The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-10-09
AVERAGE WAGE OF 1906
EMPLOYEES IS S664.S6
Pay Is Highest Where En-.
plOyees Are More Com
pIetely Organized

The investigation covering railroad
systems was this year confined Dy the
state labor department o lumner OF
employees. average daily rate OF wages,
total yearly compensation and acct
dents. dn all, eleven roads reported
to the department, and while some OF
the information is incomplete as much
hereof as could be handled is inclHd
ed IN the report.
The roads represented show a total
expenditure of $10,676,133.23 to their
1906 employees, an average Of $66f.9d.
While some Of the groups show an
average OF from $700 to $1,000, the
fact that 1880 of the total employees
receive less han 81 per day iustfies
The low average annual income OF
S66i.96.
OF the eleven roads reporting for
The year. eight were complete in every
respect. two of the other three are
small roads. and would possibly have
had tendency to have reduced the
average rate Of wages, while the ihird,
one of the largest systems In the
state. seemed unable to comprehend
The necessity OF furnishing the report
only on the installment plan, the mos
important information on some Of the
occupations being received too late
lor compilation, and fo7 this reason
ana from the fact that among the
iralnmen and shopmen a strong or
ganlzatiun exists thereby raising the
standard of wages, Il has been found
necessary to handle this summary IN
groups. Number one contains general
and other officers.
Pay Of General Officers and Clerks
F'ifty-flve general officers received
lotal OF sg2,632S6. an average OF
1921 per day, while all other officers
averaged s567 per day. Combining
the two they have an average annual
income OF s1,92901. AS some of the
reports submitted indicate the sched
ule was not thoroughly understood
from the fact that oher general off
GERS, ii is assumed fair daily aver
age is obtainable by combining the
two. which shows s742.
In group two are included genera.
office clerks, with an average dail,
wage of S214 station agents with al
average of $2.03; other station men
s1.ss, telegraph operators and us.
patehers s2.41. Combining all in this
class gives an average ennual income
of s724.93, a little better than $50 pc.
month, and based on the figures sub
mitted they are employed on an aver
age of over three hundred aud forty
days per year; exclusive of general Of
flee clerks the group shows IN aver
age of over three hundred and sixty
days per year,
Where Organization Counts
In group three are found better
wages and conditions generally as
this deals with engineers. conductors
firemen, brakemen. etc, and the fact
that thorough organization exists
among these craf is directly respon
sible fos the higher rate Of wages En-.
gIneers receive the highest average
according to figures submitted. $500
being the average: conductors receive
s34s: flremen $2.73 and all other
tralnmen s247 The combined earn
ngs Of the four occupations Is shown
10 be $s.1a5.423.l5 an average annual
income OF si,00S.s3
In group four are the same eondi
ions as 10 group three. In this class
are included machinists, carpenters
and other shopmen Machinists re-
ceive an average Of s307 per day;
carpenters 1928 per day, and all 9th
ers S19e. The combined earnings 10
this class wee s1.94i, i,1S316. an aver
age income per year of sS1432. Mer
employed In this class will average
bout two hundred and fofly.five dags
per year.
Hopeless case OF Traokmen
Section foremen received an average
Of sf.e7 per day; switehmen. flag
men and watchmen s212 per day
while unclassIfied employees, Of whici
there are 1916 employed. received ~
average OF sl.95 per dag. Traekmei
seem to be in class en'irely b.
themselves. receiving an average o
1879 per day. IN all there ire 3
| CAT Of this class employed. receiving
az compensation for their services 81
| 27s.S7i14, an average OF sfO0g0 pc
year, o. 81 40 per month While Their
Il an opportunity for agents and opeI
atnrs 10 better their condition as tn
lgainmen and shopmen have done Il
the case of tr3ekmen all hope seem
10 have vanished. as American worh
nseH ace gesng aapplasss.ssi ssalls y
leheap foreien labor
Accidents Reported