The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-21
MARVELLOUS FACTS.
'ISPLACENIENT OF HAND LABOR
BY MACHINERY.
Results That Have Been
Attained in Various Fields Of
Work - Comparisons
With Europe.

With Europe.
The aggregate energy in hand, horse
nd steam power in the United States,
kclusive of water, with AZ, 900 miles of
avigable rivers more than there are IN
he whole of Europe, is Sc, ,S54, 600, 600
bot tons daily, against S3,290, 900, 900
bot tons in England and France to-
ether.
The horse power of steam used in the
United States on railways, steamers and
factories and mines was, in 1888, H.
loo, 900, against 1900 in 1850.
The United States census of 1890 will
robably show population of about &c.
loo, 900, with an aggregate energy OF
early 100, 900 millions of foot tons daily
nd an accumulated wealth of 10000
ollars, figures never before applicable to
ny nation in the world. Comparing
Fith population, the earnings in 1880 per
apita averaged S165 against S1O5 in
850.
The earnings in the United States in
hirty wears we're $14s, 500, 900, 900 and
he accumulation of wealth has been S37,-
les, 900, 900, or nearly one-fourth of the
arnings, made up of $40, 160, 600, 900 in
arms, "a, COS, 600, 600 in railways, S2,-
leo, 600, 600 in factories and $50, $780,
loo, 900 in houses, etc. The annual ac-
humiliation of wealth average 81, 1885,
loo, 900, or about fifty per cent. over the
Iccumulations of either Great Britain or
France.
The inventive genius of the country
las devised labor-saving machinery for
j he advancement of agriculture, manu-
Factures, commerce and mining, to which
Fery much of the credit for the country's
Fonderful progress is due. In the race
or advancement machinery has displaced
|abor to re-employ it in the manufacture
bf labor-saving machines and new meth
DDS of working. The cost of manufacture
bf most articles has been diminished and
bold to consumers at diminished price,
khes laborer reaping a benefit as a con-
bumer. The rate of wages has been
GENERALLY advanced, but the wage-earner
has not received, as general rule, the
bro rata advance to correspond to the
cost of manufacture.
Cotton being taken as the standard
Eemmodity, the ratio of cost per pound
bf common cotton cloth in 1928 and 1880
WAS as $40 to 3.31, and wages for the
bame dates being as 2.62 to 4.S4. The
ber capita domestic consumption of cot
Eoa in 1881 was $50 pounds against
k3.s1 pounds in 1880. The working
lime has been reduced Upper cent.
In the manufacture of agricultural i'm
Elements 600 operatives with machinery,
Including eighteen classes of wage earn
ers, do the work of 2145 wage earners
without machinery, displacing l545
workers.
In manufacturing gun stocks one man
By manual labor was able to turn and fit
bne gun stock in one day of ten hours,
while three men now by a division of
labor and the use Of machinery can turn
and fit 125 to $50 gun stocks in ten
hours. This displaces the work Of forty
four to forty-nine wage workers.
In the manufacture of brick, improved
devices save one-tenth Of the labor, and
in she manufacturing of fire brick forty
per cent. of the manual labor is dis
placed.
In the manufacture of boots and shoes,
the work of 500 operatives is now done
BY 100, a displacement of wage earners
Of eighty per cent. by aid of machinery.
Ia another class of boots for women's
wear, one worker by manual labor could
make six pairs per week, which has by
aid Of late devices been increased to eigh-
teen pairs per week, displacement of
sixty-six per cent. of laborers.
In a certain grade of goods the work
of 12O wage workers by old methods is
now done by the aid of machinery by
sixty wage workers work, better in fact
and in appearance, displacing fifty per
cent. of wage workers.
Goodyear's sewing machine for turned
shoes, with one worker, can sew 250
pairs in day. 1t would require eight
hand-workers to do like number, o dis
placement of S7t per cent. of workers.
Kings heel shaver or trimmer, with one
worker, will turn out 800 pairs of shoes
per day, where formerly three men were
required.
One worker with McKay's machine
can handle 500 pairs of shoes per day,
and without the machine only fivo pairs.
In mailing on shoe heels one worker
and a boy with machinery can heel 300
pairs of shoes per day. 1t would re-
auire five workers to do the same by
band. The introduction of machinery
in the manufacture of children's shoes
in the last thirty years has displaced six
times the manual labor now required,
and the product of manufacture has been
reduced fifty per cent. to the consumer.
On grade of goods manufactured in
Maine one man can now by the improved
devices do the work of ten men twenty
years ago.
In the broom manufacture, with
machinery, half the number of wage
workers turn out more work than twice
the product.
. In the manufacture of carriages it used
to take one man thirty-fve days to make
q carriage. 1t is now made by the aid of
machinery with the work of one man
in twelve days.
A carpet measuring and brushing ma
chine with one operator will do the work
of fifteen men by the old methods.
In cutting out clothing and cloth caps
.u;4h diaa ona uorker does the work of