INTRODUCTORY. The Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics for its work A statement of the number of persons canvassed and the number of PART I.-LABORERS ENGAGED IN TRANSPORTATION. This part is devoted to statistics of street car employes, hackmen, bus- A canvass of organized labor has been made with a view to show the material benefits derived and the aggregate membership, together with the gain and loss in numbers. Mr. J. D. Flanigan, late president of the Michigan Federation of Labor, contributes an interesting article on the "Trade-union movement in Michigan," and Mr. P. A. Loersch, sec- retary Detroit Trades-council, furnishes a "Historical sketch of the Trade-union movement in Detroit." In the article from Mr. Flanigan, on pages 242-3, will be found a table showing the national and international organizations with date and place of organization, and membership in 1895. These articles are followed with the tabulation of schedules of Michigan labor organizations, with deduo- tions therefrom. It is believed the whole of Part II will be found inter- B PART III.-MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS. Various official reports have been drawn from to secure the miscellaneous statistios published in Part III. STATE CENSUS. The information published from time to time in bulletins from the State Census Bureau, for the census taken in 1894, has been compiled and published here in a condensed form, from which much valuable data can be obtained. LOCOMOTIVE RAILWAYS. The reports of the Railroad Commissioner's office for the ten years from 1886 to 1895, inclusive, furnish much valuable information, accessible to but few. These reports have each year published statistical information relative to business of Michigan railroads, earnings, operating expenses, taxation, etc. This information is interesting and valuable for comparison in different years and is compiled and republished here for the benefit of those interested to whom it has heretofore been practically inaccessible. With that portion on taxation of railroads will also be found the laws under which Michigan roads are taxed. Two railroads are still taxed as 'chartered roads." All others come under the provisions of the "general railroad law." The reports of the interstate commerce commission have been drawn on for the tables covering cost of transportation of freight and passengers in different sections of the United States. The same reports furnish passenger rates for foreign countries, making comparison with rates in this country, all of which will be found useful. The report of the interstate commerce commission on government ownership of railroads, accompanied with the discussion of the question by men of acknowledged ability, merits careful study. INSURANCE STATISTICS. The report of the Commissioners of Insurance have always been interesting and valuable. The statistics compiled from these reports show the magnitude of the insurance business in Michigan. SALT INDUSTRY. A few pages on the salt industry of Michigan are given. Very few people are acquainted with the history of the development of this industry, or the proportion it has assumed. With all the immense production of salt in 1895 and previous years in mind, when the magnitude of the salt deposit underlying Wayne county is known, it is evident that this industry is yet in its infancy. MINES AND MINERS OF MICHIGAN. The eleventh annual report from this bureau gave the amount of iron ore produced from Michigan iron ranges and also the entire Lake Superior region for ten years from 1884 to 1893, inclusive. So far as Michigan is concerned, 1890 was the "banner" year, the product reaching 7,678,637 tons. The entire Lake Superior region produced 9,003, 701 tons that year. In 1892 Michigan produced 7,628,598 tons and the entire Lake Superior region 9,069,556 tons. The business depression commencing in 1893 fell heavily on the Michigan iron ranges, reducing the product in 1893 to 4,300,000 tons and the entire Lake Superior region to 5,933,196 tons. Since 1893 the product has increased until 1895 the output is above any former year. Hon. George A. Newitt furnished this bureau an interesting communication on this subject which appears on pages 331-3 of this report. CULTIVATION OF IDLE LAND IN DETROIT. On pages 334-5 will be found a brief history of what is familiarly known as the "Pingree potato farming" in Detroit, compiled from official reports to the common council of Detroit. PART IV. PENAL AND REFORMATORY INSTITUTIONS. Including the Detroit House of Correction, Michigan has six of these institutions, the aggregate population November 30, 1895, being 2,877 beside 256 officers and employes. Reports from wardens and superintendents are more extended than any heretofore published in reports from this bureau. Probably more information relative to these institutions will be found in the few pages devoted to the subject in this report than can be found elsewhere in much more space. PART V.-STRIKES. There has been about the usual number of strikes in Michigan during 1895. Only two have assumed proportions that attracted general attention and only these two are mentioned in this report. Bulletin No. 1 from the National Department of Labor is devoted to strikes. Like all investigations conducted by Colonel Carroll D. Wright, National commissioner, this investigation has been thorough and exhaustive and has disclosed much valuable information. The few pages republished here are full of interest. PART VI.-MICHIGAN LAWS OF 1895, ETC. The laws passed by the Michigan legislature at its last session, particularly affecting labor, are published in full in this part of the report; also important decisions from the Supreme Court of the United States and other courts affecting laws passed for the benefit of labor. Many will be interested in these acts and decisions. |