CODEBOOK AND USER'S MANUAL: A SURVEY OF 1,490 MALE MECHANICS' AND WORKINGMEN'S RETURNS IN WISCONSIN, 1895 AS REPORTED IN THE SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE WISCONISN BUREAU OF LABOR, CENSUS AND INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS Version 1.1 July 14, 1993 Susan B. Carter Roger L. Ransom Richard Sutch Hongcheng Zhao Historical Labor Statistics Project Institute of Business and Economic Research University of California Berkeley, California 94720 This codebook is a preliminary draft. The data described here and accompanying this version of the codebook is still in a preliminary format and may contain errors. Those wishing to use this data for research purposes should check with the authors for an update. Neither the collectors of the data or those sponsoring the data collection wish to bear responsibility for the use to which others may make of this data. The financial support of the National Science Foundation, the All-UC Group in Economic History, and of the Institute of Business and Economic Research and the Laboratory for Historical Research, both of the University of California, is appreciated. For further description of the Historical Labor Statistics Project, discussion of the social, economic, and political context in which the data were collected, and an assessment of data quality, see Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, and Richard Sutch, "The Historical Labor Statistics Project at the University of California," Historical Methods 24 (2) (Spring 1991): 52-65 and Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, and Richard Sutch, "Doing the Wright Thing: Carroll Wright and the State Labor Statistics Movement." Paper Presented at the Conference on Historical Labor Statistics, Lawrence, Kansas, June 1991. Suggested Citation: Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, Richard Sutch, and Hongcheng Zhao. Codebook and User's Manual: A Survey of 1,490 Male Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895; Reported in the Seventh Biennial Report of the Wisconsin Bureau of Labor, Census, and Industrial Statistics. Berkeley: Institute of Business and Economic Research, 1993. A SURVEY OF 1,490 MALE MECHANICS AND WORKINGMEN IN WISCONSIN, 1895 In its Seventh Biennial Report of 1895-1896, the Wisconsin Bureau of Labor, Census and Industrial Statistics published the results of its survey of mechanics and workingmen in that State. The Bureau undertook a survey of employed mechanics and workingmen to complement its earlier surveys of employers. It argued that surveys of employers were a satisfactory way of gathering information on wages. But when information on matters other than wages was desired it felt that "the most reliable data are as a rule obtained either by actual observations or from direct inquiries from the parties themselves." [1] The Bureau developed a questionnaire which included questions on the personal characteristics of the worker and his expenditures and savings, as well as conditions of work. Personal characteristics requested included nativity, age, number of dependents, level of expenditures and savings, home ownership, and insurance. Questions regarding conditions of work included hours and regularity of work, wages and whether wages were withheld. The survey was conducted by mail on schedules "developed for this purpose." [2] Over 15,000 blanks were in the principal manufacturing cities in this state. Approximately one-third of the blanks were sent to trade and labor unions. The rest were distributed by employers in factories and shops or mailed directly to workers. [3]. The Bureau noted that, Special efforts were made to have these blanks so distributed that the reports received would represent the lowest as well as the highest scale of wages and living in each occupation and thus on the whole show the average standard in this state. [4] The response rate was not high. Only 1,488 useable reports were returned. Despite this disappointing showing, the Bureau felt that the individual statements that were submitted were very valuable. First, the Bureau felt that the returns "had been carefully prepared and ...the figures given to each question were correct." Second, it felt that the returns were fairly representative of the population of workers. The Bureau admitted that: the rather small number of reports returned in some occupations may leave it an open question whether the tables in these instances can possibly show a fair average. Then it added: But when these tables are examined more closely or compared with similar tables of the same occupations in other reports it will be seen that there is little cause for apprehension on this ground, as differences, if any, between the averages of these and the averages of other tables covering the same field are small and unimportant. [5] The Historical Labor Statistics Project has transformed these data into machine-readable form using the procedures and codes outlined in this Codebook. Table 1 lists the questions asked in the survey and the variable names assigned to each response. Tables 2 through 24 present descriptive statistics on the values and distributions of responses to the questions asked including, where necessary, the numeric codes used in entering the data into the computer. Since version 1.0, some of the variable names have been changed. Some data errors have been corrected in several variables. Users are reminded to be aware of these changes. The data from this sample of 1,490 mechanics and workingmen in Wisconsin in 1895 has been archived at the Laboratory for Historical Research at the University of California, Riverside. For additional information regarding the availability of these data please contact: Professor Roger Ransom Department of History University of California Riverside, CA 92521 FAX [909] 787-5299 NOTES [1] Wisconsin Bureau of Labor, Census and Industrial Statistics, Seventh Biennial Report, 1895-1896. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Co., State Printer, 1896: 178. [2] Ibid., viii. Dates for the mailing and return of survey forms were not stated in the Report. The Historical Labor Statistics Project has, somewhat arbitrarily, assigned the year 1895 to the survey. [3] Ibid., 178-9. [4] Ibid., 179. [5] Ibid. Table 1 Questions Asked of Respondents, A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Name Description PAGE Page Number of Bureau Report ID Case Number SUB_ID Office Number POB Where Born RES Location OCC Occupation AGE Age DEP Number of Persons Supported HRSSUM Hours of Employment in Summer HRSWIN Hours of Employment in Winter MONTHS Number of Months Employed WAGEDAY Average Wages Per Day WAGEWK Average Wages Per Week PERIOD How Often Paid? TOTEAR Individual Earnings for the Year OTHEAR Earnings From Other Sources for the Year SAVINGS Amount Saved from all Sources EXPLIV Family Living Expenses EXPCLOT Family Expenses in Clothing and Dry Goods EXPFUEL Family Fuel Expenses RENT Family Rent Expenses OTHEXP All other Family Expenses TOTEXP Total Family Expenses EXPLIVS Expenses in Board And Room, if Single EXPCLOTS Expenses in Clothing, if Single OTHEXPS All Other Expenses, if Single TOTEXPS Total Expenses, if Single DEFICIT Expenditures over Earnings HMVALUE Value of Home MORT Amount if Mortgaged MORTINTR Rate of Interest Paid INSLIFE Amount of Life Insurance WTHHLD Is any of your Wages Withheld? Table 2 Place of Birth [POB] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 4 2 Austria 31 3 Bavaria 3 4 Bohemia 20 5 California 1 6 Canada 41 7 Connecticut 4 8 Cuba 1 9 Denmark 37 10 England 37 11 Europe 2 12 Finland 1 13 France 5 14 Germany 436 15 Holland 8 16 Hungary 2 17 Iowa 9 18 Illinois 32 19 Indiana 2 20 Ireland 10 21 Kansas 1 22 Kentucky 1 23 Maine 4 24 Massachusetts 7 25 Maryland 1 26 Michigan 20 27 Minnesota 8 28 Missouri 5 29 New Hampshire 2 30 New Jersey 5 31 New York 54 32 Norway 84 33 Ohio 25 34 Pennsylvania 10 35 Poland 10 36 Prussia 14 37 Russia 4 38 Saxony 1 39 Scotland 12 40 Sweden 32 41 Switzerland 13 42 Tennessee 1 43 United States 8 44 Vermont 5 45 Wales 2 46 Wisconsin 475 Total 1,490 Table 3 Location [RES] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Code Response Frequency 1 Appleton 23 2 Eau Claire 62 3 Green Bay 24 4 Janesville 36 5 Kenosha 37 6 La Crosse 123 7 Manitowoc 21 8 Menasha 22 9 Milwaukee 513 10 Neenah 14 11 Onalaska 1 12 Oshkosh 135 13 Racine 96 14 Sheboygan 292 15 Stanley 2 16 Superior 89 Total 1,490 Table 4 Occupation [OCC] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Code Response Frequency 1 Blacksmiths 48 2 Boiler Makers 7 3 Bookbinders 6 4 Brewery workers 34 5 Cabinet makers 35 6 Carpenters 117 7 Cigar makers 37 8 Coopers 40 9 Engineers(stationary) 42 18 Molders(brass and iron) 66 19 Painters 54 20 Paper makers 12 21 Plumbers and steamfitters 7 22 Printers 17 23 Shoemakers 44 24 Tailors 10 25 Tanners and curriers 54 26 Teamsters 13 27 Tobacconists 4 28 Tinsmiths 6 29 Upholsterers 6 30 Wagon makers 12 31 Unskilled labor 301 32 Miscellaneous 241 33 Firemen 101 34 Machine hands 61 35 Machine wood workers 79 36 Masons and Bricklayers 16 37 Mattress makers 8 38 Millwrights 12 Total 1,490 Table 5 Age [AGE] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Code Frequency -9(No response) 11 15 - 20 years old 38 21 - 25 191 26 - 30 317 31 - 40 529 41 - 50 281 51 - 60 107 61 - 70 16 Total 1,490 Table 6 Number of Persons Supported [DEP] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Number or code Frequency -9(No response) 262 1 person 102 2 195 3 232 4 244 5 170 6 123 7 71 8 43 9 27 10 18 11 2 12 1 Total 1,490 Table 7 Hours of Employment in Summer and Winter A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Frequency Hours In summer In winter or code [HRSSUM] [HRSWIN] -9(No response) 27 91 1.00 - 5.00 hours 3 16 5.01 - 6.00 5 10 6.01 - 7.00 3 11 7.01 - 8.00 102 579 8.01 - 9.00 58 207 9.01 - 10.00 1,198 510 10.01 - 11.00 30 21 11.01 - 12.00 52 34 12.01 - 13.00 7 7 13.01 - 14.00 2 2 14.01 - 15.00 2 1 15.01 - 16.00 1 1 Total 1,490 1,490 Table 8 Number of Months Employed [MONTHS] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Months or code Frequency -9(No response) 2 0.50 - 1.00 month 2 1.01 - 2.00 6 2.01 - 3.00 18 3.01 - 4.00 21 4.01 - 5.00 28 5.01 - 6.00 68 6.01 - 7.00 74 7.01 - 8.00 113 8.01 - 9.00 194 9.01 - 10.00 270 10.01 - 11.00 288 11.01 - 12.00 402 12.01 - 85.00 4 Total 1,490 Table 9 Average Wages Per Day [WAGEDAY] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Wages or code Frequency -9(No response) 5 $0.40 - 1.00 184 1.01 - 2.00 902 2.01 - 3.00 320 3.01 - 4.00 54 4.01 - 5.00 15 5.01 - 6.00 2 6.01 - 7.00 2 7.01 - 8.00 3 8.01 - 9.00 2 9.01 - 9.20 1 Total 1,490 Table 10 Average Wages Per Week [WAGEWK] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Wages or code Frequency -9(No response) 3 $1.80 - 5.00 37 6.00 - 10.00 758 11.00 - 15.00 522 16.00 - 20.00 120 21.00 - 25.00 38 26.00 - 30.00 9 31.00 - 42.00 3 Total 1,490 Table 11 How Often Paid? [PERIOD] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 11 1 2 months 6 2 2 weeks 90 3 Irregular 45 4 Monthly 555 5 3 months 1 6 Semi-monthly 293 7 Weekly 489 Total 1,490 Table 12 Individual Earnings For The Year [TOTEAR] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 3 $25.00 - 100.00 34 100.01 - 200.00 111 200.01 - 300.00 301 300.01 - 400.00 301 400.01 - 500.00 244 500.01 - 600.00 180 600.01 - 700.00 129 700.01 - 800.00 82 800.01 - 900.00 46 900.01 - 1,000.00 18 1,000.01 - 2,100.00 41 Total 1,490 Table 13 Earnings From Other Sources For The Year [OTHEAR] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 1,176 $9.00 - 10.00 4 10.01 - 50.00 74 50.01 - 100.00 79 100.01 - 150.00 44 150.01 - 200.00 34 200.01 - 250.00 17 250.01 - 300.00 16 300.01 - 350.00 12 350.01 - 400.00 9 400.01 - 450.00 4 450.01 - 500.00 5 500.01 - 1,200.00 16 Total 1,490 Table 14 Positive and Negative Savings A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Frequency Value Savings Expend. over earn. or code [SAVINGS] [DEFICIT] -9(No response) 954 1,168 $1.00 - 50.00 162 155 50.01 - 100.00 133 75 100.01 - 150.00 73 32 150.01 - 200.00 57 21 200.01 - 250.00 27 11 250.01 - 300.00 34 12 300.01 - 350.00 11 1 350.01 - 400.00 16 6 400.01 - 450.00 1 3 450.01 - 500.00 7 3 500.01 - 1,481.00 15 3 Total 1,490 1,490 Table 15 Family Expenses A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Frequency Value If family If single or code [EXPLIV] [EXPLIVS] -9(No response) 356 1,250 $48.00 - 50.00 2 2 50.00 - 100.00 39 9 100.01 - 150.00 171 35 150.01 - 200.00 331 121 200.01 - 250.00 218 49 250.01 - 300.00 188 14 300.01 - 350.00 63 8 350.01 - 400.00 56 1 400.01 - 450.00 27 0 450.01 - 500.00 20 0 500.01 - 901.00 19 1 Total 1,490 1,490 Table 16 Family Clothing, Single Clothing and Rent Expenses A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Frequency Value Family Cloth. Single Cloth. Rent or code [EXPCLOT] [EXPCLOTS] [RENT] -9(No response) 375 1,284 832 $1.00 - 50.00 473 122 131 50.01 - 100.00 437 62 369 100.01 - 150.00 139 12 124 150.01 - 200.00 51 7 23 200.01 - 510.00 15 3 11 Total 1,490 1,490 1,490 Table 17 Family Fuel Expenses [EXPFUEL] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 367 $5.00 - 10.00 32 10.01 - 20.00 226 20.01 - 30.00 392 30.01 - 40.00 255 40.01 - 50.00 148 50.01 - 60.00 41 60.01 - 70.00 13 70.01 - 80.00 5 80.01 - 90.00 4 90.01 - 100.00 7 Total 1,490 Table 18 All Other Expenses A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Frequency Value If family If single or code [OTHEXP] [OTHEXPS] -9(No response) 454 1,274 $1.50 - 50.00 407 77 50.01 - 100.00 282 53 100.01 - 150.00 153 33 150.01 - 200.00 90 27 200.01 - 250.00 41 7 250.01 - 300.00 31 11 300.01 - 1,000.00 32 8 Total 1,490 1,490 Table 19 Total Family Expenses A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Frequency Value If family If single or code [TOTEXP] [TOTEXPS] -9(No response) 352 1,242 $95.00 - 100.00 2 14 100.01 - 200.00 31 28 200.01 - 300.00 194 79 300.01 - 400.00 287 60 400.01 - 500.00 226 36 500.01 - 600.00 145 22 600.01 - 700.00 113 3 700.01 - 800.00 58 3 800.01 - 900.00 32 0 900.01 - 1,000.00 20 2 1,000.01 - 9,600.00 30 1 Total 1,490 1,490 Table 20 Value of Home [HMVALUE] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 896 $50.00 - 1,000 202 1,000.01 - 2,000 243 2,000.01 - 3,000 83 3,000.01 - 4,000 39 4,000.01 - 5,000 12 5,000.01 - 6,000 10 6,000.01 - 15,000 5 Total 1,490 Table 21 Amount If Mortgaged [MORT] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 1,113 $25.00 - 100.00 19 100.01 - 200.00 39 200.01 - 300.00 42 300.01 - 400.00 31 400.01 - 500.00 47 500.01 - 600.00 31 600.01 - 700.00 34 700.01 - 800.00 28 800.01 - 900.00 14 900.01 - 1,000.00 25 1,000.01 - 5,100.00 67 Total 1,490 Table 22 Rate of Interest Paid [MORTINTR] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 1,125 4.00 % 5 5.00 18 6.00 198 6.50 12 7.00 109 8.00 18 10.00 4 11.00 1 Total 1,490 Table 23 Amount of Life Insurance [INSLIFE] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 924 $90.00 - 500.00 57 500.01 - 1,000.00 208 1,000.01 - 1,500.00 41 1,500.01 - 2,000.00 150 2,000.01 - 2,500.00 23 2,500.01 - 3,000.00 41 3,000.01 - 3,500.00 7 3,500.01 - 4,000.00 22 4,000.01 - 7,000.00 17 Total 1,490 Table 24 Is Any of Your Wages Withheld? [WTHHLD] A Survey Of 1,490 Mechanics' and Workingmen's Returns in Wisconsin, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 204 1 $1/125 1 2 $1.50 each month 2 3 $10.75 1 4 $15.00 1 5 $2.00 1 6 $20.00 1 8 *3 cents per day(*for insurance) 1 9 25 cents a day 1 10 25 cents per month 1 11 25 cents per week 1 12 1 day 25 13 1 month 28 14 1/4 1 15 One week 42 17 1.5 days 1 18 1.5 month 2 19 1/2 1 20 1/2 cent on dollar 1 21 1/2 day 2 22 1/2 month 6 23 1/3 3 24 One-fourth 1 25 10 days 108 27 Ten weeks 1 28 10 percent 2 29 11 days 1 30 12 days 8 31 3 days 13 32 14 days 1 33 15 days 60 34 16 days 2 35 17 days 6 36 18 days 1 37 2 days 16 38 2 months 14 39 Two weeks 43 40 20 days 49 41 20 per cent 1 42 25 days 4 43 26 days 1 44 27 days 1 46 3 weeks 2 47 3-5 days 1 49 4 days 3 50 Four weeks 6 51 40 days 2 52 5 days 34 53 5 per cent 1 54 50 per cent 1 55 6 days 13 56 Six weeks 16 57 7 days 1 58 8 days 3 59 8 weeks 1 60 9 days 1 62 Irregular 1 63 No 671 64 Sometimes 2 65 Yes 71 Total 1,490