The Advocate and news., 1898-07-13
Statistics Concerning Railway Em-
plOYeS.

pIOyeS.
Labor Commissioner Johnson has
completed the compilation Of statistics
concerning railroad men. He had a
great deal Of difficulty in securing In
formation concerning machinists and
railroad laborers but some interesting
information was secured In other depart
ments Of railroad work.
Reports were received from forty loco
motive engineers. The average age is
80 and the average length Of time they
have been employed in that business is
1912 years. OF those reporting twenty
eight are in favor Of an eight-hour day
and eight are opposed to 1t.
The average wages received are S.8
cents per mile. A remarkable reVela-
ton about the engineers which appears
in the report is that their earnings are
not so large as most people suppose
The average wages from all sources is
given as s1,120 per annum. The total
cost of living is $715.
There are various opinions expressed
about legislation for the benefit Of the
engineers One says: LET the Kansas
railroads alone" Another engineer says,
in speaking Of the black list: I'm regard
to the blackllsting business l do not
think any penalty or punishment could
be too severe for the offending party.
The idea that q man must be banished
of the face Of the earth to suit some
snob Of an official is all wrong and
should be stamped out"
Reports were received from forty
two tiremen whose average age Is given
as 32.4 years. The wage rate per mile
10 81 cents and the average annual earn
ings amount to $736.39 The cost Of liv-
ing is S5O3.O5.
Nineteen railroad conductors reported.
Their rate Of earnings is cents per mile
and the average yearly earnings for 1897
were S1,O59.60, ranging from 5000 to
S1,4SO. The average cost of living is
S81O, ranging from 1879 to $1,000.
Twenty-four brakemen, whose aver
age ages is 31.S years, report. The av-
erage time they have been employed Is
61 years and their average wages is 2
cents per mile. The average total wages
for 1897 amounted to $66877. The cost
of living was $529.46.
On the question of needed legislation
one brakeman wants the sidetracks even
and level with the ties so that 1t will not
be so dangerous to do switching. He
also wants the switch stands nine feet
from the tracks. Another brakeman
wants all roads to be compelled to have
gravel ballast because of the danger of
falling when walking on the rock bal
last.
Reports were received from twenty
seven railway track foremen. Twenty
Ave favor a universal eight-hour day
and twelve oppose 1t. The average earn
ings for 1897 were $575.76, ranging from
1884 to SS40. The cost Of living aver
ages $4S739.
companies should be compelled Ito pro-
vide suitable tool houses with stoves In
them to warm the mems dinners and
dry their clothes in stormy weather"
Another thinks that law should be
passed Ito compel the railway compa-
nies to employ not less than one track
man per mile"
Reports were received from thirty
seven railway trackmen. Their aver
age daily wage rate Is $1.17, ranging
from $1.1O to $1,25 The average annual
wages for 1897 were $S19.S6. The cost Of
living is $S21.64 One man says: Gun
der the present state of affairs no labor
ing man can maintain his family and
buy suitable clothing for less than $3.50
per day" Another says: 'T would like
to see our wages increased, as 1t is all
we can do to make both ends meet. II
we could get enough so we could pay
cash we could do better.