The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-09-24
The Industries OF Prussia.

Prussia possesses 25S forges Tor pudding
and rolling bars and finished iron, with an
annual production Of 400, 900 tuns, which
sells at the works at an average price Of
GO los. The long distance the coal and
ore have to travel, together with the active
demand for iron, which the country can BY
no means supply as yet, seems to be the
cause of the high prices which rule m the
iron trade. This scarcity allows Of an active
import trade from Epglaud, which, in 1868,
was reported at 100000 tons Of wrought
iron. In the Pruse; for IN 900 reople
are employed at 254 iron foundries, making
fine castings, chiefly hollow ware, to the
amount of 10000 tons, The enormous
appliances for producing wrought-iron in
masses, both for machinery and cannons,
are truly marvellous. Many Of the works
are engaged upon arEOr and boHer-plates,
no less than thirty forges being confined to
this dep7'nent, with an average annual
yield of 10000 tuns.
According to a writer in Chanbers's S
Journal: " Compulsory education being
the rule 10 Germany, the artisan has that
much in bis favor; yet bis English brother
would not care to change places; low wages
and meagre diet sadly counterbalancing a
little extra culture. Fifteen shillings a
week is very good pay in Prussia, as will
be seen from the following sections out Of
long list Of the rates Of weekly wages in
that country in 1867. Win board and
lodging: Turner's, bakers, saddlers, f.. Sd.
wstchmakers and jewellers, g.; shoemakers,
IS Ga. to rs, 6d.; tailors, s. TO 15s. With
Ou board and lodging Compositors, 15s.;
goldsmiths, los. to 24s glassmakcrs, 15s.
to 18s.; pianoforte makers, lis; masOns
and carpenters, IA. 6l.; painters, pitmen
and smiths, l2s.; factory hands, los. Cd
to l2s.; calico printers, los; 6rst-class
puddlers at iron-works, 2is. In most
cases, twelve hours, and in many thirteen.
go to the working day. Women form more
than one-6ftH Of the factory operatives, and
earn comparatively good wages but public
labor brings its tuu frequent consequences,
and the female Operai,7es bear a very in
different character. As for seamstresses
aud miliners, those who work for CONNER
cial houses are, as usual, most miserably
paid so miserably, indeed, that to live at
all they are compelled to eschew morality.
" The wages quoted above are said to
suffice thrifty men while single. and even to
leave margin for savings but 10 keep a
family upon them, unless the mother at least
can contribute something towards the income.
is out Of the question and those who know
most about the matter do not set the cost Of
a family at a very extIavagant rate.
q" According to official calculations, man
with a wife and three or four children can
provide food enough for all at an annual ex
| pcnsc OF tl2, II be lives in the province Of
/ Prussia. In Poscu, It wvulti take more
than double the amount; while in Pome-
rama it may be done for little less-that
is, eli los. In Nedrode, 9ld. per diem
is supposed to cover food, fuel and rent
''The Prussian dietary standard is not a
very high one bread, vegetables, butter,
and milk being all that is considered ne
cessary; and meat-except perhaps on
holidays and Sundays-coming in the cate
CORY of luxuries. The daily fare of a
workman in the Rhenish provinces is set
down as consisting Of one pound Of re
bread, two pounds Of potatoes. an ounce Of
meat, halfan oInr, Of salt, and one sixth
of an ounce of coffee"