The Portland daily press., 1892-05-16
CARROLL .. WRlGHT'S REPORT.
Average Wages and Cost of Living in this
Country and Europe.

The Hon. Carroll d. Wright, Com
missioner of Labor has transmitted to
the President his annual report.
In that part of the report relating to
cost of living, facts are given from 5,2S4
families representing 27,5T persons.
These families are distributed through
the cotton and glass producing States Of
the United States, Belgium, France, Ger
many, Great Britain, and Switzerland,
and constitute the most extensive collec-
ton of data relative to the cost of living
that has ever been published.
The total average income of families
for which budgets were obtained in each
country, was: For the cotton industry,
$657.76 in the United States, $365.94 in
France, $302.11 in Germany, 1855. IA in
Great Britain, and $35S.56 in Switzer-
land. In the woollen industry 1868. 10 in
$275. so in Germany, and $515.64 in Great
Britain. In the glass industry, in the
United States $S59.64, in Belgium $627.-
IS, and in Great Britain $501.69.
Bringing these averages into compari-
son with those of incomes in other
Industries, as reported in the sixth
annual report, the Commissioner finds
that in the United States the total aver
age income of families engaged in the
pig iron industry was $591.61, in Belgium
$374.6 and in Great Britain, $456.86.
The bar iron workers are well paid
class. and their incomes per family were
as follows: For the United States, $751;
II, for Belgium, $359.37, for France,
| $464.74, for Germany $292.20 and for
Great Britain $1,000.
Looking at some of the items of ex-
penses of families in different countries,
and for different industries, it is learned
from the report that in the United States
the average cost OF rent for the families
reported in the cotton industry was $72.-
in France $34.76; in Germany, $27.96 and
in Great Britain, S5l.24 For families
engaged in the woollen industry, in the
United States, $90.S7; in France $33.25,
in Germany $25.45 and in Great Britain
So. a. For families in the glass indus
try in the United States $107.57, in Bel
GUM S36. 95 and in Great Britain $50. 70.
The sum expended for amusements
and vacation indicate very clearly the
tendency of the families of working men
For the families in the United States in
the cotton industry, the average cost was
$3.50, in France, $16.02, in Germany $19.-
33, and in Great Britain, 5000. The
glass workers in this country, however,
| spent more money than those of any
other country for amusements and va
cation. In the United States such ex-
penses amounted to S29.66 per annum:
in Belgium, $11.40 and in Great Britain,
$22.56.
The comparisons on intoxicating
liquors are as follows: For the families
| i,,+ No i1,dI in, "a
| United States, so far as considered $15.-
9S; in France, $15.0S; in Germany, Sill
Al, and in Great Rritain, S19.47. In the
glass industry in the United States,
S54.s4; in Belgium, $45.09, and in Great
Britain, $32.74.
The expenditures for food by the fam
| lilies of the cotton workers in the United
States was on the average $287.06; in
France, $164.02; in Germany, $142.22,
and in Great Britain $246.50. For the
families engaged in the wooden industry:
in the United States, $262.S5; in France,
$166.78; in Germany S150.27, and in
Great Britain, 1928. For the families
of glass workers: In the United States,
$294.75 in Belgium, $237.22, and in Great
Britain, $220.96.
The reading propensities of the fami-
lies comprehended in the report consti-
IuUe interesting points OF comparison.
The average cost of books and newspa-
pers for families engaged in the cotton
industry in the United States was $5.35
in France. 1910; in Germany, $1.4S, and
in Great Britain, $3.50. For families en-
gagged in the wooden industry: In the
United States $76e; in France, 1898; in
Germany, S1.37; and in Great Britain,
$647. For the families engaged in the
glass industry: In the United States,
1914; in Belgium, 1882; and in Great
Britain, $3.44
The total average expenditures per
family for all purposes in the cotton in
dustry in the United States were $610.61;
in France, $393.70; in Germany, S2S2.5S;
in Great Britain, $5O2. ID; and in Switzer-
land, $346.6s. The families in the wool
EN- industry in the United States ex-
pended $394.09; in France, s4.05; in
Germany, $281.59; and in Great Britain,
$4s1.e4. The families engaged in the
glass industry in the United States ex-
| pended $4,000; in Belgium, $492. AZ; and
in Great Britain, $460.44.
|