wages

1809 Woolen Mills Road

It is extremely hard even to estimate wage rates at the Charlottesville Woolen Mills. The annual payroll increased rather steadily over the years--from $15,700 in 1883 to $37,500 in 1896 and $52,400 in 1913. In 1881 an average annual wage of only $270 prevailed. Eleven years later, this figure stood at $311 but declined to about $300 in 1906. However, such estimates show only a trend, they give no clue to hourly rates for different classes of workers. Since even the length of the work day and work week is unknown, one cannot judge the liberality or lack of it on the part of the management. It is clear, however, that wage increases were smaller in proportion to profits than were dividends of cash and stock.--Harry Poindexter