Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-01-23
SALARIES.
The Shrfnkage from the Pay of
Flush Times.

The Shrinkage from the Pay of
Flush Times.
From the Boston Herald
During the ten or twenty years previ-
Gus to 1850 there had been a gradual but
almost constantly increasing rise In the
wages of mechanics and lRborers of al
most every grade, while in some classes
of Industries the advance had been, dur
ing the extreme time mentioned, aston
fshingly large when its full scope is con-
sidered. The wages of certain meehan-
les, for instance, had advanced from
about $1.12 to $1.25 in 1S40 TO 50, 81. 80
and $2.75, or thereabouts. from 1880 to
1886. and from 100 co $2.25 in 1910 TO $3,
$3.50 and even $3.50 from 1855 to 1860.
Although. perhaps, during this period all
wages did not advance proportiOnately
the increase in every department. was yet
marked, and the years from 1850 to 1860
furnished the golden opportunity for la
boring men to become s'forehanded, y and
provide themselves with homesteads and
reserve for the proverbial s'rainy day."
and this chance was very generally inn
proved throughout New England and
other parts of the country. But some
time before the outbreak of the war the
limit bad apparently been reached, and
even decline had begun in some direc-
tions; at all events, it was evident that a
level had been reached, and there was no
reason to hope or expect that any better
times, SO far as amount of wages were
concerned, awaited the mechanic. The
condition of things was healthy, had not
been forced, and the outlook was not dis
differences in the currencies then occur
red in the experiences of the period.
THE FLUSH TIMES.
But the war came, prices were inflated
beyond point imaginable before, the de-
mand for labor in every department. was
unprecedented, and wages kept pace with
the general upward flight. Gold and pa
per parted company, and all relations be-
tween dollar and what it could purchase
went askew. Salaries were doubled, even
trebled in some instances, and many con-
siderations for services unheard of under
any previous conditions of affairs, became
common events. Finally followed the re-
action, and then the collapse, until now
the old positions are about to be resumed,
in fact, in some directions. But it is OBJ
vious that salaries and wages are not re-
turned to the old standpoint. 1t is not
this subject in all its bearings that will be
alluded to in this writing, but only some
points suggested by and belonging to it.
THE SALARY RANGE.
1t is thought that wages and Salaries
have now touched as low point as they
are likely to, and indeed it is difficult to
conceive how they could rule much lower
than the present average among the
masses of workers with any chance OF
proving sufficient for the barest exist
ence. Notwithstanding, it is true, that
for every incumbent holding a position
an idle person stands ready to take it
from him, at rate of compensation lower
than that already paid. But employers
do not seem to generally favor the plan
of thus exchanging hands, although. the
| newcomers are perfectly competent per-
sons, and the dearth of employment is
the sole reason for this state of things,
which, of course, can only be remedied
by large increase of business operations,
which will call for the occupation of all
workers. So far as can be ascertained the
new year does not find employers either
discharging hands or cutting down the
wages of those already employed, mol
aresuch courses apparently contemplated
Just previous to the holidays large mum
bers of statesmen and women, and many
extra workers, were added to establish
meuts which make speciality of attend
ing to the increased business of that sea
son, and since it has passed the extra force
has been discharged; otherwise matters
remain as before. All prosperous stores
report increased sales over the. CORES
-ponding time last year, but these are of:
set by smaller profits, so that the general
average is not much different.
SALARIES COMPARED. 80
The highest salary ever paid in Boston
was that of Mr. j. Wiley Edmunes, treas
years prior to 1876, received a yearly sal
ary of $25, 900 for his services as tr easur
er. In 1851 his salary in the same po
sition, with no duties added, was $50, 900
and were he living he would he in reeeip
of the same to-day. It viii be noticed
that during the period when the creates
reductions were being made in wages an
salaries in the very business in which h
was engaged, his own pay was not onl
kept up to an enormous figure, but wa
actually doubled at the very time other
were reduced to what labor agitators lik
to call Starving rates. Notmahy of thes
exceptionally high salaries We're eve
paid in New York even. The great DR.,
goods firm of H. B. CIafiin 6 Co. of tha
city had at one time man in their en-
ploy (Mr. Spencer W. Coe) to whom the
paid salary of $32, 900. He was buye
? for and manager of their flannel depar
ment. 1t is doubtful if, in either of tn
houses of Claflin or Stewart to-day, theI
: is any salary above $4,000 paid for an
service, and but very few of these il
stances.
FURTHER COMPARISONS.
The largest salary paid to-day in Bo
IS ton, In any wholesale or jobbing busines
is that to salesman in leading commi
sion house, who receives $4,000 for h