The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-07
GheGntelIigenrer.
WORK AND WAGES.
prospects for Labor this Coming
Season.
,rno, Men Arc Paid In the DIE
irrcnt Trades nj This Time.

,r.,m the Cincinnati Commercial.
Manufacturers are just now looking
forward very hopefully to the spring sea
.on for a partial revival OF trade, and in
lica,ions Of prosperoussummer are al
ready noted. Generally speaking, laboI
!. in fair demand, and wages range pFett!
birh, considering the dullness of the pas
sesson, which even brought rents lower
than they had been for years. a Com
mcrcial reporter visited Yesterday al'cF'
noon various manufacturers and ,"er'
chants, and obtained the following facts
rcIatiye to the present value Of labor in
the various departments Of industry;
Bricklaycrs are making % per r. dIay'
Union rates; and the BricEIIayerS Union m
!. ~ vet in healthy condition. They
c,ncct a brisk building season, and iull
,aics through the summer.
pla.tcrers can make from So on COM
mon work to So so per day for the best
las of work. On cement wNinscoting,
,ourl.deadcncd flooring, &c, the highest
wages are paid. There is n fair demand
6r irst.class plastercrs.
Carpenters can earn from 81 rs 10 So
per day. For common iOist work, &C.,
ibey are being paid 81 50. There will be
birsk demand for good carpenters dur
Ing the season. oo.-
Stone masons are receiving from So %
TO % 80 per day. On the new Govern
meni buildings they receive So per day;
and ordinary laborers 81 70. First.class
.,oue cutters can command very high
wages.
Plumbers are asking s. to So so. A
iew extra good men may perhaps get a
li,e more. 1t will not be very good
.eason for plumbers, owing to the unusual
mildncss OF the past winter.
House painters expect prosperous
ea.on. They can earn from 81 so to So
per day, according to the kind Of york
done. Sign painters are charging 20 cents
per foot for common white and black let
Icripr; Go cents to 81 per foot for gold lGti
tering, according to quality Of material
,sed; and from 81 % TO ST so per foot for
,old lettering on plate glass. For shaded
lettering the average cost is about one
third more per foot than the above
rates.
Composition rooicrs are making 50 per
dav; tin rooiers 81 so. Good men are in
brisI: demand. A busy season is looked
forward to by those interested in this in
dustry.
Upholstcrcrs are commanding fair
wages, averaging from SIS to $50 per week.
A lew frst.class hands command extra
rates. So far the season does not promise
40 well for this business ~ had been
hoped for.
Butchers are not greatly in demand
and Sis per week is the highest wages
paid. Tie average is from Sl2 to $l5
Market butchers are receiving from S2J
TO $40 per month and board-SiO per
month being an exceptionally high figure.
In the West End some slaughtercrs are
killing cattle for % cents per head, or 81
for three head. During the late hog
killing season there was n brisk demand
Tor experienced men, who could COM
mand from 81 toS4 per day, according to
class OF labor performed.
Bakers are, us u general rule, poorly
paid, the supply in this department Of
the labor market being out OF all proper
ton to the actual demand therefor. This
will he rendered more evident, perhaps,
Nv the tact that German boys, and even
yonng men, are employed in some baker
les here at two dollars per week; that
ioremen are obtainable for ten dollars
per week, and bread for their families;
and that ut fair average the wages earn-
Ell by good bakers do not equal those paid
to common laborers. In cracker iacto-
rie., and one or two large bakery estab-
.i.hmcnts, owned by wealthy companies,
irst.class hands sometimes receive better
wages. For obvious reasons, Certain
prominent bakers have persistently declin
ed to furnish the Board OF Trade or
newspapers with a statement OF the aver
age wages commanded by bakers.
Restaurant walters are generally re-
celving 81 per day, with board and lodg-
Ing; and good waiter will frequently
make considerably more than his regular
,aIury in the way of'pcrquisites. Res
,aurant walters usually work twelve
hours. Hotel walters seldom command
more than S25 per month, with board and
lodging; the average wages paid for this
class OF work in hotels being not more
that so per month, or 81 per week.
Restaurant cooks (fair to middling) are
in demand ut from So to $l2 per week.
Steamboat cooks, first.class men, can
command $500 and even $3.50 per month.
Hotel cooks generally average between
S75 and 500 per month; one or two men
receiving $4,000 per year. French cooks
have been known 10 command n salary
Of So 900 per year in Cincinnati.
Brewers are making from $40 to
$40 per week, according to the depart
mcnt in which they are employed, and
and their experience in tho business.
Heavy labor in brewerics is not very re-
nunerative-Sl0 to SIC per week being
the average wages paid. The salaries OF
good mallhouse men average between $50
and $40 per week. Drivers command
between Sl0O and $l25 per month, and re-
ceive, besides, u commission OF 10 cents
upon every keg Of beer they sell. Expc.
rienCCd forcmen sometimes receive sala.
ries Of $1,000 and even $4,000 per year.
The brewers generally anticipate a pros
porous season.
Bar.kecpers, unless very experienced
aud possessing an extensive acquaintance,
DO not command very high wages. With
board and lodging thrown in, good bar
Keepers are easily obtained at $7per week,
or even S25 per month. Head. bar.kccpers
IN popular beer gardens, however, COM
usad salaries Of $1,000 year and even
more. Fancy bar-kCepcrs, who can bring
considerable custom 10 fashionable bar,
eau command from SIS to 500 per
month; and first class bar.kecper, ex-
PeEicnced and sober, need never want for
vmunerative employment.
BARRIERS are not much in demand, but
there seems to be an inexhaustible sup
ply OF BARRIERS in the labor market. Con.
'equently wages are low in this branch OF
Industry. Good BARRIERS are at present re-
cciviug Sl2 to SIS per week, sis being
the general limit. German BARRIERS re.
ceive even less.
Cigar makers are generally receiving
only about ST. per week, n few exccp'
nonally good hands earning from SIS to