Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-09-21
Higher in Every Month of 1906
Than in 1905.
WAGES HAVE BEEN INCREASED
Were as Higher in 1906 Than in Pre-,
ceding Year, But Rule Does Not
Apply to Salaries


Washington. Sept. 13.-The annua
inyestigat on Of the bureau of labor
into wages and the retail prices Of
food, the report on which has just
been placed in the hands Of the print
err, shows that in the principal man
ufacturing and mechanical industries
of the country average wages per
hour in 1906 were AS per cent higher
than in 1906, the regular hours of la
Dor per week were 0.5 per cent lower
and the number OF employees in the
establishments investigated was per
cent greater. The average full-time
weekly earnings per employe in 1906
were 3.9 per cent greater than in 1905
During 1906 wages were increased
generally in nearly al industries, 40
of the Al industries covered by the
investigation showing some increase
The greatest increase was in the man
ufacture of cotton goods, where the
average wages per hour in 1906 were
LIP per cent higher than in 1905.
Briefly stated, two Industries showed
an increase in hourly wages of more
than 10 per cent seven industries an
increase of per cent hut less than
10 per cent. seven ind ustries etaoni
an increase of less than per cent. In
the industries as whole, weighted &C
cording to Importance, the increase
in hourly wages was As per cent.
The fact should be borne in m.ad
that these figures apply only to wage
workers in manufacturing and mech
anical industries and do not show
conditions so far as salaried employees
are concerned.
The retail price of food, weighted
according to consumption in represen-
tatve workingmea' S families, were 20
per cent higher in 1906 than in 1906.
AS the advance in wages per hour
from 1905 to 1906 was greater than
the advance in the retail prices of food
the purchasing power of an hours
wages, as measured by food was great
err in 1906 than in the preceding year.
In 1906 the purchasing power of an
hours wages as expended for food
was IA per cent greater than in 1905
and the purchasing power of a full
weeks wages was 1 per cent greater
in 1906 than in 1905, or, in other
words, an hours wages in 1906 in the
manufacturing and mechanical indus
tries of the United States would pur-
chase IA per cent more food than a
full weeks wages in 1905.
The price of food was higher in
every month of 1906 than in the cor
responding month of 1905. The in
crease over the corresponding month
OF the preceding year, which in Feb
ruary. 1906, was only GA per cent,
grew steadily greater throughout the
year the price i'm December, 1906,
being per cent above that of the
preceding December. The price in
December. 1906 was AS per cent high
er than the average for the year 1906,
which year showed higher average
than any other wear during the seven.
teen years, 1890 to 1906 covered by
the investigation Of the bureau of la
Dor.
The increase in prices in 1906 over
1905 applied, in unequal degree, to
25 of the SO articles included in the
Investigation, The articles which
showed the greatest advance in prices
are lard, 9.S per cent; evaporated
apples, 81 per cent; fresh pork, S.s
per cent: dry or picked pork, 81 pei
cent; bacon, So per cent; ham, ia
per cent; while the advance in fresh
fish and mutton exceeded per cent
The only articles which showed any
material decrease are -four and sugar
The articles which showed the most
marked advance in prices in Decem
Der, 1906. over December. 1905. are
butter. Is per cent; lard, 1879 per cent
fresh pork 1872 per cent; dry or pick
led pork, 11.9 per cent; bacon. Ill pei
cent and ham, 9S per cent. The only
articles which showed any marked
decline in prices Ia December, 190'
from the price in December, 1905, arr
potatoes, SIS per cent, and -four, A.
per cent.
AS compared with the average 70
the ten-year period 1890 to 1899, tn
average wages per hour in 1906 wer'
.4.2 per cent higher.