The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-20
GREAT DEMAND
FOR LABORERS
Salt Lake Could Give Employment to
1000 More Men at Once.
BIG CONSTRUCTION NOW ON
CITY WATER, SHELTER AND
RAILROADS NEED HUNDREDS.

n NE THOUSAND laborers. were
II they to drop into Salt Lake today
looking for jobs, would be eager
ly taken in hand by local employment
agencies. Never before has the demand
for common and skilled labOrers been
so great in this city. And never In re-
cent years have common laborers' and
teamsters' wages been so good.
Il could place from 500 to 1000 men
tomorrow" said a local employment
agent yesterday. L could place them
all within the day-yes. and probably
more than thousand"
This same sentiment found echo in
sign boards in front of other employ
ment agencies and on the part o[ the
agents themselves. Men are needed
here and they are not to be obtained.
1t has come to such pass that sub
contractors on railroad and smelter
construction work are looking all over
for them. Teams have been travelling
the city's streets picking up such stray
derelicts in the world OF labor as can
be found floating up and down the
thoroughfares.
Much Work Going on.
The Garfield smelter. the Western
i l.
the Rio Grandes smelter branch rail-
way and half a hundred smaller pieces
pieces of work are Offering hunks to
muckers, teamsters and mechanics.
And this is only a beginning-the win
ter is TO bring bigger demand. The
smelter work viii endure until next
summer. The Western Pacific will
draw men for more than two years.
The Moffat road is coming in this di-
rection. The city's new water system
will employ large gangs for a long
time. The Rio Grande- Western Pacific
yards and terminal Improvements will
begin during the next two years.
san Francisco has no men to send
out" said an employment agent. He
had learned this novel condition OF af-
fairs in a recent trip to the Golden
Gate city, trip made because he had
foreseen this coming famine I'm men.
They have shipped out of Frisco"
went on the employment agent, and
the other western cities have the same
story TO tell. The east cannot send
men yet, as railroad construction rates
are not yet in force"
Wages Are Good.
As a matter of fact, conditions are
such that subcontractor3 have already
sent in wagons picking up on Salt
Lake streets such stray laborers as
may be found. The railroad and water
system work, along with the construc-
ton of the new snelter, VIII continue
20 make heavier drafts. According to
employment agents, a common laDOreT
can now get from 81 to s2.25, while
teamsters can get from 1925 to $3.50 a
day. Other wages are in proportion.
Employment agents are securing the
city and adjacent country for men on
the strength of present demands.
BriekIayers Are Scarce.
Contractors in and about Salt Lake
City are complaining over not being
able TO secure the services Of brick
layers. New homes are going up so
rapidly and contracts coming in that
it will necessitate a shipping in of
men gifted in the art Of bricklayins.
The wages are good and employment
steady. Contracts are being let every
day, buildings are going up in all parts
OF the city, but there are not sufficient
bricklayers to meet the demands Of
this growing city.
Builders say at least 100 bricklayers
could be given employment.