Evening journal., 1913-12-11
INDUSTRIES
OF CITY FEEL
DEPRESSION
Railroads and Several Shops
Lay Off Men and ReduCe
Working Hours
SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS
IN WILMINGTON PLANTS

Wilmington Industries are feeling
the depression that is sweeping over
the country since the enactment of the
Underwood tariff bill by the present
Democratic administration.
Several Wilmington plants have
laid off workmen, and others have re-
duced their working time. because OF
lack Of work to keep their forces
going full swing
Different manufacturing lines are
feeling the effect OF the industrial
stagnation that recently has been
showing itself throughout the coun-
try.
Officials Of various Wilmington
plants that have reduced working
hours or laid off men. are chary about
giving any reason for the unsettled
conditions, and are reluctant to dis
cuss the effect Of the new tariff law
or of the currency bill agitation upon
business.
A canvass made of the largest in
dustries of Wilmington, by reporters
of THE EVENING JOURNAL. fur
nishes a resume Of general manufac-
turing conditions in the city. Aside
from showing industrial depression,
II reveals pessimistic outlook on the
part OF a few manufacturers There
Is an absence OF calamity bowling"
on the part of Wilmington's captains
Of industry, who generally hope for a
r. ou rfrl - a..
Railroads Are Hit.
with total number Of employees on
their payrolls which makes it the largest
single industry u the city. the pennsvl-
vania Railroad Compuny's shops at
Iodd's Cut has not oui, felt the depres.
sion. tut ON two days a week the entire
plant IS practically closed. The railroad
company at first suspended an overture
work, but this order was followed bv an
other ouc placing cvcry cmplovr on
forty hour Woel, instead of a fifty-four
hour one. Tho shops in order TO carry
out this order are forced TO close down
on Wednesday and SATURDAY..
The American Nulcanized Fibre
Company also reports duilness in
trade. The company laid Of forty
Vorkmen about two weeks ago. and
the prospects at The mills arc not very
promising.
Work al the plant Of the Eastern
Malleabie IRON Company IN South Will
miDgton. is dull the plant being
operated on reduced time. This is
proving a hardship to many residents
OF that section OF the ciiy who depend
on the plant for their living.
At the Jackson and Sharp Company
plant of the American Car & Foundry
Company large carfioat for the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company and two
hundred feet schooner barge are about
being finished. The shipyards are
very busy, but the carshops are dull.
The falling off of work IN the car de-
partment caused one half of the en-
ployes there TO be temporarily laid off
few weeks ago.
Conditions at The Belts Machine Com
pany's plant, in the Eleventh ward, are
good, although an Official OF the company
is inclined to be pessimistic concerning
the future. The company has about 25O
men on its payroll, and work will con-
tinue on present orders for at least two
months. "After that it is hard TO fore
cast what will occur" is the way an Off
cial put il today.
rhe Trump Brothers Company, ma
chinists and machine tools, report that
several additions nave been made 10
their working force recently. and at the
present time about l75 employees are at
work. This company furnishes machin-
ery fer the textile trade, and is watch
ling the result Of the tariff reductions
closely. as it may affect the local com
pany indirectly.
Morocco Business Dull.
The morocco trade appears to have
hit a snag and local manufacturers
] are pessimistic. In several plants
the employees are working on reduced
hours schedules. and at the F..
lBlumenthal Company plant the
largest in this section of the country,
land women employed. the usual 1um-
Der being LOO.
Officials OF this firm yesterday
stated that the only thing that has
kept the plant going was the export
ltrade OF European markets. AT the
j Continued on Second Page.