The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1895-07-20
Happy Days For Wage Workers.

unmistakable evidences of the re-
turn of prosperity. Despairing bus
mess men have grasped eagerly at
many apparent signs of trade reviv-
al during the past year, and as often
have been disappointed, but there
is now no necessity for searching for
evidences Of business activity, for
they thrust themselves into public
notice on every hand The return
of prosperity is no longer an expec-
tation,- for it is already we'll under
way, and every branch of business
is feeling the healthfnl stimulus of
greatly increased activity
Timid business men who fancied
that the panic of two years ago was
a forerunner of general destruction
have regained their courage since
they have seen that ruin has not
come. Protection pampered manu-
facturers, who determined to make
the new tariff bill an agency of de
strnction so far as it lay within their
power, have found that their bust
ness has revived and is prospecting
in spite Of their dismal forebodings,
and now everybody is too busy with
trade to find time for complaint.
Every section of the country has
its own Characteristic chapter to
contribute to the story of returned
prosperity, and no State has felt the
revival of trade more quickly or
more forcibly than Pennsylvania.
All of the great industries of the
State, which form the basis of many
branches of manufacture wildly
scattered throughout the country,
are full of activity. The mines, the
furnaces, the iron works and the fac
tories are filled with busy workers,
doubly happy because of abundant
work and increased wages. The
iron business, which is the largest
of Pennsylyania's industries, has
felt the improvement most striking
ly, and the many allied industries
have prospeled in proportion Since
the wages Of about 10000 coke OPP
orators in the Connellsyille region
were voluntarily increased by their
employers at the end of March, there
has been tremendous activity in the
iron trade, and advancing prices
have brought great increase in the
volume of trade and an almost uni.
versal advance in the wages of en-
ployes, amounting in most cases to
about 10 per cent.
To show how strikingly the return
of prosperity has manifested itself in
Pennsylvania The Record" has
gathered together some significant
facts about the advance in wages
and the increase in business in var
ions industrial centres of the State.
1t is not pretended that this sum-
mary is complete, but it tells in part
story to which each day adds and
interesting chapter,
In the western part of the State
the phenomenal prosperity of the
iron manufacturers is making itself
felt in all directions. Money is com
ing into circulation and many new
industries are being started, while
the increased disbursements of the
local banks to meet the pay-rolls of
large industrial establishments show
the decided advance in wages over
last year. The increase of a paw
roll of an establishment in a recent
week over that of the corresponding
week year ago was $4,000, while
the increase in another was still
greater in proportion.
One bank reports the increase in
pay-rolls for last month as from if
ty to sixty per cent over last year.
Another bank selected four pay rolls
that aggregated $4,000 in 1894.
The same rolls footed up 100000
for 1895. A third bank found that
the same concerns that drew $780,
600 to pay their employees for the
period referred to in 1894, required
S33O,O00 to pay for services in 1895.
Other banks included all their pay
rolls and these showed very decided
gains in every instance but one.
The figures obtained from six
banks showed that $1,S65,S1S were
drawn out to meet pay-roils between
April 10 and May Is, 1884. The
same establishments required 81
3S3,397 to pay their employees be-
tween April Is and May Is, 1895.
Some of the more recent large ad-
vances in wages will greatly increase
the difference in favor of the present
year, as a whole, over last year.
The 10000 iron workers who spent
the year 1893 almost in idleness are
at work, with few exceptions. Of
the $1,000 employed in Pittsburg
mills and work shops, the 81 900 coal
and coke operators, the 10000 EN-
ploves in mercantile establishments
and the $4,000 men employed on the
river craft and railroads in and about
the same city, it is safe to say that
the wages of 10000 have been in
creased during the spring and some
put the estimate as high as 100000.
Record
You've No Idea
How nicely Hoods Sarsaparilla
hits the needs of the people who feel
/ a VI fipo1 i