Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-03-21
CONVICT LABOR.
Destroying the Industries of Texas and
Debasing Free Labor.

| hon. ~, X. TarNer, House OF Represent-
atiVes.
Austin, Tex, March 2O-Dear Sir. In
behalf OF the Texas Foundrymen's as
| ISOLATION. we wish you to formulate
! and bring before the house n bill en-
bodylng the following points;
/. To confne and limit the scope Of
convict labor as applied to the manu-.
! facture OF various articles, and would
| propose TO limit such manufactures 10
! the making OF cast Iron water, sewer
/ and gas pipe and various fittings APP
pertaining to same. and the manufac-
ture Of boots, shoes and agricultural
! implements.
We also desire to abolish lndlscrimln-
ate manufactures by convict labor OF
! numberless articles now made by free
! laborers Of Texas, thus restricting and
| limiting tho employment OF convicts In
| the manufacturing line 10 the three
! lines above mentioned. And we here
| with submit a statement from various
firms affected by convict competition:
BY HARTwELL IRON WORKS.
| Our business amounts 10 about $780,
900 annually Convict competition as
now exists depriYes us OF fully 40 per
cent Of what we should do ON an in
Yestment OF $4,000; and II said COMPETE
ton continues we will be compelled to
discontinue business entirely. We cm-
ploy on the average thirty men. and we
are unable to secure and control free
labor at price that viii enable W TO
compete with conyicts. The state, with
her unlimited credit. can purchase upon
the market raw material in large guam
titles on as favorable terms rs we can
for cash. In consideration Of the large
number of car loads Of raw material
to be moved, railroads can make con-
oesalOns to the state that we can not
secure; ana we now ask that our rep
resentntives Will. in the interest OF free
lfNa ala L.
convict competition not more than
three industries, so as to enable US To
make investments and push trade IN
such other lines as viii allow a fair in
retest on the capital invested
by FORT WORTH IRON WORKS.
We have Invested in business a capt,
tai or 100000. We employ an average
OF sixty mea. The employment OF con
wet labor has Knocked US
out on building iron or
architectural iron work in the
southern and eastern part Of the state.
where formerly we had very fair
ttcde, and We iud II utterly Impossible
10 pny the wages that we do to our en-
pl9yrs ana compete with convict labor
finished by The state. Nhu puruuanc4
of the policies inlugurated by the state
Tor the employment Of convict labor
VIII virtually wreck every mnnufautur-
ing Interest tH the state, and WE rs-
OF sIirh labor d., ",'r a. a., ,'''''s
tnion lines M Inbrgtr". ~. ,',,.,,, ',
o. thv WlUufneturs ~ OF Texas.
by GEORGE NJ. DILLEY X SON.
m1nufnctllrlut- iptcrrst, Il, pi
limo SID O06 W. emri,,, az,
crnvp Of thirty mn, -
taken us nIpristn ,..,rs g.. I'm. ,'
our business ana bring 1t 10 its present
tons that II rs utterly lmnosgIbin Ia,
us to do business and nny Xxx 'r,rt,,.-
that we do t0 onr sl,III,.i i,l,,r,,, ',,,i
compete with the state. owing 10 ~
low cost ~ convict labor We consider
mat Wn are losing fully 10 per cent ur
thn nuHlneFa that would naturally come
u u'. Through the competition. the
hnnl result ot the system now In vogue.
WIN compel us 10 withdraw from the
V.'h'a' Ih lHNAa ana establish else
VIZ. .....,,..,....
~ I'm ~ gNlp FOUNDRY co.
w nnly No"ul Si-Ovl invested in man
ul"Ntul 'hb piAht ana busincAa ia san
Nu.uhlp. we employ m average Of
l"I'y men, uut owing 10 competition of
i|''' We hl' l'"lnE part ol ~"
'.""' W'l'u IL mas taken yenr1 TO build
up' huu competition by the atptp with
u.s. convict labor viii eventually COM
pei US TO seek other fields fJr Invest
lnIHt pA we can NOT pay for labor at
prices ON which they can, exist and
,9Wpe'n ~ business with the state OF
i'NN' '9hNots, ana viii suggest that
,Nh employment of convicts In manu-
.SyyN' .nh llnga ne confined 90 not more
SH"u lhIte distinct lines, ANA we br-
urFg Il3t the employment of such lab-
or lh tAo manufacture OF east iron
SOW t"' anu Wt,T Pipe aud nttluEE,
anu ln' manufacture OF boots. shoes
nhI iSllrultural implements would
WORK l'HS injury 10 the manufacturing
lh.NI,Sls OF IeNla than any lines that
'"uIu pe adopted
BY SHERMAN IRON WORKS We
have Invested In manufacturing intnr-
est5 IN sherman $4,000 cash capital
We employ an average Of nfty mon
Convict competition dehars us From
mach work that rs Justly tributary Ia
our works aB It ls impossible TO nav
free labor prices for skilled mechanics
and furnish work at convict competI-
tive prices; and we would respectfuily
ask that the employment OF conyi,tg
VIII be confined TO not more than three
special lines or manufacture.
ny SOUTHWESTERN BRIDGE co
We have Invested In plant and mann.
featuring business cash capital OF xIS
600 and employ a men. Convict labor
In our lines OF calling has so seriousI,
injured US that there Is little II any
proht In the business. und unless RELIEF
ia afforded ma wp rapnnt ,a,,t.,.,