The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-03-19
U. S. STEEL CO.'S
PENSION SYSTEM
1T GIVES THE OLDEST BENEFIT
cIARY OF THE CORPORATION
sioo PER MON NrH.

Ishpeming, Mich, March l9.-Head-
Ing the list OF pensioners of the Unit
ed States Steel corporation to whom
an aggregate of $2S1.457 was dlsbursedI
last year. is Captain John McEncroe
OF IshpemIng. Not only has this vet
eran Marquette iron range miner n
record of continuous service in the en-
ploy of one company more lengthy than
that of any other man on the roll. but
the sum he receives is the largest paid
out. His stepend is $i00 monthly, and
he VIII be the recipient of that amount
as long as he lives. Captain McEncroe
retired last year, after service Of mr.
ty-three years with the Lake Superior
Iron company. practically all Of that
time in underground Workings
Tho early life OF Captain McEncroe
was spent In Detroit. He came To the
Lake Superior region In 1854. locating
AT Marquette. and In 1858 he came to-
lshpeming, entering the employ OF the
Lake Superior Iron company Aprn Il
of that year. His initial work was
that OF miner. In which capacity he
was employed In the FIRST pit opened at
the property. Captain McEncroe was
promoted to q sub -formanshIp within
two years. and In August. 1865 he was
advanced 10 the position OF general
foreman of the open pits and surface
works, which post he filled until April
1873. when he was made captain of
all the hard ore mines of the company
lie served In the latter capacity until
his retirement last year. all that time
being IN charge of the actual mining
operations.
He was one of the most careful min
ers the region has ever known and he
kept his workings in the safest condi-
ton possible at all times, the result be-
ing that accidents at the Lake Superior
hard ore mines always have been few
and far between. Captain McEncroe
was one Of the first men in the country
to use high explosives. which We're In
troduced In 1859. taking the place Of
black powder The rock drills now in
common use in mining districts the
world over were installed at the Ish-
peming hard ore properties early in the
seventies.
Captain McEncroe has witnessed
many changes I'm the dsining sfdustry
in the Lake Superior fields When
he located at Ishpeming, the pay of
skilled miners was but 75 cents a day.
During the three years from 1860 to
1863 the wages were increased to 90
cents far common laborers and S1.50
for miners. In 1863 and the year fol-
| lowing so many men enlisted in the
army that there was a decided scar
city of labor, and the wages were again
| advanced. During the panic of 1873
the pay was reduced, that of the min
ers to s130 In those days the COM
panies cid not pay monthly, as they do
| now and for few years the men re-
ceived their wages about twice year,
no money. as a rule, being paid out
Until after the close of navigation. Due
bills were issued and occasionally
when cash was urgently needed the
holder of these could manage to realize
on the paper at discount
concern operating in the Lake Super
| ior iron region that has a pension
system in force. similar plan was
T,ut into effect by the Cleveland Cliffs
Iron company January l, 1909. This
big Independent concern is the largest
operator on the Marquette range and
has interests also i'm the Gogebic, Mes
| ha
present time fifteen men and twenty
widows and their children are on the
pension roll, the payments in the for
mer class ranging up To $3l n month
and In the case of women not less than
S12 monthly. Employees aged sixty te
seventy and who have been In the
service of the company twenty-five
| years. the last ten continuous. are
| eligible to pensions. Retirement al
seventy wears compulsory. Pension
ers are privileged 10 engage in other
work without affecting their right.
The Cleveland Cliffs pension plan
provides for an allowance for each
year OF service Of one per cent of the
average monthly pay for the ten years
next preceding retirment. To the WI
dow of an employe who is killed in the
service of the company the sum oil
S12 is paid monthly for a period oil
five years. unless the widow should
marry or become wholly self-support-
ing. Under the same conditions, 81 is
paid monthly for each child under the
age of 16. The oldest pensioner is John
scott of Ishpeming. who was retired
only a few weeks. after a continuous
service of forty-six years.