The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-06-28
PROJECTS HALT
SUMMER SLUMP
Building and Road Work
Compensates for Slump
in Industry.
STILLLABOR SHORTAGE

nrSt OF the year boom, Whlle outdoor
work HIS continued to increase, the
state industrial commission reported
today in it's monthly survey of employ
ment and industrial conditions.
The labor shortage is shown by the
commission reports from the larger
cities of the state, due to greater &C
tivity in farming, road building and
other construction work.
The increase in number of workers en-
gagged in building construction increas-
ed 47.2 per cent; the increase for rail-
road construction was 1917 per cent.
Farm hands increased 1S per cent.
According to the commission survey,
the only factory industries showing an
increase were food, canning and pre-
serving, 25.7 per cent, and brick, tile
and cement block manufacturing, SO
per cent. Increases in these two lines
were seasonal. The metal, wood, leath-
err and textile industries all showed de-
clines.
Earnings on Increase.
Average weekly earnings of factory
employees are shown to average $24.99
compared with $22.16 year ago. The
cost of living as reported by the nat
ional industries conference board is
shown to have remained stationary
during the past three months. In
creased purchasing power is said by
the commission to be shown by an in
creased retail sales force numbering
II per cent more than a year ago.
Following are reports of employ
ment conditions in cities with free
public employment Offices maintained
under direction of the industrial COM
mission. All cities, except Racine, re-
port a shortage of workers, while each
Office has more requests for farm
hands than can be filled:
Ashland Employment conditions
generally good. No industrial changes
of consequence. Local industries fair
ly we'll taken care of by the local sup
ply of labor. There is slight short
age of experienced farm hands. Com
mon labor for mill and general woods
men. There is a big demand for
domestic help. All plants were run
ming full time, except the paper mill.
Much Building at Green Bay.
Green Bay = Due to the extensive
building program at Green Bay there
is shortage of both skilled and com
mon labor. All plants are running full
time; the paper mill is running both
night and day. At present the follow
ing building projects are under way
Green Bay high school, Northland Ho-
tel, addition to Deaconess Hospital,
new Main street light bridge, besides
many private residences. Building per-
mits representing three million dollars
worth of building have been issued dur
ing the past month.
La Cross There is a shortage of
labor for street construction, caneries
and building. Contracts have been let
for the construction of three school
buildings, although construction is not
under way. Several plants are work
| ing overtime.
Madison = There is a shortage of
farm hands, building labor and sod
workers and common labor ALI plants
are working full time Ground has
been broken for million dollar hotel
and new Masonic temple to cost $780,
900. There is a surplus of labor in
clerical lines.
Need Many Common LabOrers.
Milwaukee There is demand for
common laborers in practically all the
jobs in Milwaukee. Several plants are
working day and night shifts. The
rolling mills and paper mills are work
ing three shifts. The building pro-
jects in the downtown district under
way consist of hotel building, two
store and Office buildings, one theater
and Office building and addition to the
Wisconsin Hotel and an addition to
Gimbels store.
Oshkosh = There is shortage of
men for road work, farms and quarries.
Some woodworking plants are work
ing overtime. The following building
projects are under way: Masonic tenn
pie, paper mill and an addition to
hotel
Racine = There is a surplus of ma
chine hands. About 1900 men are
working on the part time basis. Build
ing projects consist of houses and
garages.
Sheboygan There is an acute
shortage in furniture factories and
boundaries. as we'll as for outside labor
Two large department stores are I'M
der construction at the present time.
Superior - The supply and demand
for labor is about equal except that
the wood industries are operating
shorthanded The contract has been
let for the building of a new million
dollar ore dock. The only construc-
ton under way at the present time in
usual building.
Wausau = There is a shortage of
labor in all industries particularly in
the woodworking industries. Import
ant building projects under way are
the Elks' club house, Wausau club
building and an addition to the Wau-
sau high school, the Borkaw dam and
the dam at Grandmother Falls.
Kenosha in Same Situation.
No free public employment Offices
are located in Kenosha and for that
reason no report is carried above for
this city Conditions here, however,
are much the same as in other cities.
! There has been but little slackening up
by the various factories and all of this
has been more than compensated for
by outdoor activities. The big build
ing program on in Kenosha has done