Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-04-19
RAILROAD LABOR.
Interesting Figures Presented by Commissioner
Wnght-Ayerage Wages Of the Great
Army Of Employees.

WASHNGToN, April ls.-Labor Com
missioner Wright has made his fifth an
nual report. The single subject treated
is railroad labor. The report shows
that on June 30. 1859, the whole num-
Der of railroad corporations in the Uni
ted States was. approximately, LIS,
and the mileage of these roads, approx
imately. 1876. 400 miles. The number OF
employees ON all Of the railroads of the
country ON that date was $50,
Sixty railroads were selected. rep
resenting all sections of the country
and all conditions of railroad labor.
In connection with these sixty roads
there were found to be 241 ,9lO employees.
Two hundred and SiXty-SiX companies
retain i'm their service permanently dis
abled employed, the number Of such on
the rolls at the close OF the year 1SSS
being 3.12l 4 very large number OF
roads also provide some system OF tech
nical education for the men in their
shops.
TIE AVERAGE WAGES RATES.
As to wages it is found that over 20
per cent. are paid at rates ranging from
81 to s. per day. The average daily
rate of all the employees paid by specific
time on the sixty roads is Sl.64; yet
nearly 81 per cent of the whole number
received less than the average rate of
all. while only 80 per cent. received about
the average for all. IL was also shown
that OF the wholcnumber OF employees
lOl. .9O5 earn less than 500 Yer year. 3d.
6li earn from SlOl To 5000 per year and
2l.5l7 earn from S2Ol 10 $500 per year.
The average earnings on all the sixty
roads per year is S243. The report
shows the average daily rate OF pay in
each of seven groups OF seventeen Occu-
pationS. BaggagcmaSterS for instance
employed i'm group l receive on an aver
age SITS per day; in group .. Sl.jS per
dav. rroun - 90: ornun = &C.
group 3. Sl5O: group g. Sl.19,
i'm group :, -. Average, Sl.G3.
The brakemen i'm the same groups re-
ceive 81. SO in first: Sl.73 in second; Sl.26
i'm third: 81 SG i'm fourth; Sl.9j in fifth;
Sl.7j In sixth, and SL96 i'm Seventh;
average Sis. The average pay per day
OF locomotive engineers in each OF the
seven groups is: First S3.32; second
S3.15: third s.. 90; fourth S3.O7; fifth
S3.55: sixth S2.79; no average is given
seventh. Operators receive on an aver
age i'm first group Sl.42; second Sl.3i;
third 81 so; fourth S1.47; fifth Sl.57;
sixth Sl.3s: seventh S2.O9- average Sl.43.
Conductors show very steady rate for
the whole country the average being
-. SO per day.
COMPARATIVE WAGES.
a comparative table is given as TO the
wages paid railroad men in this country
and Great Britain. The British rates are
all taken from official returns OF wages
paid to railway servants on the princi-
pal lines i'm Great Britain. This table
shows that the average daily pay Of loco
motive engineers i'm Great Britain
is Sl.4G, in the United States
S3.22. OF fremen. in Great Britain
/ 90 cents, i'm the United States
SITS. Conductors i'm Great Britain %
cents: United States -. SO. Switchmcn
I'm Great Britain - cents; United States
/ 81. 80. Flagmcn i'm Great Britain 81
cents: United States Sl.13. The report
/ further shows that 224,570 individual
men were employed on an average li'
davs year each. and they received
S243 average actual earning for the year
employed. These 294.5GO men were en-
ploved to hll lO5, s07 positions;
i'm other words, If lOj, ,s07 men had been
employed on full time, they would have
accomplished the same results that were
accomplished 10y the greater number
working on an average OF l4' day dur
ing the year. The Commissioner, how
ever. states that it should not be con
cluded: that these 1873 men are out
Of employment. although it is fact
that this feature Of the problem offers
a field for discussion and investigation.