Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-05-18
AWARDS FOR woRkMEN.


An EuKlA8h SyBIea nhCn 1S<SS@>.-~---
Itself to American Employers.
By his observation and everyday ex.
perience in the workshop, an intelligent
workman will be constantly discovering
better ways of doing the ordinary work
about his bench or lathe than he was
taught to do, or his fellow-workmen
continue in doing. It may not reach
the dignity of a patentable Improvement
that he has conceived, but it is wrinkle
which increases the workman's value
to his employer and at the same time
renders his labor less irksome to him
self
tits not the most original inventions
that always pay the best, but it is the
little things, the aggregation of useful
ideas. like those suggested by the diff
ferent workmen, that increases the ca
pacity of shop, and gives it reputa-
ton for good work. And it is but right
that the workman who suggests these
improvements which are beneficial to
the manufacturer should be rewarded
BY his employer; and if it was made the
practice in large establishments to thus
recognize the merit of the most palms.
taking and ingenious workmen, we be-
lieve the employer would derive much
greater benefit than the money OUTLAY;
besides, he would have the qualification
every one feels in according helping
hand to worthy person.
To encourage their workmen to be
constantly on the watch for any posi-
BILE improvements, a regular system of
awards has been established in a num-
Der of English works, and, after five
years trial, has met with a success that
has more than justified its adoption.
The ship-building firm of Denny &
Brothers, at Dumbarton, inaugurated
such a system in the summer of 1880;
md in recording their very gratifying
experience, we do SO in the hope that
American firms will be more generally
prompted to undertake similar enter
prise.
The committee Of independent judges
who decide upon the awards have now
issued their sixth annual report, and
placed it in circulation among the
workmen, to stimulate them to re-
newed effort Originally, the awards
varied from ten to fifty dollars, accord
ing to the worth of the improvements
for which claims were lodged with the
committee. After a years trial the
Messrs. Denny authorized the commit
tee to increase the award where they
saw fit, or, if the workman preferred,
offered, in addition to the award of
fifty dollars, to take out provisional
patent at their own expense, in which
case the firm reserved the right to use
the improvement at its own works, but
left the further disposition of the pat
emit with the inventor. In 1888 the
minimum and maximum awards were
increased to fifteen and sixty dollars
respectively. Still little later, it was
minated that premium of one hum
lred dollars would be paid TO each
workman when he had received as
many as five awards. When he had
received ten, this would be increased
to one hundred and twenty-five dollars,
and so on, twenty-five dollars extra
being added to the original premium
with each five awards
The report for the years 1880 to 1884
inclusive shows that about 50, 600 was
1isbursed in this manner, 81, 400 being
paid out during the latter year. Of
this sum, 81 900 went in payment for
the regular awards, and $500 as four
premiums. Up to this time, four in
ventions had gained the maximum
award. One of these, an improved
method of laying the Decauville rail-
way across the main line, gained an
additional reward of fifty dollars from
the patentee of the railway. One-half
Of the rewards given were gained by
workmen in the joiners' and carpenters
department. An arrangement was also
made with another firm which had
adopted a similar system of awards, by
which any improvement introduced in
either works could be utilized in the
other by the payment of 4 duplicate
award TO the inventor. During the
past year the scheme has been in
vigorous operation, and in spite of the
large reduction in the number of
men employed, the total of the
awards has been greater than be-
fore. The minimum award has
been reduced again to ten dollars,
so as to permit larger number
W ot Jul thC "afo
has been increased to seventy-five dol
lars. The system of premiums has
also been rearranged on fairer basis.
When workman has received five
awards his premium is made equal to
their total value. The twenty-five dol
lars, however, is added successfully as
before The decisions of the committee
have proved remarkably just, for of
the improvements accepted ncarl y every
one has turned out of practical value.
They cover wide range of subjects,
from mechanisms of general applica-
ton to the detailed arrangements on
shipboard.
In number of establishments in this
country. the workmen are financially
encouraged to make improvements in
the machines and processes in use. but
in none of them, we believe, has the
scheme been so thoroughly systematized
as among the English workers. The
marked success which has been ex-
perienced by the Messrs. Denny com,
mends their system to imitation on this
side of the water.-Scientifc american