The sun., 1916-12-15
MORE FIRMS PLAY
SANTA TO WORKERS
Important Corporations Aid
Employees to Meet Cost
Of Living.
ALL ONE AT CHRISTMAS
Gifts Of Higher Pay, Bonuses
and Insurance
Policies.

i
Several important corporations an
nounced yesterday they will aid their
employees to meet the increased living
costs by bonuses and by increases In
wages. Among them are Southern
Pacific Railroad Company. Erie Railroad
Company. Atlas Powder Company.
Broadway Trust Company. New York
Title and Mortgage Company. American
Agriculture Chemical Company. Calumet
and Hecla Copper Mining Company.
The extra payments are in various
forms, ranging from daily bonuses to
payments extending through 1917 and
to straight out wage increases. In each
case the disbursements were granted by
directorates after an investigation into
living costs. Many cases have been re-
ported to officers OF these companies of
frugal and industrious employees get
ting deeper and deeper into debt, because
of the high levels to which food, cloth
ing and rents have advanced.
In the cases OF the Erie Railroad Com
pany and the southern Pacific Railroad
Company II was made plain by officials
VI VI siNIns ou' 'ne a",Io.,ee'no"s , .na' s.e
,s o.uses WI, "'. ue pau " H" ~
ss',, Ming u.uer .. s ,.,.ies . @
,,,a,s u.s W, ',e ~ nuuvus = ~, .hnsa ~, ,
of wages are determined through agree
ment between the companies and repre-
! sentatives OF the unions.
ru ~ c,
Frederick w. Underwood. president or
, the Erie. announced that one full months
pay would he granted to all employees
not under contract schedules and who
nave been employed by the company Tor
TWO years or more rms bonus VIII
reach the employees by Christmas time.
The bonus OF the southern Pacific Rail
toau company " or ~ per cent. ana Is
on the same pasls-to non-union en-
ployees. II applies to employees receiv-
VIII he divided into Two payments, one
the other half ON July = 1917. No esti
mates were made bv tho two railroads
Of the amounts that will be maid out.
Directors of the Atlas Powder Com
! nan nv announced that instead Of tho 10
per cent bonus heretofore maid 10 en-
| p,oyees at the end OF each wear the
! comnany will distribu.e each month "a
sum equivalent TO 10 ner cent, OF the
monthly salary. The bonus is retroac-
tive to include the month NJ December
and AFFECT, EMPLOYEES receiving $3.50
n month or less. This bonus system
will he continued by the company so
/ ION, as present living costs continue.
! All saiaried EMPLOYEES OF the Arneri.
; can Agricultural Chemical Company re-
/ ceived notice yesterday that n bonus Of
I 10 per cent. OF their annual salaries
has been granted The company already
/ has Increased wages of its lnborers
during III. wear more than 10 per cen,
I Directors OF the Calumet and HecIa
! Conner Mining COMPANY. which controls
a number of mines and employs several
,hous,nd men announced The con,nanx
and All of its subsidiaries will nav an
; additional ia Nor cont In wages Ia Julv
Il, IgI7 and that the nresen, hnnus Of
q, c.,.s day vii, he doubled
Ju.ur.uce po,,cx ~ C,f,.
bonus an insurance policy fhlSe
In wages ana savings fund from which
employees VINO are financially embar-
| raised may receive assistance arc
! Christmas presents OF the broadway
Trust Company 10 It's employees.
raise in wages has been given each
employee. bonus OF 10 per cent. Is
being distributed. based on the wages
received and the length or service. Em-
ployees OF one to fve years standing
will be insured for $500 OF Ave 20 ten
years employment, $1,000. and all over
ten years. sl.5o0. and expenses Of the
insurance will be borne by the COM
pany. The savings fund will be loaned
confdentially to employees who need 1t
and will be reimbursed from their
salaries.
The New York Title and Mortgage
Company announced bonus for all EN-.
ployees and junior officers. on a sliding
scale. based on the length OF service
and the salary now received. The in
crease ranges from l to 10 per cent.
OF the annual salaries. II has been
granted to all who have been In the
company's service for six months or
more
Christmas bonuses for employees Of
the Bankers Trust Company will prob
ably be hung on huge Christmas tree
that will be the centre of attraction at
the annual fete given by the company