, 1872-10-17
What is. Paid to Various
Glasses Of eDEseras
flyes.
The Cost of L;ying---How Surpius
Earnings are Spent

result OF his obserSatlons' 1ne ueIi'~1 0oosS
mentioned includes active and large 1naus1rlal
populations, where are produced colton anu
woollen cloth, mats, iron, coal, and many otne1
articles Of general use. had often heard OF the
apauper labor Of Europe" used ae an argument
against Free Trade. and I desired to ascertain
fhe actna1 ndoyn-trodden" condition of those
"nauper 1aborers with whom it has always
taan held by Protectionists to be lnhuman ana
11nwise to place the American worklngnan LII
competition. -
Immediately on arrival in Manchester from
Tiverpool, 1 noticed the air OF independence
and --.
wELL-To-Do APPEARANCE
OF nea,1y every vorkingman met,-not oaiy OF
factory-operatives, but Of laborers, teamstere.
portcrs, etc. inquired Of old friends, VINO had
lived in the district al their lives, and vas as"
su1ed that owing to combinations and stTaheb
amongst all classes Of 1aborers, the Torklngnen
hid it al their OWL way, and that the mill-own~
era and other employers we're, in great meas |
ure. at their mercy. One gentleman pointed mo
to gang OF men mixing mortar for some brick |
work for him, and said that, if he was to cay 8
crosa word OF find any fault with the men, they
would at once pick up their tools md leave, and
he would be unable to fill their place. Being the
guest Of very intelligent gentleman who lived
near Ashton-under-Lyn I Ventured to
INTERVIEW Elm.
in American fashion, in order to ascertain ho"
far NV observations and Impressions we're cor
rect. The following is the result:
Correspondent understand a1a h: ,dS 81 hass 1nss
been engaged in manufacturing?
Manufacturer -ssYes, have been in business,
sninning and weaving cotton, for twenty eight
years past, in the heart OF the Ashson D,s1tlc''
which is only six miles from Manchester.
NOW AID TWENTY AGO
c." win you state the condition OF the null q!
operatives at the present time, as compared WILL
their condition twenty yenrs ago:; =: 49,, arst5x.s
A-"The average earnings OF tne operatives
now are something like 10 per cent more tnan
they we're twenty-five years ago, although they
are working only IS to 50 hours per week, .a as as
tmegs.@femaies nntga-f mule > working only 10 hours per
daV' according to tie sTen-Hours' Act.
This Ten-Hours' Lew, or Factory Act, was M
passed about thirty years ago, ana Ieaueea tne ce
hourg per week; previous to that time, all the
operatives worked from 6s to 7o hours psr week.
Notwithstanding the recent reduction to 81
hours per week, the increase OIL wages nae n psen
fo improved machinery and better wofk, now
tend three to four looms, where they formerly
minded only two; and thus, though me rato o.
wages by the piece s the game, yet the1: average
selne4S}s.@ ss[nsnSs - '10'D - - ~ -
cAUsEs OF TIE 1soREAsE.
o.-mWhat ~ are the oausea O. 'o's s'e2' IL
NJ Ono cause Is the diminution OF poputa'
tson, which the csnsus returns Of 1871 show 10
be, in this district, something like 10 per
cent less than ln 186ls FMS haa causeu
great scarcity Of labor; and the consequence IL,
chat the cotton-spinning and weavlng machinery
is seldom fully employed: The reduction OF
population has been caused BY migration TO 9th
-particularly the United States. In this district
alone, there is to the latter country, an exodua
Of fifty per week, which ID slightly in excess of
the natural increase OF the popu1ation'
WAGES OF FFAcIoRy-opERAT1yES.
C-"state the wages OF sclI~actor nioas-s,
weayers, and other operatives" ~
MThe eeltasto5s os1, gsst ggs,+ from s,e3 2ls r5s ss
Hecers,'-boys from Is to 90, who assist the
sminders', get from los Cd to los, or from s2.2I
10 81 Of your currency. These are often cAil
d1en or other relatives Of the sminde1s.' WeaV
ers are generally young women, single and mar
ried from IL years upwards. Iloae under i
are restricted BY Law 20 half-time. Ha1t-timers,
from to Is, boys and girls, earn from 2s ed te
Is per week. They arc compelled by law to attend
the public free schools during the other half oI
the dav. Weavers earn from los to 2is per week
Tor full time' work. Girls of 16 frequentl,
earn 15s per week, or nearly 81 Of your currency
week.-Mrs. being comparatively unskiliee
labor. Female scaTd-room handa earn from 1o
to1ssper week. sWinders' and .wa1pers whoa5
according to ability and class OF work. 'slz
ers' or tdressers, who are always maleai earl
from sos to :s3 per week. 1Twisters,' drawers
ETC., males, about 25s per week."
T-"What would an ordinary family earn.--
cav father and two boys and two girls, hal
under and half over IL, leaving the mother .
home, and allowing thes0uns children only hall
M.-tAbout :es per week. know many fan
t1ies earning E5 to eG per week."
COST OF LIVING. .-......
o,-"What will thiemoney y, buy IN house-ren
M.-"Honse-rent runs from 1s I'd to 4s +
Ger week Those at 1s Sd are cottages Of tn
rooms and pantry, all we'll built, Of brick. House
at 3s sd and IS Cd contain about SIX room!
front, with separate fences. These house
IRE well and handsomely built, and OF suFe1i<
character"
II. "The landlord including even the wate
C-"About fuel :"
NJ" boutnine nemonthe ago. house -ceais vel
Bs per ton Of 2,240 pounds Now, owing to Al
vance Of wages to the colliers, the price
DOUBLE
c." What do the operatives live Oh -
M-nThe best food their money will procuT
Flour is worth Is Sd per. dozen, or 2z4d p'
pound best cuts CT butchers meat, lid pot
toes, Id per pound, or IS per buehel; sugar,
to Sd; coffee, Is Cd; tea, 2s Cd to S.; vegetab!
and fruit, at moderate price; apples, from
to Sd pei pound (there is always an abundant
OF fruit and vegetables in the market); fret
butter, led per pound; milk, Sd per guar
cheese, from Sd to 10d per pound; bacon, Cd
3D. One Of or penaies equals tTo OF yo7
cents.
C.-:How is clothing7"
MA good, respectable suit Of black b1oa
cloth is worth ga tweeds aud other Woollen
from to 8 guineas per suit; other clot
ing in proportion. A good pair Of half boot
f1om the chop is 12s Cd; Women'e shoes,. consl
erAbjy less"
WAGES OF OTHER WonEMEN.
o.-s'What are the wages Of bricklayers, ot
Liars. DC. 2"
NC Golfers can get f3 to "a per week 4
working eight hours per day but they drink,
good deal Of their time, and consequently dor
get go much. They could, il they worked stead
Bricklayers, E1 l6s per week, for 81 hour
Carpenters and nssons, SOS to 52s per week, +
the same time"