The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-14
WAGES AND HOURS
ARE SATISFACTORY
Hours Work Buys More Than
Last Year
WAGES 1.6 PER CENT HIGHER
Average Wages Per Hour In 1905 Were
2f.5 Per Cent Higher Than
They Were In
1894.

Washington, August 13.-A report was
issued by the bureau of labor today Of
an investigation into wages and hours
of labor in 1905 in the principal manu-
featuring and mechanical industries of the
United States. The report gives the ay-
erage wages and hours of labor, and the
number of employees in identical establish
ments in both 1904 and 1905 While the
figures presented are not exhaustive for
the whole, the report says:
1T is believed they are fairly represen-
tative of the industries investigated"
Continuing, the report says:
'"The results of this investigation show
that in 1905 the average wages per hour
in the principal manufacturing and me-
chanical industries of the country were
Is per cent higher than In 1904; that
the average hours of labor per week re-
NAMED the same as in 1904, and that
60 per cent more persons were employed
in the establishments investigated As
there was no reduction in the average
hours of labor per week, the average
weekly earnings paid employee We're 1.6 per
cent higher than 1904.
Increase In Weekly Earnings.
"As there was an increase in the num-
Der of employees as well as In the week
ly earnings per employee, there was con-
siderable increase in the weekly earnings
of all employees or in other words in
the amount of the weekly pay roll. This
increase was per cent in the establish
ments investigated.
when the figures of this article relat-
4
those of the succeeding article relating to
retail prices of food are brought together,
1t is seen that the retail prices of food,
due weight being given to the quantity
and cost of the different commodities con-
sumed already were O.6 per cent higher
than in 1904 or, expressed In one word,
one hours wages in 1905 would purchase
l per cent more food than one hours
wages In 1904"
The average wages per hour in 1905 were
10. per cent higher than the average for
the ten years period from 1890 to 1899.
inclusive The number of employees was
1876 per cent greater and the average
hours of labor per week were Al per cent
lower. The average earnings per week In
1905 were IA per cent higher than the aV-
erage earnings per week during the fol-
Pay Rolls Larger.
The aggregate weekly earnings of all
employees, that is. the total amount OF
the pay rolls, were 52.3 per cent higher
In 1905 than the average during the ten
year period named.
THE retail price of principal articles
of food. weighed according to family con-
sumption of various articles" says the
report, was 1874 per cent higher In 1905
than was the average price for the ten
year average from 1890 to 1899. Compared
with the average for the same ten-year
period the purchasing power of an hours
wages in 1905 was 5.S per cent greater
and of weeks wages Ia per cent
greater, the increase in purchasing power
of weekly wages being less than the In
crease in purchasing of hourly wages be-
cause of the reduction of the hours of
labor during the period.
Bio Increase Over 1894.
1.-The average wages per hour in 1905
were q 3 per cent higher than 1894, the
year of lowest wages during the period
covered. and weekly earnings were l6I
per cent higher. The purchasing power of
an hours wages was greater In 1905 than
in any other year covered by this investi
CATION, being II per cent greater than in
1894. the year of lowest wages, and ] 3
per cent greater than in 1896, the year
of lowest retail prices. Ihe purchasing
power of a weeks wages in 1905 was 35
per cent greater than in 1894, but 81 per
cent less than in 1885,
In making the inquiry the labor bureau
attempts to cover only those industries
in which the wages paid in the United
States in one year were $10,000,000 or over.
The data presented was obtained in all
eases by special agents of the bureau
through personal visits to the establish
ments represented.
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