The Norfolk weekly news., 1900-10-18
Hogs, four years ago, s277,

. So'vOs iiOb0r lOui yNoi N6Dt vS''
this year, 500.
3. That farmers are buying adjoin-
! ing acres and are spending hundreds
o; thousands Of dollars upon improve.
ments Residents of cities and towns
are putting up new buildings and re-
pairing hundreds Of old cnes. There
Is an air OF thrift everywhere.
4. That country merchants are sell.
ing more goods and getting larger
pronts and prompter paw for goods
sold than ever before in the history u
the state.
5. That mechanics are busy every.
where. From towns, large and small,
come reports of demand for mechan-
| les exceeding the supply. In Omaha
more men are employed at higher
wages and shorter working hours than
was the case in any previous year
| save 1878 when the exposition pro-
duced a temporary demand for men.
Inquiry among all classes Of mechan-
les reveals the fact that the mean av-
erage Of wage scale Is higher, work.
day hours shorter and the demand for
men very active. No man who wants
to work need be idle.
6. That the jobbers and wholesale
merchants and manufacturers OF Ne.
braska are selling more goods at lar
ger profits than was true OF their trade
In the year 1895; that of fifty firms
reporting, the increased volume OF bus
iness ranged from 20 to $40 per cent,
and that In no case was a decrease of
business reported.
Z. That Atty jobbing houses. farm
implement houses, manufacturers,
Wholesale houses, etc, report large
increase in the number Of men en-
ployed, In wages paid and the average
increase in the number Of travelling
men covering Nebraska territory is
nearly so per cent.
The paramount question is: What
would any of these classes gain by a
change OF government at Washing
ton?
Do you want a change?
WHAT THE MECHANICS SAY.
In Omaha the change In regard to
wages paid, hours Of employment and
number Of persons engaged is so graf
flying that the classes affected will
gladly do what they can to support In
power the political party which has
made possible this remarkable i'm
provement in conditions. The follow
ing reports we're obtained from Off
| SidlS VI lnC val ious ioNdl uh'oho'
Printing Pressmen's Union-Our
scale of wages in 1896 was SIS to SIS
per week for ten hours ger day. In
1900 our scale is the same per diem
for nine hours per day. In 1896 20
per cent of our members we're idle all
the time and 40 per cent OF those en-
ployed were making but half time,
In 1900 all members are employed and
all are making full time-in short, we
are working shorter hours and making
more money than we did in 1896.
Plasterers', Bricklayers' and Stone
masons Ten iers' Union-Our scale OF
wages in 1895 was Is to 1711 cents per
hour for ten hours. In 1900 our scale
is "a cents per hour for eight hours,
and we have so per cent more men en-
ployed than IN 1896.
Plumbers Union--Our scale of wages
in 1896 was As cents per hour for eight
hours. In 1900 it is SO cents per hour
for eight hours. Until July 1st we
have had 80 per cent more men en-
ployed than we had in 1896.
Painters and Decorators-Our scale
in 1895 was 30 cents per hour. We
had no scale signed up regarding hours
of employment. Our present scale is
35 cents for eight hours, time and a
half for overtime and double time for
Sundays. In 1896 our union had about
fifty members in good standing. In
1898 we had nearly 200 members. This
was owing to the Trans Mississippi
exposition. Our members are all, or
nearly all, employed at the present
time.
Carpenters Union-Our scale OF
wages in 1896 in South Omaha was 25
f0r ton
For 1900 1t is 35 cents per hour for
eight hours, time and a half for over
time and double time for Sundays. In
Omaha our scale in 1896 was 80 cents
per hour for eight hours, time and a
half for overtime and double time for
Sundays. In 1900 1t Is 40 cents per
hour and no other changes More
than double the number Ere now en-
ployed in our trade than in 1896, al
though there are great many car
penters idle at present. This is owing
to the Transmississippi Exposition
which brought a great many carpen.
ters here who have remained.
Horseshoers' Union-Our scale is the
same as II was in 1896 for the same
hours We have not as many men EN-
ployed as we had in 1895, for the rea-
son that there are not as many horses
in use. The bike had made a great
difference in our trade.
Sheet Metal Workers Union-In
1896 our scale of wages was 1913 cents
but very few men got that amount
The average were paid 271e cents. The
number of hours are the same. Our
scale at present is 1914 cents per hour
There are 25 per cent more men en-
ployed in our trade now than in 1886
Printing Press Assistants Union
Our scale of wages in 1896 was IS for
sixty hours, or So per week for ten
hours per day. Now we get $3.50 for
nine hours per day. In 1896 we had
thirty men employed; We now have
forty eight.
Machinists' Union-Our scale OF
wages in 1896 was from 25 to 80 cents
per hour We were working from
forty to forty-eight hours per week
Our present scale Is 80 cents per hour
for nine hours per day, CT fifty-four
hours per week. All members Of the
union are employed, and number are
working overtime and get time and a
half. In fact our union was never in
a more fourishing condition, and We