Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-22

,t Hartford: The industrial life of this city is weighted down to A considerable extent by the financial depression. It is said that 4,000 men are out of employment, but that is probably exaggerated. Many of the factories are running on half time and many have cut down rates. but in all cases. so far as your correspondent can find out, shorter hours and lower wages are re- garded as only temporary. The Jewell Betting Go has cut down the salary of its officers on a sliding scale. The presidents salary is cut twenty-five per cent; the secretary's, twenty per cent; the other off, cials, fifteen and ten per cent. There is very little suffering from want in this city.
 Ansonia: There is not mill in this town that is running on full time in every de- partment, Wallace X Son. and the Farrell foundry are running more steadily than the rest, but with greatly diminished force. Probably not more than half of the hands are employed in these mills. The Ansonia Brass X Copper Co runs n larger number of men in their several mills than the rest of the concerns, but keeps the mills in operation only three and four days a week, except the Brass mill, which runs full time. Pay has been reduced everywhere. Three or four hundred men are out of work altogether here. There are less per manently idle men in Birmingham than in Ansonia. In Shelton most of the factories are running three and four days a week, and most of the operatives have some work.
 New Britain: New Britain like many other towns in Connecticut has felt the effects of the business depression which prevailed drought the greater part of the country during the year. Many of the factories were practically closed for brief period, but are now running on short time and at a lower rate of wages. Just at present the shops are preparing to shut down for the annual inventory, but there is every indication that business will be more brisk after January 1. This city has done good deal of public work this year. Sewers have been built in almost every street that needs them and many men have been and ere still employed on their con- struction. There are about l,500 idle men in New Britain and that is not considered large for this time of the year
 Meriden: It is impossible to tell the number of men idle here. There are quite a number, probably POO. None of the shops are closed, but most of them are working on eight or nine hours time. The E. A. Bliss shop is working nights, so rushing is business. The condition of business here is good, holiday trade being very brisk.
 Middletown: As near as can be esti- mated here the number of persons usually employed. who are now out of work, is about 900. One factory, the Schuyler Electric company, is entirely closed. All other factories are working, though mostly on reduced time. Middletown is provid- ing for it's needy ones, which do not seem to be many more than usual at this season of the year. At Portland most of the quarries have closed indefinitely and the employees have gone elsewhere in search of work. Business at the quarries is gener- ally dull at this time of year.
 Bridgeport: The industrial situation in this city, although much better than dur ing the early fall months, is a long way from being in normal condition Few factories are closed, but many are running on short time. Curious to relate, the small shops-those employing less than
 fifty hands-may be said to be fairly ac- tive. To estimate the number of unem- ployed in the city is not altogether an easy matter, perhaps l, l,50O to 1000 would not be far out of the way.
 Danbury: The lockout here seems to be the great business bugbear. No one talks anything else and it is difficult to ascer- tain how much business would be doing if the trouble between the matters and manu- facturers had not reached such crisis. No accurate estimate of employees out of work can be made, but from close calcula- tions the number may be said to be 1, 900. Eighteen factories here are running. Several of those are engaged in the manu- tacture of hats and are what is known as fair" factories. These employ in the neighborhood of 5000 men, so the town is not as idle as the lockout would indicate.
 WSll;p,a Y manufacturers of spool cotton and cotton yarn. are employing l,700 hands at the present time. 4 year ago they employed 1850. The concern is running on five days time with cut of ten per cent in wages, making total reduction of twenty five per cent. At the present time the officers say sales are slow. The Smithville Manufacturing company, manufacturers of cotton goods, is employing its full force of 300 hands and is running on full time. In the other factories about seventy-five per cent of the regular force is employed.
 New Haven: The Winchester Repeating Arms Co report that their business is run ming about as usual. Sargent < Go are also running under auspices fairly en- couraging. Employment is given to 1 500 men and the working days, of which there are six week, are eight hours long. l.. Candee & Co, rubber goods. ten hours day; Hoggson & Pettis Go, half the force, four days a week; Yale Safe X Iron Co, rushed to it's fullest capacity; English .S Mersick, business splendid; New Haven Clock Co. POO idle men: Mayer, Strouse .S Go, help reduced one-third.
 South Norwalk: With a few exceptions the factories of this place and also of Nor walk. are running on reduced time Mer- chants report that the holiday trade is not up to the standard. but business is not as poor AS they expected.
 New London: This city's report of unemployed men ranges between ,OOO and l 800. There is no noticeable evi- dences of unusual want and Restitution.
 Rockville: Bedding Bros < Co, the largest concern in town. reports business dull. but there is no distress and the pros poets are not alarming. The usual num- Der of hands employed in the Rockville branch of the firm is 400. At this time 800 have work thirty-two hours a week. J. J, Began, shoddy and cider down manu- facturers have kept two-thirds of their force and are running anywhere from three to live days week. The amount of busi- ness done Is estimated on basis of two thirds. The great woolen mills. the Rock aman Co. the New England Go, Springfield Manufacturing Go, White, Corbin < Co, samuel Fitch X Sons and the Rock manu- featuring Co held a meeting last week and decided upon system by which half of their forces ara osvay, ,,-o,i- fo..,,