Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-10-27

The thirteenth annual report OF the
commissioner of labor comprises the
results of an investigation ordered by
Congress with reference to the effect of
machinery on labor. AS q rule, the
report says, the bearing of the supply
of labor becomes problematical. Some
times there is lack, oftentimes d sur
plus of labor. The statistical method,
as in the effect upon wages, becomes
indicative Of the truth, and to those
who believe machinery has in general
lowered cost, conclusive. Tho statistics
presented make evident that thoro has
been large increase in tho number of
persons required for tho production of
tho articles considered, in order to meet
present demands, than were necessary
to meet the demands under the hand
labor system. One interesting result ia
to show how extensive is tho hand
method of production ever now. Hand
methods are going out o. use. II has
been impossible To summarize general
results so as TO show the displacement
and expansion of labor in various direc.
tions. Tho statistics presented, how.
ever, consider each operation aud pro-
cess of labor separately.
In agriculture the figures show,
among other things. that under the
primitive methods the time required
for blowing one acre of ground varied
from five to eight hours, and under the
modern from five to seven hours and
forty-two minutes where two horses
were used, and from three hours and
four minutes to six hours and forty
minutes with three horses. The ten
hours required under the earlier
methods where two oxen drew the ordi-
nary steel pillow were reduced to six
hours and forty minutes by one modern
method and five hours under another
where horses drew similar pillow,
Fertilizing ground required twenty i've
hours under tho earlier wagon and
shovel method, and but one hour by
the modern drill. In digging trees the
machine in general reduced the time
between one-eleventh and thir-
tenth Of the old time, and in small
grain harvesting the self-binder has re-
duced the time for cutting, binding and
| shocking to about one-eighth of that
under the primitive system. In thresh-
ing the ratio of time used is moro than
thirty-two to one in favor of the
machine. In corn planting the old
method took nearly six times as long.
One of the comparisons shows the
manufacture of 1000 one pound loayes
of bread is reduced in cost from IS. SO
| to 81. 55, and in time from twenty eight
| to eight hours; axle clips. 1000 in
quantity, from 1928. 80 to 1927, and
| from 666 to 90 hours. In making 500
| pounds of dairy tub butter machinery
cut the cost down from $40 66 to 81. rs.
| and from 1876 to - hours. In diamond
cutting machinery has reduced tho
time for four three carats from 1872 to
80 hours, but increased the cost from
GID. "a to S26. 25. In lithographing the
cost is cut from $92. 81 per 1000 copies
of specified size to IS. rs, and time
from 166 to 30 hours. In making
matches the time is cut from 200 to 90
hours, and cost from S2i to 90. In
printing publishing magazines, 10, 600
copies, the labor reduction cited is from
3, 40 to IA hours, and from 1902. so to
81 81. Cigarettes, 100000 in number
manufactured by hand in 1880 and
by machinery in 1885, cost relatively
S97. IA and Sill. 48; time, 800 and las
hours, the number of workmen also
being reduced from 81 to IS. In min.
ing 100 tons bituminous coal the cost
by hand in 1891 was $77.60, and time
consumed 342 hours Machinery re-
duces this in 1897 TO S43. 40, and the
time to 1888 hours, while the number Of
! workmen also is reduced from ~ to 80.