Evening star., 1903-06-30
SCHEDULE APPROVED
RATE OF WAGES TO BE PAID AT
THE NAVY YARD.
Board May Submit Higher Rate for
Specially Skilled and Efficient
Workmen.

Secretary Moody has acted in the matter
of the application of the machinists, pat
tern makers and others at the Washington
navy yard for an increase in their wages
above the rates recommended by the naval
beard on wages at the yard in the sched-
ule for the six months beginning tomorrow
morning.
The board on wages is composed of Com
manders Davenport and Bowyer and Lieu
tenant Commander Shipley. These officers
made an exhaustive investigation of the
question of rates paid at the Washington
navy yard as compared with what was paid
by private establishments for similar work
AS a result they recommended that the
pay per diem of the men at the navy yard
employed in the following occupations in
four classes be increased according to the
following schedule:
Stable keepers from S. s1.76. s1.36 and
81. u to S2.24 81. s1.76 and $1.52; wood carv-
ers from $3.2S s3O4. $3.50 and $2.56 to $s.36
Ss.12 S2SS and S2.6I; riggers from $3.50.
S2.24 81 and $1.76 to $3.50. $2J6, $234 and
s.. 16: file sharpeners from $685. $2.12, $2.4S
and 81. n to s3.12. S2SS. $2.64 and s.. 40; fur
mace men from s2.56. $232. Sos and $1.7G
to $2.72. s2.4S 1924 and 81: joiners from
$500. S2sS. $3.50 and 81. 81 to s3.36, $s.12 SSS
and 81 "a: machinists from $50, 1895 VT
and S2.4S to 1896: $3.12. $2.SS and S264:
model makers from $3.2S. $3.O4, $3.50 and
2.56 to 1886. $312, $2.SS and $2.64; pattern
makers from 1928. $3.O4. $3.50 and $2.56 to
81. &c. S'12, $2.SS and $2.64; plasterers from
ss.76 1882. s3.2s and $3O4 to "a. 8 76. G.52
and 81 %; shipwrights from 3.2O. $2.SS, 81. SO
and $2.32 to 1886. $3.12 s2.88 and $2.64; tin
ners from $3.04, $3.50. $3.50 and $2.32 to
I'D, 2.96. 81. y and $2.4S: underground ca
BILE splicers from S.SS. $2.56. s2.24 and y to
s3.Oi. $3.50. 1886 and $2.32: wire men from
$2.sS. $685. 1924 and 81 to $3.O4, $3.50, $2.56
and s2.32.
Report Of Board.
In it's report the board on wages says:
1.-The recommendations for these increases
in wages, which in some cases may be
little higher than those paid by private
firms. is warranted by the public interests
and the wages paid in some private estao-
lishments for the highest class of work.
which fact Is taken in consideration In con-
nection with the high character of work re-
quired to be done in this yard by f1rst-class
mechanics. 1t is at present difficult to OBJ
tain machinistS and pattern-makers OF the
highest skill or to retain them after they
come. In the case of the file sharpeners,
the board was unable to obtain any data,
but makes the recommendation because OF
the excellent work done by the new pro-
cess class Of work equal to that done by
a second-class machinist and Is great
saving to the government
The members of the board had a confer
ence with Secretary Moody at the Navy
Department on the subject yesterday after
ter written by Secretary Moody to the
commandant of the Washington navy yard
a copy of which follows:
Secretary's Approval.
THE schedule of wages submitted by the
board on wages to the commandant Of the
Washington navy yard IS approved. with
the understanding. however, that the board
on wages may submit higher rate Of
wages of specially skilled and efficient
workmen in the different crafts in
the, yard, to be limited in number
and selected by the heads of the respective
departments in which they work. If upon
consideration of the submission it appears
to be practicable to the department to do
so. and 1t further appears that such
course would result in giving such higher
rate of wages only to the specially skilled
and efficient men. it is probable that as
an experiment this course may be under
taken. This action is based upon the be-
lief after a careful examination OF the
data collected by the board of wages. that
the great body of the workmen at the
yard are paid wages as high or
higher than corresponding workmen
in private employment. but that In
exceptional cases where there is exceptional
skill and efficiency the rate of wages is
not as high as Is paid in Hike cases In
private employment.
(signed) "wM. H. MOODY.
Secretary OF the Navy"