Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-08-11
ENGLISH WAGES.
WHAT A VERMoNTER FOUND IN FREE
TRADEENGLAND.

Underpaid Men In Every Branch of Trade
Poorly Fed and Poorly Dressed-The Nc
Kinley Tariff Law Keenly Felt There-De-
preston in Business Caused by Raising
of Duties in America-A Lesson for Every
American Workingman to Study.
From the Independent.
On arriving in Liverpool the first thing
to attract my attention was the large
number of men and boys about appar-
emily without occupation.
, Great numbers were thronging the
streets, sitting on curbstones, lounging
against walls, and evidently waiting for
a job. Taking ride on tram car / in
terviewed the guard and driver. The
guards receive on commencing, 81 cents
per day, and after time get dollar.
The drivers get Slip, and get up to
$1.25. Their time is from IA to 1G hours
per day with no time off for meals. At
a meeting of the Manchester Tram and
Cabmen's association, while was there,
| it was reported that in some towns the
tram car conductors received as low as
Is shillings per week, or $3.50; drivers,
$500; and horse keepers or hostlers,
IS shillings. In Manchester the drivers
begin at four shillings day, and after
six months get four and sixpence.
Conductors start at three and six, and
rise TO four shilliugs. At present there
are 4S4 tram-car employees in Manches-
ter, and of these only eight men worked
as short time as IL hours, while 116
worked Is hours 20, 49, hours; IS, l6
hours, and eight, Is hours; and these
days labor at the pay already stated.
They have no stated time for meals,
and driver may be seen driving with
one hand and holding his food with the
other; and have as little chance to be-
come acquainted with their families. as
the wife remarked of her husband, whom
she said, "belonged to six clubs.''
So far as | have seen, a laboring mans
rent may be set down at about one
fourth of his wages; where he gets
seventeen shillings fourpence per month
One gentleman i'll Manchester, of wide
experience, told me he thought | had
got the wages over rather than under
the average and the rent below it; but |
have written just what | have fonnd-
taking the word of one wage Garner with
another, and their report of rates, rents,
taxes and tithes.
Going down on the train to London |
got into the luggage van with the guard
and had quite pleasant chat. He was
an intelligent man and seemed willing to
give all information respecting the rail
road traffic that he could.
The guards, corresponding to our con-
ductors and train men, receive various
prices according to their runs.
The local guards get $6.75, or 27 shil-
| lings per week, and are at home every
night. The through guard of the first
class gets $40, and the under guard $S.75
their run 270 miles, and are at home
every other night, having, as the guard
expressed it, to keep two homes. | find
these prices varying very little except in
York, where the coal strike in Yorkshire
and Durham has greatly affected labor.
The workshops of the great Midland
system of railroads located here, and
the workmen now earn but nine shillings
per week, having work but three days in
a week, but would get Is shillings on
full time; and have just had ten days
vacation" no work at all. PAYERS get
$1.30 per day, laborers from so to SO
cents; and in all these cases rents, taxes,
and rates must be deducted before the
items of food and clothing are consid-
cred.
On the Midland road the porter at
Bedford was communicative, and he gets
$4.25 per week for seven days. He pays
for his house of five rooms $4,33 per
month rent, besides taxes and rates.
The guards get from S. to 1925 per
week. Engineers $l.S7 per day. In
London | had nice chat with the guard
on the bus coming up from the city.
eyes, sir, | gets three and nine per day
(92 cents) and the driver gets four and
six ($1 12). Oh, the driver gets more as
we do because he has the 'osses to look
after, and it is smart bit of work to
drive bus and keep clear of hall other
traps, and e as to keep is heyes open.
Oh, yes, we pick up good bit beside.
some gents knows our time and come
down with us nigh about every morning,
and they tips US bit hOften. And now
and again young gent gets on with is
lady and wants place atop the bus
when it is full; so when fares come down
and leaves chance tips him a wink
and they goes hup, and l often gets a
shilling that way. Oh yes, sir, l always
mean to be polite to my fares, it costs
nOGulnS anu IL pays, ucslues ueluS GULF
Portable all around. No, sir, l don't
drink, and the bosses would not allow
it. l think they would as soon dis
charge man for that as for stealing,
and if e goes hoff the second time e will
never be taken on again. Yes, sir, l am
married. have tidy little wife and
four children and nice little 'ouse out a
ways. The rent is II and six a month
and rates and taxes added, which brings
it hup pretty we'll; but my missus is a
good manager and we live economical
and we put by a bit hevery year for a
rainy day. Yes, sir, a-many goes to the
public and their money goes for beer,
and of course what goes for beer does
not go to the bank. This is your street,
sir, thank you, sir. Mind the step, sir.
Goodnight, SIR" and l am ushered out
with politeness habitual here and, as
he remarked, every comfortable" and
which l regret to say is seldom seen at
home. As a rule, every fare received by
the conductor is acknowledged with
.'Thank you," as are all purchases paid
for, and often inquiries made receive the
same courteous acknowledgement.
A man experimenting job of paving
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