The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-09-30
STARVATION PAY.

| Is no W DO maui
between the English workingman and
his American cousin" said Mr.. George
P. Irving of Beverly to Boston Journal
correspondent.
AS Mr.. Irving is an Englishman by
birth and has visited his native home
several times since coming to America
some 40 years ago, it may be presumed
he knew something about the matter.
~ came to this country" said the
speaker, "a short time prior to the civil
war and engaged for three years in the
whaling service. When the war broke
out shipped on the man-of-war Inc, and
served for three years. went to Beverly
at the close of the war and settled there. !"
Referring to his early days in England,
he said: II served my apprenticeship at
the trade of carpenter over in England,
receiving as salary for the first year 30
cents week, 30 cents the second, 75ets
the 3rd and 4th. [ was then advanced
to 81, which l received until my seven
| years had expired. Visiting my old
home a short time since, l noted-not
with any surprise-men working at the
| same bench, the same men l had worked
with. They were receiving So so, which
is considered very fair wages. To re-
ceive this, however, man has to serve
seven years as an apprentice at the mod
est sum of 81 per week.
Upon this salary the workingman has
to support himself and family, which is
generally large. No workingman ever
attains such degree of competence that
he can call himself his own landlord.
For the most part the workingman is
domiciled in a three-room house, con-
sisting of one room on the ground floor,
one room overhead and an attic. This
is invariably the way they live in small
towns of from $4,000 to $4,000 inhabit-
ants. Of course in the large cities the
working class fare far worse. Such a
thing as sleeping in bed all by ones
self is comparatively unknown. One
bed will furnish sleeping accommoda-
lions for the workman, his wife and two
or three children, while the older ones
will be huddled together in another.
81 have seen laborers who never in
although the average wageis 81 cents per
day. The bare necessaries of life can
alone be purchased; no luxury ever en-
tiers the poor workingman's cottage door.
He tolls on the year round, the same
dull prospect before him. He sees no
chance of ever lettering his condition.
Perhaps some one whispers, why don't
you emigrate, John?' He answers with
sniff of contempt, 'Emigrate? where
can get the money to emigrateP 1t is
toll, toll, from morn till night, until the
sands of life are run out, which is gener
ally in the poorhouse, unless his children
are able to care for him.
In small towns there the letter carriers
receive the munificent sum of S4.75 per
week. A pointsman on railroad whom
/ talked with told me he received 81. Is
per week, and besides tending to the
points he takes the numbers of all coal
wagons going from the mines and the
ships they are bound for. All this for
$4.75 a week. The wages of every class
of artisans are on corresponding scale,
and since left there there is very little
difference. Wages have perhaps been in
creased $3.50 week. The women who
are employed in coal mines as sorters re-
ceive about $3.50 a week. 10 hours day."
Provisions, said Mr. Irving, are much
about the same as here, with the excep-
ton of sugar, which was Sold for 5 cents
a pound. This was loaf sugar, while
common sugar was sold at 3 cents ID.
Rents were perhaps cheaper, in some
cases they were not. He asked several
why they did not come to America, and
was answered that if they had money
enough they would readily come. He
considered that the emigrants that came
from England generally made good ciUi-
zens; so did the Swedes. He could see
no benefit derived from Russian Jews.
They seldom became citizens, and he did
not believe in thei. emigrating here
America is good enough for me-" said
Mr.. Irving. Here 1 shall stay the rest
of my days. The condition of the Amer
lean workingman is infinitely superior to
that of the English, and will probably be
so for years" In conclusion, he said
that the one thing the English were de-
voutly praying for was Clevelands cleo
ton as President.