Rates of wages paid by manufacturing establishments in Germany-Cont'd. Wool-assorters, per day, 38.4, 43.2, and 48 cents; wool-dyers, per day, 36 cents; overwork per hour, 2.6 cents. Spinners: from 1 to 3 hanks per pound, per 100 hanks, 29 cents; from 3 to 6 hanks per pound, per 100 hanks, 21.6 cents; from 6 to 2 hanks per pound, per 100 hanks, 24 cents; cleaners per hour, 2.6 cents; warpers per day, 25.2 cents; overwork, per hour, 2.6 cents; carders (girls) per hour, 1.6 cents; spinners (boys) per day, 12 cents. Satin-faced-cloth weavers-machine looms: 5,000 threads per hank, 1.2 cents; 6,000 threads per hank, 1.4 cents; 7,000 threads per hank, 1.6 cents; 8,000 threads per hank, 1.8 to 2 cents; crossweaving 5,000 threads per hank, 1 cent; 6,000 threads per hank, 1.2 cents; 7,000 threads per hank, 1 cent. White-cloth weavers, per hank, & cent colored-cloth weavers, per hank, & cent. Fullers, carders, shearers, hands at the press: Fullers per day, 31.2 to 33.6 cents, for over-hours, 2.6 to 2.8 cents; card-fitters per day, 30 cents; over-hours, 2.6 cents; hands on machine, per week, $3.24. Wages of foremen vary greatly, according to ability. Chain spoolers, (females,) per chain of 120 meters (min. 130 yards).. Chain shearers, (females,) per chain of 120 meters. Chain gluers, (males,) per chain of 120 meters Power-loom weavers, (females,) per 24 meters 84 10 cents. 12 cents. 12 cents. 48 cents. The overseers of the various factory branches receive, for six working-days, from $2.88 to $4.32. FRINGE-MAKING—SCHLETTAU, SAXONY. The Messrs. Greifenhagen & Co. having their manufacturing done at the homes of the operatives, pay them by the piece and not by the day. For the manufacture of every article several kinds of work-people are required. Therefore, if the skilled laborer will obtain proportionate wages, several must work together in preparing and finishing one and the same design or piece, as for gimps, loops, cloak-trimmings, ornaments, &c. 5 The lowest wages are paid to those who stitch the design to the prepared paper, viz, cents to 14 cents per hour, while those who take off such design earn from 12 to 13 cents per hour. For finer and more complicated designs, from to of a cent additional are demanded. While there are laborers of more or less skill, the average earnings for ten working-hours are: for adults, from 16.8 to 28.8 cents; and for children from 9.6 to 11.4 cents. 1 5 5 When business is brisk and labor scarce, much higher wages are paid for these articles, which are nearly altogether manufactured at the houses of villagers. It has been found impracticable to fabricate these articles in factories, where regular wages could be paid, for two reasons: First, the articles being dependent upon fashion, the demand for them is very irregular; and secondly, few skilled women could be induced to work at establishments to the neglect of their domestic duties. Weavers of fringes, gimps, &c., are also paid by the piece or meter, and earn, according to skill and industry, from $1.44 to $2 per week, of ten hours per day. The preparatory and incidental labor, which is chiefly manual, is paid at from 1 to 2 cents per hour. Makers of hand and loom curtain-band holders, having become greatly reduced in number on account of the previously very low wages, now command from $2.16 to $2.88 per week. The manufacture of this article also requires much preparatory and incidental labor, for which from $1.08 to $2.16 is paid per week, of ten hours per day. 5 5 The lowest wages, viz, 2 to 3 cents per hour of persevering labor, is paid for the twisting of the bulliou fringes, usually performed by children or other unskilled persons. Machinists, $4.68; paper-cutters, $3.60; grinders, $3.24; firemen, $3.12; rag-cutters, $2.88; bleachers, $2.83; laborers, $2.16 to $2.52; packers, $3.12. Children: Assorters of rags; $1.44; assorters of papers, $1.44. Hours of labor, 84, per week. GOLD AND SILVER FRINGES, LACES, ETC., FREIBERG, SAXONY. Goldsmiths, per week, $1.80 to $2.76; 12 hours per day. Wire-drawers, per week, $2.88 to $5.76; work at home. Fringe-makers, per week, $2.64 to $3.60; work at home. Spinners and embroiderers, (girls,) 72 cents to $1.44; 12 hours per day. Lace-makers, (women,) 25 cents to 84 cents; work at home. CHIEF MANUFACTURING TOWNS OF GERMANY. Having in the preceding pages presented statements showing the rates of wages paid for factory-labor in many of the smaller manufacturing towns of Prussia and Saxony, classified by industries, it is now proposed to continue to give similar statements, classified by towns, selecting such as are engaged in the fabrication of articles which, to a considerable extent, find a market in the United States. BARMEN AND ELBERFELD. These towns are in fact but one, there being no natural boundary between them, and the stranger who passes along the principal street of this seat of industrial activity is unable to discover where the one terminates and the other commences. The United States consulate being in Barmen, the consular district bears that name. EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES. The following statement, furnished by Mr. Consul Hoechster, will show the kind as well as the value of goods which find a market in this country in a single year: Statistical statement showing the description and value of merchandise exported to the United States from the consular district of Barmen during the year ended September 30, 1873. |