Arizona republican., 1891-11-08
WESTERN W0RKINGMEN
Interesting Facts Developed by
 Investigation.
Statistics Showing the Prosperous Con dition of the Laboring Glasses | in Certain In-
 dustries.

V speaks careful attention. It may be said, says the Providence (R. l) Jour nal, that industrial conditions in the west differ from those at the east, and that we in this portion of the country must take exception now and again, for this reason, to the finding of the bureau as detailed in this report, but certainly painstaking investigation over so wide a field as the state of Michigan cannot but prove of general interest and value. Moreover, the Michigan bureau has conducted similar investigations for eight years, and in that time has acquired much eXperi- encc in collating facts like those now presented.
 It would not be fair to say that the daily life of the workingman is pictured with absolute correctness, for all such canvasses as the Michigan bureau has made from home to home must be incomplete. But we may be sure that an approximately correct idea of that status of workingmen, at least in certain industries, may be gained from study of the bureaus statistics. No attempt to secure figures for all varieties of industry was made, the labors of investigators being confined chiefly to the agricultural implement and iron working laborers, although a few establishments of other character were visited. The two industries named are among the best known and longest established in the state, and it was considered that an inquiry among these would be valuable as affording an idea of how the better paid classes of workmen live. It is said that in these two branches of manufacture working men receive relatively high wages, and that they may be taken to represent the more prosperous grade of employees.
 For the purposes of this report 1888 workmen were visited and confronted with a long list of questions on many interesting subjects pertaining to their home life. They were asked whether or not they y-owned the houses in which they lived; if there were encumbrances on their property; if they carried life insurance and to what amount; how much wages they received and how much they saved; whether or not they owned pianos or sewing machines, and a variety of other questions. It was found that out of the S,S5S to whom these queries were put one earned stO a week and l25 from S2O to S3O, while at the other end of the pay roll were a dozen boys who received but g. a week and 322 more with g or less. About l5 per cent received Sl5 or over, and more than F per cent. less than S7, while the average for the whole number, married and single Ilen, was Sl0,0G, and that for the married mcn Sl1.50. The average total amount for the year was S467, the married men averaging SJ25, small annual income on which to sup port family, in the estimation of good many more favored people, But, with this amount, it is evident that the families of these Michigan working men have been prosperous, at least in many cases.
 As many as 2,32s of the employees who were visited owned their houses and nearly half this number were uD- burdencd with mortgages. Almost all the householders were married men, moreover, and 46 per cent. of the fam flies concerning whom the state bureau made inquiries were therefore installed in their own homes. It is worth while to note, in passing, that of these house owners the largest proportion were Germans, Hollanders, and Irish, with the Scotchmcn and Poles not far be- hind. The Scotchman's house cost g., 025, however, and that of the Poles S956 the average among all natiOnali- ties reaching Sl,3l2.
 Nor are the com forts of everyday life forbidden, although the average wages would not seem, at first thought, to af- ford much margin for these. The American laborer looks upon certain luXuries as necessities, and the Mich igan figures seem to show that he is able to possess some of them. Sixty. nine per cent. of the families visited owned sewing machines, and it is fair te assume that these are positive lux uries in many a home, where in less prosperous days there was an inordi- nate amount of sewing by hand, Sixty StNth lbtI ttuJ OA dll Illc tull1lONtS lll- terviewed took newspapers and maga- zines, and half of them daily papers, and more than one-iifth of the s,23s possessed musical instruments of one kind or another, while there were found 700 organs and 3l4 pianos. A fourth of the whole number of men were insured, the average amount be. ing nearly sl, 300, and 40 per cent. saved money last year. In all, S175,47O was paid out in that time for homes and i'm. provcments upon them. and s329, SS0 in cash was saved. This is good general showing, and may be taken to indicate fairly the financial status of large body of workingmcn in a representa- tive state of the west.
 
 arge workshop developed it's strong