The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-04

with quoted. are from the public records
OF the employment ONCE and snow the
actual rates at which men regularly ac-
cepted work.
Better Pay for Railroad Work.
Railroad laborers have profted liberally
by the general increase in wages. Ing
following is comparison OF the 1880 ana
the 1895 daily wages for the various kihus
OF railroad work:
Section work ....-............ 81 ~ ~
Extra work ................... ~ az
construction work .....-..... -. -
No figures are given upon construction
work in 1896, because the railroads were
then doing no construction and mad no
occasion to hire men for that purpose.
The carpenters sent out by the employ
ment Office four years ago received day
laborers' wages. They worked for any
thing they could get, although few sue
ceeded in receiving as high as N.oo day,
and one fortunate man appears upon the
books as securing position where ne
was to get IS a week and board. NOW
carpenters have no trouble In getting all
the work they want at 50 for an eight
hour day, and the demand is so great that
an advance in these wages is intended.
The books for 1896 show dozens of men
secured to work as farm hands at from
$40 to SIS month. the latter figure being
the exception, and the average nearer s12.
During the present year several times as
many men have been given employment at
this work, but in no case was the monthly
pay less than SIS. and it averaged about
$780, with several entries of s35.
In October, 1896. Mr.. Grout received an
order to secure a man able to milk twenty
cows In two and one-hals hours. and will
ing to work for $50 month. The order
was filled the day OF receipt. similar
position would now go begging at even
SIS month.
In 1885 haymakers and harvest hands
overstocked the market when they were
offered 81 day and board. During the
past summer the regular pay for this
work was 81 day and board.
EVERY year there Is a certain season
when farmers want men to dig potatoes.
In 1895 cents a sack was paid for this
work. and in 1900 10 cents was offered.
Persons going to the hop fields in 1895
received from 60 to IS cents a box. This
year the regular scale in all parts of the
Northwest was 81 a box, while in a few
rare cases s1.25 was paid.
Increase of Over 100 Per Cent.
Dishwashers, of whom large numbers
bureau, received from $3.50 to "a week
In 1895. and now command from So to 50
q week.
Four years ago wood choppers were paid
from 70 to so cents cord The establish
ed rate is now 81 cord. and in some
places $1.10 is being paid. This same In
crease applies also to single bolt cut
ting. One Of the 1896 orders for shingle
bolt cutters was given with the proviso
that the men would be paid upon the sale
OF the boom. Needless to state, no such
delay is now necessary.
A few orders for miners. most of them
at $3.50 day, and a few at 50 day, were
nlled during 1896. In September this year
thirty-three miners were sent out, none
going for less than 50 and most of them
at $3.50 a day.
Loggers and men employed In all capaci-
ties connected with the lumber business
have shared especially well in this matter
OF higher wageu The demand for loggers
Is standing want which not even the
large importations from the East can sat
isfy. The employment bureau secured so
few orders from the loggers during 1895
that its books do not furnish material
Tor anything like a detailed comparison
OF wages. The following partial compari-
son from figures available is sufficient to
show how great is the increase:
sx,. -. 1896 1900