Morning journal and courier., 1894-01-23

MR. vANCE's REPORT.
First Annual Report OF the Labor
Colnm1ssiOner - Some Interesting
Facts and Figures-Report OF tho
state Inspector OF Factories.
Laoor Commissioner Vancs's annual re-
port for 1898, just out, shows many inter
esting facts. It contains the eighth and
ninth annual reports, the former having
been practically prepared by Mr.. Vance's
predecessor, Mr.. Hotchkiss. The invssti-
cation into manufactures. capital, wages
and profits began in 1887 and continued
annually thereafter, was continued In 1899
and Is covered in the eighth report.
A the report for 1891 had Just been
distributed, 1t was thought best to print
the report for 1892 with the report for
1868. Both appear now In one volume.
Returns from the same 624 establish
ments for three years, from the Same 238
for four years, and from the same So for
five years, show . general increase in the
per cent. of profit on investment, an ia
crease in the cost of material and Q de-
crease In the wage cost. In majority of
the industries wage cost decreased a. ma
terial cost increased, or increased ~ ma
terial cost decreased.
The report for 1898 Is devoted mainly to
the condition of the fsotory workers in
1892, relative to hours of labor and meth
DDS of payment, and the effect of recent
legislation on these subjects.
OF the 1901 establishments reporting
for 1898 and employing 1853. 260 persons,
only establishments having 2, 1853 employees,
ran over sixty hours q week. Twenty
eight of the seventy nine establishments
running over sixty hours weekly in 1892
paper mills, in both of which industries
/ long hours are deemed necessary. Women
/ in paper mills are not required to work
over sixty hours weekly. The effect of the
1887 law was to make sixty hours week
| the working time for practically all-the
men as well as the women and children.
About one sixth of the factory employees
of the state work moro than ten hours
daily on five days of the week and less than
ten on Saturday under q provision of the
law of 1887, which permits that division
of the working hours. The system is
found mainly in the textile industries and
in the counties of Tolland, New London
and Windham, ninety. eight per cent. of
all the employees in the last named county
working under this system.
Some few establishments, mainly In the
large cities, grant q half-holiday on Satur-
day, not earned by longer working hours
on other days of the week, and it was tho
voluntary testimony of few Hartford
manufacturers that the Saturday half holt
day, with full pay, did not decrease pro-
duction, the employees recipr"cating the
favor by more concentrated effort during
the week. Like voluntary testimony as to
the effect of reducing the daily working
time to nine hours was given by several
employers. The nine-hour day was found
in 1899 in 147 establishments, employing
6,61l people. One-fifth of these establish
ments were woodworking shops and one
fourth were stoneyards or quarries.
In 1885, according to the report of the
bureau for that year, of II ,539 people
employed in 433 establishments, 1874 per
cent. were paid VT ekly. In 1892, of 1853,
289 people employed in 1901 establish
ments, S.158 per cent. were paid weekly.
Although the weekly payment law applies
only to corporations, very many establish
ments not incorporated pay weekly. On
the other hand, ninety-three incorporated
establishments were found which do not
pay weekly.
OF sixty seven manufacturers who re-
piled TO a circular letter to the bureau,
thirty declare the weekly payment law un-
quslifedly beneficial, twenty condemn 1t
and come who do not praise 1t say they
would not return to monthly payments.
Fifteen endorse the present factorizlnq
law, fourteen regard 1t as immsterial, Eve
declare that any fsctorizing law is hard
ship, fifteen assert that the existing Law
protects dishonesty and two favor the ole
law.
The commissioner recommends raising
the age limit of children for employ men
from thirteen to fourteen, which is favor
/ ed by large majority of workiugmen
manufacturers, school teachers and physi
/ clans.
Statistics of the building trades in tn
larger towns of the state show that nearl,
half of the workers in these trades hav
obtained the nine hour day. The return
show also an intimate relation between
short hours and organization, but no ma
terial difference in wages between unto,
and non-unfon towns.
Facts and figures concerning cigar
making are thought to warrant the con
clusion that the adoption of the eight hou
day in that industry has resulted II
steadier work, and that the decrease Il
working hours has not been accompanies
by corresponding decrease 10 product pc
employe.
INSPECTION OF FACTORIES.
The Hon. E. Burrows Brown, state in
spector of factories, has gathered within
the pages of his annual report just at hand
number of matters of real interest to tn
proprietors and workmen Of our factories
The inspector entered upon the duties o
his Office last July handicapped in som
respects by depression in manufacturing
affairs due to the silver panic, which mad
it evident to him that while his primar
obligations were to the workmen, he couli
not, as he says in his report, ignor
the fact that the manufacturers o
business under unusual difficulties
financial and Otherwise, and therefore tina
such rigid enforcement of the laws q
must involve large expenditures in making
changes In the factories inspected, woul,
prove alike prejudicfal to both owner
and operatives. Under the circumstances
only changes Immediately necessary hav
been ordered. His predecessor inspected
2l8 establishments from November 30
1892, to July /, 1898, seven months, anl
Mr.. Brown $50 from July to Novembe
80, 1898, five months. Mr.. Brown
appears, from the statistical table,
in the reports to have been fal
more particular than his predecessor II
Office as to ordering protection in the cas-.
of belts, set screws, elevators and othel
dangers. In the 476 factories inspected BY
both gentlemen 6S, 098 persons were en-
ployed. In 256 factories changes were
ordered, necessitating 566 orders, in the
direction of increased safety for the work
men. In nearly every case there was 9
prompt and cheerful compliance by the
proprietors, who, in many instances, said
they would have made the changes them.
selves If the fremen had req orted the dan.
gerous conditions.
The inspector recommends that he b<
given power to enforce protection in the
matter of unsafe buildings and fire escapes
in factories, ETC., as the local authorities
the law. He also suggests that the law OF
| injurious dust In bufing and polishing
metals might we'll be extended to
include the removal of gases, va
| pors and impurities in other opera
| tons. The new law of 1898, requiring
| safety catches on all elevators will be OF
material advantage in preventing acct
| dents In manufacturing establishments.
A large proportion of the orders issued
since the passage of the law related to
remedying dangers of this claas.
The report covers statistical and other
Information which will be read with inter.