Daily Republican., 1880-03-09
WAGES OF wORK'NGMEN.

No strik es Feared, Much Less An
ticipated--An Increase Of PSy
Taking PAnce-yery Little Ms.
satisfaction Existing Between
EmplOye and Employer.
A day or two ago man announced
1t for fact that some of the wood
workers in the car shops of the Jackson
& Sharp Co.would ke.Abeut the same
time 1t was given out that the tanners
and beamsmen in W. Jones X Co.'s
morocco factory would repeat their nm
successful demonstration OF a few
months ago, and demand $40 a week.
Inquiry however shows that the first
statement originated through the
boastful declaration Of dissatisfied Ia
borer, who hired for mechanic and
could not do his work, and that the
other was wholly without foundation.
la both shops the greatest harmony
exists, aud the workmen profit by the
intelligent view which Wilmington
workmen have always entertained, that
strikes never pay. A careful ipvssti-
CATION by the REPUBLICAN, reveals that
among certain classes Of skilled labor
ers there exists feeling that their
wages are inadequate, and there Is of
course a desire for an increase, but
there Is no disposition to loudly
complain, inasmnch as the advance
usually made at this season Of the year,
when the time Of out door labor in
creases, is taking place. There is no
dissatisfaction, except among certain
Impractical workmen, who are not
worth good wages, and the feeling does
nos amount 10 anything like upplea'-
snt relations between labor ana capitol.
At Jackson 4 Sharp's wages are re-
ported as baving an upward tendency,
and might increase somewhat If work
continued as plentiful as at present.
Seven hundred men are employed, and
car work and ship work both show an
improvement over last year. Painters
average IS and $3.50 per week, bat
first class wOrkmen command as high
as $40 and $ll. In the wood depart
ment about tho same prices exist and
some good mechanics work for IS per
week. The advance in wages over last
year is 10 per cent. No serious com
plants appear TO come from the men.
it is likely that at this place the Men
will be- able to make considerably more
by oyer-work in few weeks, though
this is not official.
The above was about the state Of af-
fairs at the Harlan & Hollingsworth
works, whsre there has been zone ad
vance in wages over last'vear.
The workmen in iron, who suffered
more than any other class of laborers
by the depression following the crash
in 1873, began to look for better wages
toward the close of the year. and in
many cases they have received .hem.
At the Mccullough Iron Company's
Mill over one hundred and twenty men
are employed. Wages have gOus up
here from Is to 20 per cent. No com-
plaiut comes from the workmen. There
is no Likelihood Of wages going auy
higher, for the prices of iron, by which
they are regulated, bas a tendency at
present to subside, and will certainly
not continue upward.
The pay of labor at the Diamond
State Rolling Mill is understood to have
increased fally so per cent. since bard
times. 4 further addition is not ex-
pected, and none Of the wofkmeu are
dissatisfied. Indeed the pay in come
departments is said to be bighe~ than
the present state of the iron business
will pgudently allow. However while
an increase is not expected reduction
is equally unlikely.
AT tue Lobdell Car Wheel Company
the wages Of the men were not reduced
when they were cut considerably in
other establishments, and in conse-
quenCe no rise has taken place of any
account and none is anticipated. 1--WE
employ from four to vehundred men,"
remarked Mr.. George G. LDbdell to the
reporter. Sand we are not doing as
much work as We can do nor as much
as We expect to do soon. We are right
busy though, aud will MANUFACTURES as
many wbesis this year as during any
previous year. The workmen are not
dissatisfied.
W. Jones & Co., morocco macufsc-
turers, ave very busy and think the
prospects for a continuance of work
quite good. 1t was hare that the
be2msmen struck some time ago, bu,
without success. SoMe Of TIE strikers
returned to work at old rates and 9th
ers found situations elsewhere. Wages
have no. increased much here for they
did not decline during the slack season. |
Fnishers are making over $l2y yer week
and the CELLAR men, including The
beamsmen, SO per week.
lnqdiry at other morocco factories
showed that work was not at all s. 'acis,
aud that dressers average $l2 per week
and the cellar men make $40. No in
crease was expected.
The carriage manufacturers reported
an exceedingly pleasant outlook, which
was so pronounced as to Indicate re-
turn Of the unprec danted prosperity
which the Wilmington manufacturers
Onco enjoyed. Wages are slowly i'm
proving, though no decided rise was
probable, but the men were satisfied,
and good workmen exceedingly scarce
and in demand.
Carpenters and bricklayers are in
demand and are able to command in
creased wages. A cont .ctor has said
hat he thought that workmen of both
If these trades would be scarce consid-
,ring the amount of work to be done