Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-07

y certain section OF the road, on sta.
lion, Is given out to ~ number Of men
called gang. who contract to build
il according - The specifications. They
20 III together AZ partners, and have
an equal share IN tho work The cost
is estimated ny tho cubic yard, and
The pay is on that basis. The govern
mcnt sccs that ia. men have fair treat
incn;. II has timckccpcrs who 80 over
tho work ANA keep track of Just what
each man does. so tina; on tho COM
plction OF tho job the account shows
the efficiency OF every man on 81. There
is nothing, Of the PconITc system con
ncCtod with these arrangements. There
~ no one who employs ALI the hands
and gets Il rak"on. Tho government
secs that the ARRANGEMENT is on u part
n"rShip basis, and tlgat each man gets
hi; individual check for his share. The
great advantage OF this method is that
it eliminates All questions aa t" hours
and conditions pf work uuclr Sam
pays for results only. and that within
{, fixed time.
have asked the officials ms TO the
wages prevailing in tho other branches
OF the construction Mr.. Edcs tells we
they arc higher Than those paid for
similar work in the Western parts OF
the United states. although they are
much below those of Interior Alaska
The mon here are now getting from
,371-2 cents an hour upward. Some of
the skilled laborers are paid ho cents
mn hour, and some -. This IS with
out hoard, but the latter Is furnished
at the government mcsshousc nt 30 .
cents meal. The time Is eight hours
where the mon work by the day. and
this makes the wages rnnCe from 81
to Sc Tho men have the right TO buy
their personal supplies and other things
OF tho government Commissury, where
goods are sold for their wholesale cost
plus n small percentage for handling
the business. This gives them the
goods Mt about 10 per cent under the
ordinary prices. and enables tho poor
est OF them to clear as much rs So per
day Medical and hospital charge are
free
| So far there has been plenty Of labor.
The United States has large class
of professional railroad builders who
move about from Job 10 job. There
are also many who prefer to work on
the frontier, and II IS this class that is
/ now doing the greater part of the con-
struction. The men are OF all nation
nlitics and the greater proportion arc
foreigners. In addition are a few men
from Alaska. The engineers tell nc
| II Is difficult to get Americans 10 do
the rough work. They all want to he
forenoon, bosses or t!mekeepcrs. They
Will work hard rs prosDcctors and
! miners, hut they Will NOT continue for
any length OF time to handle tho pick
and the shovel At so much per day
| Tho Alaskans are doing much OF the
clearing, and they have taken many
contracts for tics. They object TO the
low wages OF the government. which
are far under those which have pre-
vailed throughout the interior. where
IS day and board Is still paid
! wish could show YOU the r"adhcd
and track so far constructed. Tile new
railway looks as though 1t might form
an exhibit In a uationa! exposition II
runs through the woods. hut the land
| on both SIDES has been cleared and
bitches drain away every hit Of the
water. = smooth bed Of gravel. ten or
more feet IN hclaht, has boon made