The article considers the legal and economic status of workers at the Cabinet enterprises of the Altai district in late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Author considers the issue of labour contracts conclusion, labour protection, accident prevention, pension protection of the Cabinet enterprises workers. The paper draws information from numerous sources found in the State Archive of the Altai Territory and legislative acts. The author of the article concludes that after the reform of 1861 the working conditions at the Cabinet enterprises of the Altai district were determined by the system of contracts and law, thus being different from the working conditions at privately owned enterprises of the district. The Cabinet, in spite of the difficult financial situation, tried to preserve and develop social protection and safety measures of workers. Safety violations in mining operations were not uncommon in the district. Working conditions and labour protection of workers at the Cabinet enterprises, however, were in many ways better than at privately owned enterprises of the Altai district.