New-York tribune., 1897-08-29
WORK FOR MANY MEN.
SUCCESS OF THE COOPER UNION FREE
LABOR BUREAU.
SOMETHING ABOUT ITS METHOD OF OPERATION
AND THE CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO SEEK EN-
PIIOYMENT THROUGH 1T-A LABOR

| PIOYMENT THROUGH IT-A LABOR
EXCHANGE SUGGESTED.
I'VE have A Stock Exchange in this city, and
| Corn Exchange. and Cotton Exchange. ana
Wool Exchange: why shouldn't we have Labor
! Exchange?"
| The question was asked by J. w. Kjelgaard. SUI
perintendent Of the Cooper Union Labor Bureau. in
the course of n conversation day or two ago re-
gardng the work carried on urder his direction IN
fading places for men out OF work In lurtner elap-
Grating his idea he said
my plan would he to have a central office. or
exchange. 4 please. .,wfcre people wanting heip
and people seeking work would be brought to-
gethcr. and each would be able to get what he
wants II sh )Ild be organized by the working p'o-
pe themselves and they should guarantee the men
sent to fill vacant places | do not see why the
| plan is not perfectly practicable. and am hopefui
| that such a labor exchange will grow out OF this
bureau"
| The Cooper Union Labor Bureau has been carried
| for two years. 1t IL part of the machinery ot
the Association for Improving the Condition of the
| Poor. and also has affiliations with the Cooper
| Union whose founder n strCrg advocate OF
! free labor bureau The work has been remarkably
! successful mainly because the officers Of the bu-
| reau have taken great pains I'm investigating the
references of men applying for employment and in
sen ling the right sort of when places are 10
| be filled The bureau Is OF 5ery forenoon. and
| a rule forty or hfty men in search Of work are
TO be found there any morning. At certain seasons
of the year the number is much larger and the
| off ce is .han crowded. This is especially the
| In tho winter. when the bureau furnishes
many for shovelling snow
When man applies there for work he s required
| 10 fill out blank application which tells the essen
t!a facts in his fe He gives his name. OF course:
his age, his place of birth; tells whether he is mar
ried. now large family ne has. tho OF his chill
dren, the employment he wants his regular trade
and secondary trade where last employed and be-
tween what dates: gives similar nforma ton regard
ing his previous employment. the wages he received
and the regular wages in his trade gives refer
ences his character. and says how long he has
been out of employment and how long he has lived
in the city.
The rule of the association Is that applicants
must have lived here for six morths. but in special
cases this regulation is waived and the manager
personally interests himself in securing employment
for persons In need The object of the regulation IS
TO rule out tramps and people of that class and
also to prevent persons who learn Of the bureau
from coming to the city for the purpose of making
Of it to employment.
WARY OF WRITTEN REFERENCES.
After application has been filed the applicants
references are carefully investigated Written ref
crences are never accepted their face value Pains
taken in every to find out if they are gen
une. generally by writing TO the persons whose
names they b.ar. but If necessary personal visit
is made 10 them by an agent of the bureau. II the
references prove satisfactory, blue card Is given
to the applicant, and soon as vacant place for
which he is fitted is found he is sent to fill it. So
careful is the investigation made by the bureau
that the percentage of its benehciaries who turn
out badly is exceedingly small
Last year it found places for about a thousand
men, and up to this time the present year the num-
ber provided for has been about three thousand
or those whose references prove satisfactory. from
80 to 81 per cent secure permanent employment To
one large mercantile establishment not less than
four hundred men have been sent within year,
and its manager is so well satisfied with the men
furnished by the bureau that whenever he needs
an empoye in any capacity he sends to the Coope'
Union for a man.
How are places found for the In search Of
work? The answer this question is that agents of
the bureau constantly engaged In canvassinS
among factories stores and other places employing
considerable numbers Of men. lei ming the class OF
labor needed and the likelihood of vacancies. ana
asking for the privilege of sending one or more
men on trial at the earliest opportunity. The re-
suit has been that recommended by the bu-
reau have proved satisfactory that In numerous
cases the bureau has been applied to when others
were needed. In this way the ability OF the pn-
reau to find work for those seeking it is constantly
extending and every pains is taken TO see that the
confidence Inspired in those having dealings with 1t
IS not impaired OF there are some failures.
as Mr. Kielgaard admits, but on the whO.e the In
quirics made by the bureau and its agents are so
searching that the chances Of an unworthy person
securing a good place are small.
ALL CLASSES OF MEN SEEK WORK.
What class Of men seek work through this
agency? In reply to this question Mr.. kjelgaard
said: They ar. Of al. classes-laborers porters
bookkeepars clerks agents. and so on. We have
secured employment for people ranging from a boy
getting g a week TO a superintendent with a salary
OF 81 s0e. In cases where the employment Is such
that honesty is of the most important require
ments we make special investigation. and assure
ourselves and the prospective employer that the
We send him is Of the right sort. Take aotl the
case of a driver OF delivery wagon for drygoods
store, who takes out packages often OF much vaile
4 man who l. not thoroughly honest VIII not DO AT
al for taat. and We make very sure that no mis-
pose There are other cases ofa similar kind where
Specially careful inquiries have TO be made con,
NIr tijegaard said that he had had many inter
esing Experiences in connection with the work 70
which he devotes himself with great assidulty ou'
he was reluctant to speak of them t. any extent.
Another officer OF n Labor Eureau sad tnit
accommodations written by clergymen were al
wavs looked upon with suspicion. because clergy,
men were easily Tp9sed on ana Hst Tg Much
about the men whom they were given In fact
pains were taken to see that they Were genuine;
''ii He instanced the case of a who applied for
appointment as coachman. and presented strong
loyer a nlysican The ph, sician was communi-
Gated witt. and in reply came letter saving that
hs had written the Recommendation only TO get rid
OF the coachman; that ;he nan had nearly Killed
his horses and that he had so violent a temper
that the doctor afraid to discharge him with
out giving him letter that would enable him 10
get another place The doctor begged the bureau
If IL could do So to get the letter from the DIS
chnreed coachman. and either send II back 10 MN
or destroy it. The answer returned was that the
letter was the mans property ana that the bureau
hal no right TAX" II from him. but II the doctor
wished 10 meet his former cmploye and elideaVor
10 secure the letter from him. an appointmeat
could be made to bring them tog, ther. The last
thing the doctor wished. apparently, was TO meet
his old coachmln. 1T any rate. he made no reply 20
/ This communication OF course. the bureau dii
nothing toward getting the coachman place. but
doubtless the lying letter was used by MIN IN Sc
curing employment.
No. NIL of fhe incident Is too plain to need