The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-12-14

'HdplST TOUR Is devoted 10 puDuC
[ utilities an detailed accounts of the
I traction, gas aud telephone compa.
mics are given with the Recommended.
ton that the two telephone services
! should be united.
Chapter five is traffic report and
more space is given the schedules and
tariffs of the railroads and the trac.
ton lines together with an account
| OF the facilities Tor the handling OF
freight. No recommendation are en-
bodied in this chapter. The river is
stated in this chapter as beng able
to accommodate boats OF six feet
draught, but at present is not used
for navigable purposes.
The fact that agriculture is on the
/ decrease is mentioned in chapter six
after several pages Of statistics prov.
ing this point. This condition and
/ the secondary Importance of this kind
| OF development is escribcd 20 the large
deposits OF coal and gas that are he.
meath the land the return rom which
makes 1.-The farmers Independent.
Coal is the absorbing topic OF chap.
ter seven and the .Jp0r; slys that but
little Of the immense production is used
| here. Manufacturing industries are
taken UP in the next chapter AID inter.
| esting reports of each establishment
now in the community are given.
! Most of the larger concerns report
large labor turnovcrs for their plants
/ and in nearly all instances marked
! shortage at the present time is Civ.
! en-. Many of the companies state
that their labor supply is very mrc.
liable and this is attributed to the
/ TACT that the shortage makes much
shifting about OF the lower grades OF
! wOrhmen from one pace to another.
I seeking for higher wages.
The financial condition of the city
and a detailed account of every bank.
ing enterprise an OF the building and
loan association is given in chapter
/ nine. Chapter ten is devoted To IA"
Wholesale and retail stores Of the city
and in regard to retail prices the sur
vey states that they are as low here
as in any OF the nearby cities and in
some cases are lower.
The labor supply and the cost OF
| living is discussed more fully in chap.
tor eleven. and this Held il given as
heing abundantly supplied with women
who could he employed, and is report.
cd as = favorable location for indus
tries employing many women. Re.
garding the wages paid labor in Fair,
mont ;hr report says:
Wages IN fairmnni are low. rang.
ing from three to ~" cents an hour
! lower than in the large industrial
cities. This condition is borne out by
! examination Of pay rolls and by study
| Of comparative cost Of living and
/ standard of living maintained,
! The varying rates ui wages is asCrib.
| cd 10 the absence Of organized labor in
this field. what little organization there
| Is being reported as weak and inef.
feCtivu. Tho Bricki&ycrs' union is
| given as the strongest vi local labor
! organizations.
I Comparative tables showing the
! cost OF food sturfs in the city arc Civ.
en- and these are reported as Compar.
| ing faVorably with most of ] near.
| by cities while slightly lower han in
| Clarksburg. Housing conditions are re.
! ported as being rather good al. rents
reasonable, while the need Tor moro
| sewer connections in many cases is
mentioned.
The final chapter deals with the
various factory sites offered in the
community and gives thorough descrip.
tons and maps of the available loca.
tons for new industries.
Chapters fourteen and fifteen which
took up the local Commercial associa.
tions and the special reports concern
ing complaints .,om manufacturers
and other shippers in Falrmont wcr,
not included in the hook sent the local
| Chamber and arc evidently confiden-
tial supplements that are not 10 be
made pubic.