Year: 1870

act was not long in bearing fruit. In
that same Autumn the principle was
adopted by employers in several
trades. As the best way Of showing
you how the new system was adopteu
and worked out, will confine myself
to one experiment now widely known.
and the most successfal of all, 20 far
as l know up to The present time--the
wildwood Galleries Of Messrs. Briggs


& Son.


Mr.. Henry Briggs, the head of the
hrm was a successful coal-master, and
owned large pits in the Yorkshire dis
trict. He was rcsolute upright
forkshireman, kind and generous TO
all about him, but above all things
determined and undinching wherever
he believed himself in the right. Such
man was sure to be in demand as q
leader, and accordingly, Henry Briggs
had been for years the Chairman Of
the Masters Association OF coal own
ers in his own district. This associs-
ton had been uniformly successful in
its contests with the coal workers. and


10 bitter was the feeling there that
1.-THE coal owners are devils and Briggs
is the chief Of the devils had passed
into proverb. In 1854 and the be-
ginning Of 1865, things had come to
such pass that the Methwood and
other Co'lieries were standing still
often for weeks together and when in
work, had to be protected by q large
body of Police. Mr.. Briggs at last
got thoroughly sick Of Lying in con.
slant state of war with his poorer
neighbors. Galleries were returning
scarcely five per cent. on capital. He
proposed TO ms sons TO sell the mines
ana invest their money in some other
way which would bring them at least
AS large . return, and peace. For
tunately, As l believe for England, his
sons had been attracted by the theories
Of co-operators, and proposed to their
father to try what effect giving the
work people share in profits under
the new act would have ON their busi-
ness. Things could scarcely be worse,
and persons who had been studying
and preaching on the subject for years
declared that they could be better
Mr. Briggs consented, and the first
industrial partnership was accordingly
formed at the Wildwood Collieries as
follows: The stock, plant and other
property were valued, nothing being
set down for the good will OF the busi-
ness. The valuation mounted TO
something over $4,000. Tie sum was
divided into shares OF fl0 each, in
order " place them within reach of any
prudent workmcn. Til, first charge ON
all the earnings of the collierics, after
payment Of the current rate of wages
Of the district to tue work-peopie, was
payment of ten per cent. on the
cor,ii,,- -o .La rate which, ac-
invested in coal-mines iii Ensiaau
o"s.. 80 bear. All surplus earnings,
If any were made, were to be divided
equally, half being paid As additional
interest on capital, the other half being
divided among the work-people Is a
bonus in proportion to the amount
earned by each Of them during the
Year. The articles OF this Industrial
Society were duly registered. The
Messrs. Briggs kept the larger part Of
the shares in their own bands, and the
rest were sold to friends Of the move
ment and to the work-people, arrange
ments being made by means of share
clubs TO enable the latter to pay up
their shares BY small weekly INSTALL
| ments. SO great was the suspicion
among the men, that although the mat
ter was thoroughly talked over with
them and explained, scarcely one Of
them would take ! share. Messrs.
Briggs, for the sake OF convenience.
made il a condition Of sharing in what
ever bonus might be earned that each
workmen should take out penny
book, in which the amount earned by
him, and upon which, therefore, bonus
should be payable, should be entered
by the proper clerk at the end Of each
week. Only about one-tenth Of the
nine hundred work-people employed
took the trouble to take out this book
However, the leaders were determined
to give the scheme fair trial, and ac-
cordingly, though there were many
threatenings, no strike took place
during the first year. A. the end of
that time it was found that after put
ting aside q reserve fund Of several
thousands pounds, something more
than thirteen pc: cent had been made
Oh the whole capital, and there was
accordingly a sum Of more than fifteen
hundred pounds to be divided among
the holders Of books as bonus on
their earnings. l went down to the
meeting in the great room ut the col
lieries where this announcement was
made Of the result Of the first years
working, and shall not easily forget
the scene ut the great tea-party, the
hearty speeches predicting the good
time coming, the Importance and de-
light of hard-handed fellows carrying
! in their pockets more coin than they
had ever seen before at one time, tine
blank looks and good resolutions Of
those who had neglected to take out
books.
They all took out books next morn
ing, and l came away with very firm
faith in the future Of the first Industrial
partnership of Briggs 4 Co., limited.