Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-05-21
TWO CENTS
BARTON'S REPORT
Shows Wonderful Increase in
Industrial Growth.

Three Hundred aud Thirty six new
Plants Employing $1,000 men Start
ed Running Last Year Other Items
in Connection With the Report-EeW
Plans for his ONCE.
The report of State Labor Commits
sioner Isaac V. Barton, which will go
to press in few days, shows West
Virginia to have enjoyed a degree OF
prosperity the past year unsurpassed
In her history and uneQualIed by that
OF any stat In the union. The report
will be the most exhaustive that has
yet been issued by Mr.. Barton. Ii
gives comparative tables of wages paid
at the opening and the close Of the
year, the number of men employed,
physical conditions in the various
plants and explanation OF the new
labor laws. During the year Mr..
Barton personally inspected over Il
100 plants, visiting most of them two
or three times during the year.
Convincing proof OF the unparallel-
ed prosperity of the state is the in
crease Of new industries. The num-
Der of new establishments started dur
ing the year were 1886 as against 1913
during the proceeding year which held
the record up to the present time. The
new Industries give employment to
5000 men as against 10, 600 new EN-
ployes during the preceding year.
The Increase in wages is proportionate
and double over that of the preceding
year.
Mr.. Barton's report shows that the
laws passed by the legislature design
ed for the protection and safety Of
employees, are being generally observ-
ed. Two of the measures which were
the most radical were one requiring
store keepers and factory owners to
provide seats for female employees,
and another requiring all machinery
such as engines, dynamos, belts and
shafting to be surrounded by ratings
to prevent danger to life and limb
Mr.. Barton expected some difficulty
enforcing the former measure as at
the time of its passage the store that
allowed its female employees to sit
down was the exception. In very few
instances, however, did he encounter
any opposition. All the great stores
Of Wheeling fell in line with the
suggestion, and only one or two re-
quired second notice. In only one
instance did he have to call the grand
jury to his assistance and that was ia
Huntington. The manufacturers
observed the machinery law very gen.
orally. 1t meant vast expense to
many of them, but they stood for it
gracefully. An idea Of the expense
attached to the law can be gained from
the amount the Chesapeake & Ohio
spent on their Huntington shops.
Their machinery was in such shane
that they practically had to rearrange
the entire plant. Big engines had to
be removed and set up is different
positions, but the work was done prop
erly. Every dangerous piece OF ma
chinery was surrounded by stout iron
pipe extending four feet high, fastened
SO firmly that it would be impossible
for dog to get caught ia the shafts
or cogs. The cost must have been at
least $50, 900 but it was done in d
months time after the commissioner
nad ISSUED the notice to the company
that its plant was not in conformity
with the law.
A considerable section of the report
Is devoted to the free employment
bureau. Mr. Barton is enthusiastic
over the success of this Institution.
Duriug the year the bureau had LIPS
applications for employment and sue
ceeded in finding places for over 900
persons. This includes every sort OF
job imaginable. Most Of the applica-
tions were from the neghboring states
of Pennsylvania and Ohio. Mr.. Bar
ton will ask for greater appropria-
tion, 81, 600, at the next legislature 50
as to broaden the scope OF the work
At the close Of his term he intends to
recommend that an additional tlepart-
ment be added to the state to be man
aged by superintendent to be known
as the free employment bureau. The
office should be separated from the
labor commissioners Office. BY two
years Mr. Barton thinks, the indus.
tries of the state will have developed
so much that the labor commissioner
will have all he can attend to with.
out caring for the employment bu-
reau.
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