The Portland daily press., 1895-01-05
HARD TIMES IN MAINE.
Labor Commissioners Report Deals
With This Subject.
This State has not Suffered So Badly as
Other States-Condition of Employment
ON the Transportation Lines-Over Four
Hundred Men Thrown Off.

Other States-Condition of Employment
on the Transportation Lines-Over Four
Hundred Men Thrown Off.
Augusta Jan. 4-The annual port of Labor
Commissioner Matthews, besides much
statistical information of the customary
kind contains this year returns which show
tho effect of the industrial depression upon
the industries of the State. Happily the
state suffered SO little thas the returns
reveal what. in comparison with other
sections of the country. is cause for con-
graduation. The report summarizes the re-
suit as follows:
In response to letters and questions, two
hundred and twenty -fDur returns we're re-
ceived. including nearly all the cotton fac
tories, nearly all the larger woolen mills.
and large number representing the other
more important manufacturing establish
ments IL. the state, employing when WORK
ing full crews. 35.3l5 hands. A careful an
alysis of the returns. and the statements
therein made. furnish very correct exhi-
bit of the effects of the prevailing depres-
sion upon the employees in the manufacture
ing industries Of the State. in reductions
of numbers enjoyed. hours of labor. and
wages received.
Later in the season. duplicate letters and
blanks were sent to the manufacturers, in
order to ascertain what changes in the pre-
vailing conditions of business might have
taken place. The replies received to this
later inquiry, while, not as numerous and
complete as those made at an earlier peri
cd. show an improved condition in some in
dustries and but slight changes in others,
6vr% yhr1A sn1s
oonsidered as hopeful.
Maine has undoubtedly felt the bad effects
of the business depi ession to a muc b less
degree than other sections of the country.
The number of our working classes who
have been thrown out OF all employment
has been comparatively small and actual
suffering of rare occurrence. AS a rule.
agricultural communities have been reason
ably prosperous during the past year, and
capital, which has, in more favorable busi-
Lss periods. gone SO largely to build up and
develop other sections of the country, has
been retained at home seeking Investments
of a safe even if not Of a very fattering
character. House building. especially in
the latter months Of the year, has been a
marked feature. and new railroads have
been inaugurated and ard in process of con-
struotion which promise much for the fu-
ture development and progress Of the State.
A pretty good indication Of the state of
business in state is afforded by the con-
dition of its transportation lines. From re-
turns made to the Railroad Commission, the
Labor Commissioner, finds on the railroads
in the State, the number employed in all
departments, excluding general officers, in
1894, WAS 1850 as against 4,772 in 1898. The
wages paid in 1894. was $2,25l .593.0s as
against Sc. .43s'9l9.6l in 1888. This shows
loss in number of men employed of 412. and
in wages. $1S1. .026.54.
The number actually thrown out of en-
ployment is nearly 900, as the Bangor and
Aroostook Railroad more than doubled
their force. and the Portland and Rumford
Falls Railway added quite largely to their
help.
This loss in wages. aeclnes mostly from
the discharge of ma1Bs and not from the
''cut down" in wagess 1t will be noticed
that there is not Serious reduction of
wages. those of 1898 averaging $1.52 and the
average of 1894 was ST.. "a .per day. Taking
into account the losses sustained through
out the country, Maine may be justly
proud that the railroads in this State
suffered SO little, and found it necessary
to discharge so few workmen. Taking into
account the remarkable increase in rail-
road building n this State, as shown by
the report of the Railroad Commissioners.
il is fair to presume that more men will
be employed the coming year on railroads
than at any former period in the history
of our State.
Upon the electric and horse railroads do
ing business in the State. there has been an
increase in the number of men employed.
Factory Inspector Chalk calls attention
to the frequent accidents in the handling
of machinery and The report contains cuts
showing devices for the protection of per-
sons managing laundry and wood working
achinery, running grindst ones, etc. Care
is advocated in the construc tion of elevators
to prevent accidents. On this subject, the
inspector says:
ssGreat improvements have, of late, been
made in the invention aad perfection OF
devices for covering dangerous parts of ma
chinery SO as to protect in great measure
the workmen whose duties render them liable
to injury, and in many states, particularly
in the west, the matter has been made the
subject of legislation, and the number OF
accidents basspeen very much lessened.
ssThis work is being accomplished against
opposition. not only from manufacturers.
on account of it's cost and the alleged him
drance to rapid work, but in many cases
from the workmen themselves. But
wherever introduced, the people become
convinced of the utility of we'll guarded ma
chinery. While large part of the acci-
dents is directly caused by machinery be-
ing exposed there is no doubt that con-
siderable responsibility rests upon the work
men themselves. for, as men become aocus-
toned to working in dangerous places. they
naturally neglect 10 take necessary pre-
cautions, and many are injured through
their own carelessness. Absolute immunity
from accidents is not to be expected, but
when, in the woodworking shops and saw
mills of our State alone, accidents, all the
way from the loss OF a finger to the loss of
life, count up one for every working day in
the year, it is certainly time that some
measures were taken to prevent this whole
sale killing and manning of our wage-work-
ers. An employers liability act may, if fol-
lowed up. compensate in some small. de-
gree the individual for loss of limb, or the
family for the loss of life of the one they