Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1912-06-22
RAILWAY WAGES AND COST OF LIVING

The Bureau OF Railway Economics has com
peted the second OF its comparative studies of rail
way conditions in the United States and the prin-
cipa countries of Europe This relates to the wages
paid railway employees and the cost of living. and
is based the latest years for which comparative
data available.
The average daily compensation OF railway
employees of all classes for the year 1910 was in
the United States s. %; in the United Kingdom,
Lightly affecting the average, it was in Prussia
lesse 81 cents, and in Austria 80 cents The lowest
paid railway employee in the United States the or
binary trackman, receives greater compensation
than many of the railway employees of France,
even those OF higher grades and with responsible
duties. The compensation OF railway employees
is from two to three times high in the United
States i'll Italy.
A recent report OF the English Board OF Trade
on railway wages shows that the average weekly
pay of enginemen in the United Kingdom in 1907
was S11.17; of fremen, 500. In the same year en-
ginemen American railways received an average
weekly compensation of $3.50. counting six days
to the week, and hremen S15.24. Recent returns
make it clear that in 1912 enginemen and hremen in
the United States are compensated at rates OF pay
for specific runs that are two, three and four times
as high as the corresponding rates on representa-
i've English railways. l lie annual compensation
OF enginemen in the United States. as reported by
two representative railway companies, ranges
from 81 100 in switching service to over $500 in
passenger service, and of hremen from 500 in
switching service to over 200 in passenger ser
vice
For Continental Europe official returns in requi-
site detail are not available for later year than
1908 The salaries and allowances of the typical
S64oSS. in Austria to $1,000; OF a fireman in Ger
many to S424.50, in Austria to S532.05. The annual
compensation OF enginemen two of the principal
railways OF France ranged in 1908 from S5O56o to
So06ol, and of fremen from S32424 to S595.oS. In
Italy engnemen received in 1908 salary and allow
ances included from 1881 10 to sSl270 year; fire
men, from $3.50 80 to S475O5 year. In these con
tinental countries the maximum compensation is
received only after many years of service.
The average compensation of enginemen in the
United States in 1908 on an estimated basis OF 800
days service was 81 1856; of firemen, SOP In this
country the rate OF compensation to these employees
does not depend on length of service
In Belgium engnemen received in 1907 from
S23l6 to $500 month; fremen, from Sl7I to
S23 10 month: conductors and station employees
from 40 cents to % cents a day. In the United
States in the same year 1907. enginemen averaged
the basis OF 25 days service $l07 so month
fremen S63.50 month; conductors, $500 day
station employees. from Sl.7S to SOS day.
The rental of a three four-room house flat
is. almost as high in Berlin, Paris London as
throughout the United States but in England and
on the Continent it generally runs from thirty dol
lars to ninety dollars year less. The quantity oil
food and fuel estimated by the Board of Trade oil
England as the standard consumption of typic /.
workingmans family costs in the United States II S
per cent more than in France in Germany IS. !,
per cent than in Belgium. ard SO per cent
more than in the United Kingdom
1t is within the truth to estimate in broad and
general way that while the cost OF living OF rail
way employee in the United States is less than fifty
per cent higher than that of a corresponding en-
poyee in the United Kingdom on the Continent,
his compensation averages twice as great