The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-02-14

Gsaees bracketed iadono In this country by
the one tisst named. Taking the highest
English wages In each bracket, though 1t ia
not always that OF the clasn corresponding
IN name to the American bracketed with
II, 1t appsara that miners In this country
receive e 90 per day ,as against 81 Is 5, or
II percent more than in Durham; driyerp,
3 10 against 50 97.S for banksmen, or 115
percent more; ilremen, 81 60 against
~ S54, or 81 percent more; screenmep,
81 % against 50 704, OF 10 percent more;
iurnacemen, 81 90 against 50 G92, or l3i
percent more; laborera, who are Chased as
iaoorera, 81 % agsinst 50 ia, or ITO per-
cent more, and. when doing the work OF
rollywaymen, 81 so against 50 OIL or 81
percent more. In e word, the average
wages paid the different classes OF labor In
tlstsoilrgh mines are more than 100 per.
cent in excess Of those paid In the Durham
mines, which Is among the best paid dis.
trlcts in England. The miners alone. who
comprise 90 percent Of the labor about the
ifstsbtffgtl miues, earn liz percent more
thnn the Durham miners. One Of the most
remarkable differences if that in the wages
OF the drivers, tho Pittsburgh drivers aver
aging s. lOa day and tho Durham thirty.
three cents, er the former receives 53G per.
cent more than tho latter. 1t is fair TO say
that tho Durham dfiyars are for the mos,
part boys, while the Pittsburgh drivers arc
men, but on tho other hand it's also fair to
say that these boys are for the most part
Tug SONS Of men employed about the pits,
whose small earnings have compelled them
10 put their children at work. m
IN tie above comparison no account has
been taken OF tho free house, gsrden and
coal allowed certain Of the Durham work.
man. II s!lould bs borne in mind TINT all
workman do not receive theae allowances,
nor q SUN Of money in lieu OF them. Nor
ISL certain what the money value OF lhese
allowances IL, the estimate varying from
%: to ls. Adding the highest amount, one
smiling, or2l2 cents, to the miners Yagts,
sl.loS, which is really the miners earn.
lns5, Il VIC would have 81 .401 as the total
money value Of bis earnings and allow.
ancss, as sgiinst 81 52 in Pittsburgh, or
tas latter receives SO percent tnore than
tne former after making every possible nd.
dit!on to the English wages. Ii should al
40 os borne III mind that the proportion
o. theso cisssed &c miners and RECEIVING
mese higher wages is greater in American
than in English pits.
WEEKLY EARNINGS IN BOTH COUNTRIES.
This difference bccoues even greater
@Nea the comparison Ia between weekly
eafnlnga. Thu Durham miner works five
days q week; the Pittsburgh six. The
weekly carnlnga il Durham would be 81 n
week; IN Pittsburgh $l5 i, or 11G percent
greater. II it is salt that the American
hours per day aud days per week are long.
", the reply is that tue conditions OF labor
Of the Pitsbvrgh miner make i. possible
Without being Injurious. He does not WORK
l,VO0 TO 1890 Fest below the ground, with
lls increased heat and density Of air com
Dining to render his employment hur,iul
aud e%nervating, nor dos he work ia The
midst Of the increased danger from e.plo.
h:ons, tirea, foods aud a hundred nnforp-
seen accidents which come with this in.
creased depth, and which become more
N as the shalt deepcns. Iinapiae
mat the English miner would be only too
glad to work the additional day, were the
conditions the came az in this country.
even at the low rates he receives, for The
AIDED earnings aud added com!orti il woufd
bring his home. at the same time. how.
ever, 1t must be acknowledged that in No
district in Great Britain is the death rate
IN the mines go low as it is in Durham.
fae mines are not free from gas, but the
Iood discipline has reduced the death rate
toa low polntcompared with other districts.
It viii not DO possible to mike as careful
anu thorough a comparison Of wages and
eufniDpB in the nthsr 1;.,rtnt, ~, -
done between Durham and PITTSBURGH Il
may not be embarrassing, however, 10 give
the earnings Of miners in a number .fe il.
esllties without giving tho rates Of The
o,har classes OR entering into a discussion
OF the various circumstances conditioning
the earnings. In an arbitration Mt Dur.
ham in July 1870, the operators gave a
tttement rs to earnings in. several districts
from returna received, from which The fol.
lowing table is compiled: