Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-01-23
THE FURNITURE TRADE!
CONDITION OF THE employees IN
STATE FACTORIES.

Comprehensive Summary OF the Result
of the Investigat ON OF the state Labc
Bureau = Annual Wages Paid - Tots
Value OF the Product-vaIuaJIes statist
cal Information.
The following is a general summary
from the seventh annual report of th
State Bureau of Labor and Statistics, o
the inyestigat on Of the condition of tn,
employees OF the furniture manufacturin
industry in Michigan:
The seventh annual report of the Mich
igan Bureau of Labor and Industrial sta
tistics, just issued, containing the resul
or and investigation of the financial an
social condition of the employees of tn
furniture manufacturing industry of tn
State.
Seventy-eight furniture factories wer
canvasssd by the special agents of thi
tborvau-twouty-Uig IN Uraud Hupfde
fifteen In Detroit, three each in Owosso
Worthwhile, Charlotte, and Sturgis, tw,
each in Manistee, Muskegon, Big Rapids
Buchanan, and Holland, and one each il
Adrian, st. Johns, Otsego, Grand Ledge
Spartl, East Saginaw, Constantine, AM
Arboi, Potterville, Newyago, Hillsdale
Niles, and Allegan.
In response TO circulars sent out b,
this bureau, fifty-four out of the seventy
eight firms gave the follow ny informa
tlon: Total number of employees upol
their pay roll on the first pay day in May
1889, 6,9l3; total amount of wages pait
during the past fiscal year, 50, 554, 1865
amounting to 1869 so per capita for man
boy, and girl employed. This also in
cludes salaries of foremen, superintend
eats, and travelling statesmen. The whole
sale value of the goods manufactured
during the same period OF time wal
S7,2lO, 1872. The per cent. of wages tC
the wholesale value of the goods pro.
duced is .35t.
In the seventy-eight factories in this
St'te the special agents of this bureau
made personal canvass of 5, 1926 men anC
boys and 22l girls. This is the largest
personal enumeration of workingmen
ever made by the bureau. Five hundred
and twenty-five have money in the saw
ing5 banks or at interest, amounting to
Sl63,324. One thousand three hundred
and thirty-two own homes valued al
81 ,4S4, $40. Average value OF each home,
$l,l22.32.
OF the employees 10 years of age and
over. 1881 per cent. own homes. In De-
troit 1t is .3)t, in Grand Rapids .3lt, and
In the outside towns 1881. The per cent.
OF home owners to those who are married
is .5Ot. In Grand Rapids it is .40+. in
Detroit OF, and in the outside towns .55t.
Considering the high price of city lots
In the two cities, the per cent. of home
owners makes a better showing th1n in
the other places. Seven hundred and
ninety Eight of the homes are mortgaQed
for total of $3j5,l92; l,26S rent and
pay monthly rental of $S, ,lSI.S2. an
average of $6.45. In Grand Rapids it is
S6.59, in Detroit 1856, and in the out
side Towns $5.67. The to al annual rent
Is S9S, ,lSl.Si, an aver ge OF $77.43.
Two thoisa1d seven hundred and sixty.
seven take newsp pers and magazines.
One thousand five hundred and twenty
three of the employees board. The total
weekly cost for board and room is S.. 36S.-
40, an average of 1882. In Grand Rapids
it is 1917, in Detroit 1888, and / n the
outside towns S3.ll. Total annual board,
S279, l6l.4s. Six hundred an thirty-fou
OF the more provident employees have pro-
vided for their families by fife insurance,
which is .l2t per cent. The total life in
surance is S977, 1903. One thousand two
hundred and thirty nine have pi pioyided
for sickness or accident by membership
In benefit societies. The total weekly
benefit in case of sickness or accident is
Rapids it is S5.99, in Detroit S7.34. in
the outside towns. $5.74.
When the employees first began work as
boys in the shops or learning their trade.
., l6 had good health, AZ fair, Al poor.
and Is did not answer the question. Two
hundred and thirty cannot read, which is
.Olt per cent. and 269 cannot write, which
is .O5t.
In answer to the question: Are YOU
subject to loss of wages by error, waite
or breakage?' Four thousand nine hum
dred and ninety-seven replied and 229
did not answer. OF those who replied.
only 81 said that they were subject to the
loss. To the question: Are you re-
quired TO exercise more than ordinary
care to prevent accidents to yourself and
TO others?" -Four thousand nine hun lred
and twenty eight replied and 29S did not
answer. or those who answered $50
said yes. They included engineers and
men who ran or worked about machines
or machinery. Have wages increased or
decreased during the past five yearsP"
Inc 3,9S9 who answered give the follow
ing replies: l,76S an increase, 100 de-
crease, and ,43l reported wages lust the
same as five years ago.
DO you pay cash when you purchase
your goods, or do you buy on credit from
one pay day to tn other?" One thousand
,wo hundred and thirtv nine did not an
'wer the question and 1887 did. Their
'eplies were as follows: Three thousand
hree hundred and sixty-nine pay cash.
ll6 both pay cash and buy on credit, and |
'O2 buy on credit.
10 the question: Do you keep an item
zed account of your expenses2" nine |
iundred and six made no reply, 3,S40 do |
lot keep an itemized account and 472 do. |
Are You as well off as you were fiye |
ears agoF Three hunSred and twenty |
I've did not answer the question, 4, ,22l |
made reply, 1921 said that they were |
s we'll OFF as they were five years ago,
lO said they were not as we'll of, and 400 |
aid they we're better off, which is IL per
ent. The majority of those who said
hat they are as we'll of or better off are
oung men who five ye rs ago we're learn
ng trades and have since advanced to
1an's wages, or are foreigners who came
D this country since five years ago, who.
8 a matter of course, are as we'll off or
etter Off
In Grand Rapids and Detroit 2,O59 EN-.
loyes were asked il they we're in favor
I eight hours as a work day. The re-
lies were as follows: Yes, 1.7s3: no, 2Os;
ont know, 80; can't say, o; don't care,
; hardly know, 3; all the same, 3; won't
~, i; can't tell, ]; immatensl, l; and
lree preferred Saturday half holiday.
The woman who carries a handker.
hief In her corsage should remember
ne fate of the man in the fable who
armed a wiper in his bosom.