HIST 2057 Chapter : Late 19th Century Labor Week 5
Document Summary
1880-1900: 35,000 workers die annually from factory and mine accidents. 1913: despite safety devices 25,000 die, 1 million are injured. Scolfield mining disaster: winter quarters min #4, may 1, 1900, over 200 killed, there is no aid for the grieving families at all, fend for themselves. Conditions for workers: dangerous, uncertainty, crushing work load, deaths, injuries, and sickness, this could often result in getting fired, average wage 1870-1900, less than /day in today"s money. All members of the family had to work just so they could get by. Wage reductions, job cuts: began in martinsburg, west virginia, spreads nationwide, lasts 45 days. Freezes most of the country"s train traffic. Happened mostly on the b&o railroad (baltimore and ohio) St. louis all manufacturing is shut down. National guard is sent across the country to settle the strikes. 50 people are dead and million dollars" worth of damage in the end.
