Evening journal., 1893-08-05
Want Must Soon Stare
WOrkmen in the Face.
STRINGENOY AND DOUBT.
Iron shipbuilding Industry is
Almost Paralyzed.


Orders But Are Running short-Handed.
The Iron Trade is. Dull-some Mills
Shut Down and Others Running on
Half Time.
The financial depression has thrown an
army of persons out of employment in
this city. 1t has affected almost every
branch of trade, and but for the credit
allowed by the storekeepers, many labor.
ing men and killed mechanics would be
compelled to leave the city and take
o the road Not for years has the money
stringency and consequent business
scare had such an effect upon the mills,
factories and homes Of the workmen.
It is not thought likely that the East
ward movement Of the unemployed Of the
West will make the situation any worse, as
they will drop out OF line at every large
city between the Mississippi and New
York.
The few hundreds who reach Delaware
will find work on the farm or in the
orchard. It is not a question OF those
who will come here, but of those who
will be compelled to go away.
There is limit to every mans credit
and every merchants carry lg capacity.
If the idle mechanics who now walk the
streets cannot see their way clear to
support themselves and families until
trade brisks up in the fall they will have
to leave and run the risk of getting
work elsewhere.
wnmington's Diversified Interests.
1t has been said that there is no city
in the United States, which, in proper
tion to population, has such diversified
interests This fact serves to make the
situation easier, but the thousands en-
ployed in the ship yards, car shops, iron
mills, morocco shops, must suffer
greatly, unless a revival Of trade and
circulation occurs in short time
Money Tight aud Orders Few.
The morocco trade Is one Of the leading
industries Of the city. The depression
has almost paralyzed it. Some Of the
factories have shut down indefinitely,
others are running short handed and the
rest are working on old orders with
nothing definite in prospect.
Election Commissioner James Il Dobb,
superintendent Of the American Leather
Company's Works, at Third and
Madison streets, expressed himself as
follows upon the situation:
Il should think that the morocco
shops Of the city give employment to
from 1, 900 to l, 800 men. Not more than
one half Of them are now at work. The
depression is not local, but extends to
the trade throughout the country"
Living on Credit and Hope.
Have many Of the une 4p'Oyed left
the city2"
mo, not many. A majority Of them
are married men who have line OF
credit and wait for resumption Of work
A certain number go away to look fol-
something to do"
What causes do you assign for the
trade depression2"
money is tight; collections are hare
to make and the demand is light. No
body is buying stock in anticipation o
their future wants. They buy IL JUS
as they want to cut it. l don't thin
there is any likelihood of the situation
getting any worse The indications ar
that it will be better, but we can't tel
how soon it will be. We feel oonfden
that the trade will start up this month
but, of course, we may be disappointed.
Has there been any disaffectio
among the worhngmen2"
No. A man who has a Job now mold
it and doesn't kick. It is not the MANI
facturers' fault that the depres sion ez
lists. The workingmen know that.
No Reduction in Wages.
How long has this depression affecte
the trade p
"Only few weeks. You see IL take
seven weeks from the time the skins .
into the lines before we can get the
before the customers, and takes som
time to FIJI old orders.
''Has there been any reduction
wages p
mo"
"what do the operatives average
week :"
II"From $40 to $11. The morocco il
dustry is awfully cut by competition al
labor saving machinery. Still we ha'
TO put in all real labor saving devices a
plcable to our trade or we can't compel
with the manufacturers of other citie
No firm has regular annual custome
now like it used to have-men who dea
with one morocco firm the year throug
Consumers of morocco now 60 whe
they can get the cheapest and be
goods
No Great Distress Yet.
Have you heard of any distress amol
the unemployed morocco workers.
NO, they are usually provident al
have credit with the men with whom tn
deal when at w-rk II has only be
four or five weeks since they we
thrown out"
What is the condition of affairs
your factory2"
I'VE ere running full time and wi
our full complement of men We ha
not reduced a particle in either she
The trade ought to be brisk in w
mington. The whole thing is caus
with us as with everybody else-if v
can't get your money you can't buy a
manufacture We are depending on I
y extra session of ECongress. If there
& not a change within a month there v
be more Wilmington shops shut down