Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-26
WAGE RAISES IN 1905
Hundred Millions Extra for
Many Railroad Workers.
LABOR AND CHRISTMAS
Increase by the Industrial Corpora
lions Throughout the Country.
GLANCE AT THE YEARS RECORD
Nearly All Eastern Steam Lines Have
Advanced Pay Of Employees From
S to 10 Per Cent.
LABOR AND CHRISTMAS
GLANCE AT THE YEARS RECORD

NEW YORK, December GA glance at
the financial records in the daily newspa-
perS for the last two months furnishes
pretty good evidence that yesterday was q
good Christmas for the average American
workingman.
There has in the last quarter Of a year
been added to the wages of railroad en-
ployes alone about 500 900. Nearly all
the roads in the east have announced in
creases of from 5 to IL per cent in the
wages of most Of their employees. and many
of the lines in the west and south have fol-
lowed suit.
The industrial corporations have kept
pace with the increases made by the car
riers, the advances in the steel and textile
industries being especially noticeable. The
wages paid by the textile mills in Rhode
Island and Massachusetts, for instance, are
the highest ever paid in the industry, and
at the same time the statements of the
companies show the largest distribution of
dividends in recent years. The United
States census for 1900 estimates the amount
paid out in wages by. manufacturers in that
year at 81 $50 ,g23 .615. A 10 per cent in
crease in wages on basis Of figures COM
piled six or seven years ago would bring
the amount into the hundreds of millions.
One OF the most important increases made
In the last few weeks was that of the Penn
syivania railroad. The officials of that road
gave all of the employees on the system east
and west of Pittsburg who were receiving
less than 500 month a raise of 10 per
cent. This affects $4,000 men and involves
the annual outlay of $12.OO0OOO. The same
class of employees got an advance of 10 per
cent in 1902, which makes an increase of 20
per cent in four years Besides this the
company made readjustment of salaries
which affected LOSS men and involved the
expenditure Of an additional $50, 1913 a
month, or 1868, 796 year.
Example of the Pennsylvania.
The New York Central, the Delaware.
Lackawanna and Western, the long Island
and most of the other big eastern roads
followed the example of the Pennsylvania.
The United States Steel Corporation an
nounced as it's Christmas gift to employees
an increase of 10 cents a day to all common
laborers at the plants of the subsidiary
companies. About 10000 men are classed
as general laborers in the corporations en-
ploy. This increase came to the men I'M
solicited. and iron and steel men understood
that it was a substantial recognition by the
board of directors of the loyalty of the
men through a year in which every depart
ment of the industry has been run at the
maximum and under conditions that have
taxed the powers of all hands from top to
bottom. In the depression of the iron and
steel trade in 1903 the corporation did not
make any considerable reduction in wages.
Besides voting the increase, the directors
of the United States Steel Corporation have
made their usual offer to employees of al
lowing them to subscribe for the preferred
stock of the corporation below the market
quotation. This year the subscription price
has been set at 103 Last year it was at
par, and 1926 employees took "a 900 shares.
Among the other steel corporations
which have done as the United States has
done is the Illinois Steel Company. The
raise there affected 1900 men and
amounted to 100000 a year.
The Standard Oil Company is another Of
the big corporations which has made a
general increase without being asked for 1t.
From 5 to 10 per cent has been added to
the wages Of all men employed in the re-
fineres of the branch companies About
81. 900 men have been affected by the in
crease The highest percentage of increase
in the case Of the Standard Oil Company
goes to the lowest paid employees, the per
centage decreasing in proportion to the
persons salary.
The Consolidated Gas COMPANY has
added 10 per cent to the pay of all its en-
ployes who are drawing less than $1,000
a year. This affects $500 of the 5000 men
on the companys pay roll. The increase
will add $780, 200 year to the fixed charges
of the company.
Two big express companies. the Adams
and the American, have made increases
affecting large percentage of their en-
ployes
Banks and Trust Companies.
Many banks and trust companies have
admitted their employees into an increased
share of the general prosperity. Most Of
these increases never come to the knowl-
edge of the public, but they are made just
the same. The Brownsville branch Of the
State Bank In Brooklyn voted to its officers
and employees who had seen ten years
service a gratuity Of 20 per cent of their
annual salaries and to those who had seen
less than ten years service gratuities rang
ing in amount from 10 to Is per cent. The
directors of the Union Bank in Brooklyn
gave their employees a dinner. at each
mans plate was a fine new pocketbook
with two weeks salary in 1t. August Bel
mont & Co. and many other downtown
firms will give bonuses to their employees
before the new year begins.
Among the employees of the Remington
typewriter works at Ilion more than
$13 600 in gold was distributed the other
day as bonuses. About go employees re-
ceived money, averaging some $50 each.
While the railroads and big corporations
have been announcing Increases savings
banks have been offering added induce
ments for deposits by raising the interest
rate from 31z to per cent. Among the
New York banks that have done this are
the Bowery Savings Bank, the Dry Dock
Savings Bank, the Metropolitan Savings
Bank the Irving Savings Bank and the