were %, or,
as money then went, 40 cents o day; at Lancas-
ter, IS to $40 q month; elsewhere in Penneylva-
mia workmen were content with % in summer
and IS in winter. At Baltimore men were glad
to be hired at lSd day. None by the month
asked more than &C. At Fredericksburg the
price for labor was from IS to g. In Virginia
white men employed by the year were given
fl6 currency; slaves, when hired, were clothed.
and their masters paid fi q month; FL Virginia
money, was, in Federal money, s. 80. The av-
ara rate Of all over the counfrv