Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1893-09-29

Pomerania generally, describes an oiY
World system Of labor still to some e4-
tent prevailing there. There are TWO
classes of laborers-the permanent lpr
Instleute) and the free laborers Ipe
former, for the most part, are those who'
having been born on the estate, remain
on it all their lives, their contract with
their employer being, however renew
able from year to year. Each family
receives free dwelling, consisting OF
two rooms, kitchen, a loft and cellar
also outhouses for pigs, goats, poultry
etc.
In land they receive 1920 square yards
for garden, 1850 square yards for pota
to and rye growing, "a shillings yearly
for firing and free carriage OF fuel. In
wages a healthy man receives Is. 3D.,
daily from April to Sept 30, and shii-
ling daily from Oct. to March 81. Each
family is obliged to provide one "Hof-
gangep," either boy or girl, to assist in
work on the estate. They receive from
their employer as wages from 8 pence to
7 pence per day, according to age
The wife is not obliged to work in the
fields, but she is expected to milk the
cows, for which she receives from one to
two quarts of milk per day. If she does
work on the estate she receives shilling
per day from May to Nov. 30, and is
generally paid according to her value as
a worker. The Instleute have oppor-
tunities of increasing their yearly wages
by taking job work.
For example, in spring there is hoe
work, in the summer harvesting and
moving, and in autumn gathering roots
and fruit. For job work man can
sometimes earn as much as shillings to
4 shillings extra per day; the wife and
shofganger" together, from Q shillings
to shillings extra, or they may be paid
in kind as in wheat, hay, etc.
Should family bring more laborers,
these are paid and treated as free labor
ers. This system now only remains on
few of the larger estates. Free labor
| ers are those who do not live on or be-
long to an estate and are under no obi
cations whatever to the estate holders.
Their engagement during busy times
is occasionally subject to keen competi
ton between the various employers, anG
it is both interesting and amusing to SEE
the agents (the wages on the various
estates are often announced by the polici
officer stationed in the village) of various
estate holders ringing their bells in tn,
principal street of a village and de
claring that they will give SO much ;
day, and opposition agents Overlooking
each other, the laborers calmly awaiting
results. But railway communication 81
rapidly extending, laborers from tn
south are able to finish work at the ear
lier crops in their own districts and We
be in ample time for the later harvesting
in the north.
Thus the local laborer is now becoming
of less value and this has had a tendenc
to lower wages to such an extent durin
winter and spring months that the villag
laborer is constantly seeking employ
ment in the towns. Indeed, so Difficult
has it become to obtain laborers at han
vesting times that some of the estat
holders engage railway wagons to brin
laborers from distant parts. Thes
gangs of men and women are general
led by head worker or "vorarbeiter,
who receives the orders and the wage
for the whole of his or her gang.
They are usually employed by the jol
For wedding and potato gatherin
women are alone needed, and therefor
gangs of women are often engage
separately. During the potato gatherin
season the little town of Rallies,
Pomerania, which is estimated to contai
from three thousand to four thousand il
habitants, and where the people al
celebrated as potato workers, is con
pletely deserted, only the mayor an
bellringer being left in the town. I'll
people, who are all of the laboring clas
go out to the harvest and potato gathel
ing and are scattered all over Pomerani;
leaving their houses locked and the key
in the hands of the mayor, as they ofte
do not return for months.
Times