﻿OOLITIC LIMESTONE INDUSTRY 



95 



ment throughout the year. Hence two hundred and sixty days 

 of emplojmient and the annual earnings estimated upon that 

 basis may, under normal conditions, fairly be considered the 

 minimum. 



In the following table the adult workmen are grouped accord- 

 ing to estimated annual earnings : 



Annual Earnings. 



Number of Workmen 



$1,040 



34 



780 



6 



741 



41 



715 



1 



650 



49 



598 



1 



585 



64 



572 



11 



546 



54 



520 



21 



481 



40 



468 



47 



455 



29 



442 



99 



416 



91 



390 



333 



325 



2 



This is not a high scale of earnings, but when the relatively 

 low cost of living in the oolitic area is considered, it compares 

 favorably with earnings in similar lines of industry. In most 

 cases workmen might increase their incomes by utilizing the gar- 

 den plots furnished with their homes, but comparatively few do 

 so. During the idle season, some of the workmen — especially 

 those of the lower grades — find odd jobs and temporary employ- 

 ment of various sorts, and thus add to their earnings. The ma- 

 jority, however, make very little effort to find work, but are con- 

 tent to live on their savings or on their credit. 



There is a tendency to instability of employment on the part 

 of many of the workmen, which is evinced both by their fondness 

 for holidays and by their frequent changes from one quarry to 

 another. Employers have never been able successfully to com- 

 bat these tendencies, especially the desire for frequent ''days 

 off." As to changes of employment, the blame lies in part at the 

 door of the employers, who have generally not scrupled to entice 

 workmen from the employ of other producers. Recently employ- 

 ers' associations have with greater or less success endeavored to 

 prevent this, and where a uniform scale has been put into oper- 



