The herald., 1893-08-14
SAN FRAHC|SCO'S ARMY OF |DLERS
A Large Percentage of Union
WOrkmen Unemployed.
An Appeal to Men to stay Away at
Present.
More Than Enough Workers in Every
Branch of Trade-The Situationas
1t Is-seoretary MoGlynn's
Views rs to the outlook.

1t Is-seoretary McGlynn's
Views as to the Outlook.
The workingmen of San Francisco are
anxious that their brethren in other
parts OF the country shall not flock in
here and fill the streets with idlers, as
is now threatened and as is practically
being done. "Let the condition OF the
San Francisco labor market be known
to the world" our workingmen cay,
s.and let US stem the tide before our
city shall become the mastering place of
the great army of the unemployed OF
other places"
With much truth, remarks the Ex-
aminer, they insist upon the fact that
San Francisco attracts enough idlers to
her gates every winter. The coming
cold season in the east and north will
cause many more to come here than
have ever come before unless they are
given to understand that they should
keep away-that there is no work here
for them.
This is the situation as the local au-
thorities on labor present it: Thirty to
so per cent Of the skilled workingmen
are idle. Seven thousand and more
skilled laborers are ready and willing to
work and there is no work for them
to do.
1t ia the same in every branch of
trade. San Francisco contains some ~
varieties of organized labor, aggregating
between 5000 and $4,000 skilled work.
men. In each of these II different
unions the secretaries report from 33 to
30 per cent of Che men enrolled out of
work. In all a grand total of 1000 men
living in enforced hleness.
OF course it is not to be expected that
every man should find employment. The
usual, one almost might say necessary.
number of unemployed is in 10. All
labor unions count on about that pro-
portion. There is, however, long
distance between in 10 and 80 in 100.
sLIoUiD AND LUXURY"
In times of great financial depression
like the present it is rather peculiar
circumstance that the occupations be-
longing to that portion of the organized
trades known as the Liquid and luxury"
unions are the last and least to suffer.
Why this is it is hard to say, but it is
fact. The state of affairs among the
brewery workmen, .he musicians, the
cigar makers and the barber unions is
bad enough, but far better than among
the different building and food supply
organizations.
The brewery workmen number come
800 or 1000 men, although this takes in
the entire Pacific coast. OF these the
number idle is probably not over 200 or
$50. 1t is impossible to learn the actual
figures, but that is a pretty fair es-
innate.
The Musicians union, however, ac-
cording to E. E. Schmitz, the secretary,
never was in worse condition. 1t is
large union. numbering some 575 men,
bers. OF tnis number fully 300 are
totally Idle, and of the remainder 100
or so only work intermittenly. The
closing of the dive theaters threw out
some hundred men, and almost half as
many more were idle during the months
that the Baldwin, California and Bush
we're closed for renovation. The Bush
is still closed, and the orchestras at the
other theaters have each been reduced
one or two players. 1t is rumored also
among the musicians that Morosco's
and the Wigwam will SOON close their
doors for longer or shorter period.
At this season of the year there are
not infreauently four and FIVE big pic
mics week which require the services
OF musicisns, but the picnic banner no
longer waves on Market street and
gophers and blue jays have the picnic
grounds to themselves. Times are too
hard to permit Of picnics.
The militia camp, too, with its blare
OF trumpets and rattle OF drums, all
giving employ ment to the members of
the musicians union, have skipped this
summer, and the Thursday afternoon
concerts at the park have been aban-
doned.
Affairs are go bad in this union that
only last month 10 members were sus-
pended for violation of the bylaws re-
gerding the rates at which the nusi-
clans were allowed to play. When men
begin to cut under the prices times are
indeed hard. Within the last three
months the secretary has sent out ~
circulars to the other musicians unions
in the country, warning any members
lT0m CulutAk W phA rIauCleCU Jus
hope OF finding steady employment and
easy times.
HALF THE CARPENTERS IDLE.
Take, for example, the building
trades. There are at present in the city
five different unions composed of car
pentere, numbering some 1900 men.
According to q. Lathrop. secretary OF
Carpenters union No. 483. this is not
much more than half of the full num-
Der OF carpenters, which would make a
total Of nearly 5000. OF these fully 1900
are out of work. Reports from the sur
rounding country are no better. Build
ing seems to have come to dead stop
or fallen OFF over one-half in every direc-
ton.
This should be the very best season
of the year for the carpentering trade,
but it is. the secretary says. the very
worst. One of the most important
causes for the existing state of affairs
was the completion OF the worlds fair
buildings in Chicago. which threw out
of work over 14000 carpenters alone and
caused depression in the labor market
that was felt from seaboard to seaboard.
At the headquarters of the Builders
union on Taylor street the rooms are
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