New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-24
WAGES OF WORKINGMEN.

UNSETTLED CONDITION OF THE LABOR MARKET
SCARCITY OF EMPLoYMENT-AvERAGE WAGES
IN ALL KINDS OF BUSINESS.
The disorganiZed condition OF the labor
market the excess of applicants for work IN almost
every department and the pressing necessity OF many
of these applicants which forces them to beg for and
gladly accept wages far below the usual average and
even below what employers still paying the bulk OF
their skilled labor make it very difficult TO give an exact
estimate OF the present prices OF labor in NewYork No
small number OF employers, out OF pity take needy
hands praying for work when they have little use for
them only pay them pitiful wages But there
has been no very heavy reduction Of wages With the
tried and skilled New men have been taken at
panic prices and inferior workers, about whose
loss no fear Is felt, have had their pay con-
siderably cut into; but in spite OF the num-
beers out OF employ, there has been no thorough
and extensive loppingo of off pay. TRIBUNE reporter
for days has been making Inquiries among EN-
poyers all the main lines Of business, among officers
of the various tradesuDon and among all classes OF
workmen find out the present position OF the labor
market and 10 ascertain, with much exactDess as
possible what wages the average skilled workman is
now receiving. There has been found considerable
diversity of statement between different employers,
and among the unemployed. aud also between employ.
ers and employed against eaehl other This simply
proves that old rules TO wages with (which the
have been able to bind employers, have
10 considerable their force IN the stress OF
the depression. The figures gwen below represent
fair estimate from COMPARISON OF diverse statements
In the several trades connected with building the
actIvity is always largely reduced at this The
estimated that from onehalf to OF the men
no owe po work at Their regular caIines few
have become policemen some have tbecome carcon,
ductors some have left the oity and Others are still
idle In the iron trade the outlook Is not 30 discourage
ing. Probably not more than onethird OF the IRON
Average brckayers get q 50 and a for eight hours
work some employers are paying however, only %
willing to work these prces than they wish for. Ma
wage. and hour9 are the same 2Iar,symen get
penters from y to s. 80 part wornng eight hours part
ten hours haye co. mos. s S1 bouT
eight hours Stairbuders, most OK them working
es Ps& .S no
than 10 per cent Molders receive from 70 W. FIN
borers from 81 to 81 80.
Outside the building trades the proportion OF unem-
poyed rarely rises above onefourth, and In some
trades falls below one tenth Average wages are as
follows:
For bachsmiths from y to g bakers $40 to s per
week without board SIS to so month with board
brAssnnishers q 70 per day. Srass,%oidsIs TO
Der week book binders $40 per week boys, to
Is per week cabinetmakers 90 to tt per week chair.
week cutters. E1 to q. per week oOopers, oy days
average g BY as % to so Pc!
deck.hands. sas to 80 pen month enGlnee,s, 80
per DAY 'S ,S ;s 80 Der to week Ssr
works iremen average g 50 per day gas works K
helpers, q u; gas works laborers, ~; hstters " %
TO y so; horsesnoers 3 30 TO n per day Of 10 hours
Iaborers (dock "a public works lsborers. u IS PARK
iabOrers. u IS Iaborers In general u Is 70 1o onS
shoremen cents per hour, day work. " cents night
work mschiniste ms TO e1s pc. week piano-mskers
Ss TO ga per week plumbers, d 80 for eight hours
porters $40 $40 month with board; priners day
work "a per week night work, "a per week printers
In jobofices 90 per week II newspaper piece wofk
mostly osa iS WORK SIC Hs per Psolins boz
sawy efs skilled, . 70 u So unskilled, q 50 railroad
men q rs 70 81 rs shoemaker tcustOm work mems
boots and shOes) bottOers e2 70 A per week htters
Ss TO 16 those weekly wages, N4 factories tmen's
boots and shoes) upper cutters "a week. on piece
work &c TO go buttoners Us 70 t2o per week stock
cutters go per weex wo hn an sao 10 Ss
bottom cutters tls %; girl filters % to e2 team
man Ss 70 IN per week n for eight hours
ship-csuiksrs, y to y 50 for nine hours shlpcAr.
penters g to e. nine hours; ship-carpentors
IN Nayyysrd q Is. Sash and bnd.makers SIS to sls
Der week 10 hours per day Tors largely work.
n n S Tnsmiths q 50 TO IS per day. 10 hours Up
holsterers Vs 10 ga per wcok mostly on piece work
Varnshers t2 to SIS per week wheelwrghts, y % 70
a. Aay