The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-10-24
Female Operatives -Wages Of Women.


We published an article few days. since, d.
reotng the attention of our citizens to the miser-
able pittance paid to female operatives in every
branch of industry in this city, which we stated
was not sufficient to provide them with a COM
Portable support. We instanced women who
make umbrellas and parasols at from three to
five cents each, example; and stated that,
in consequence of a system of imposing fines
on such girls as were absent few minutes, their
weekly wages were sadly reduced.
That article, it appears, has created some dis
satisfaction among certain parties who consider
themselves aggrieved by it, and have sent us
communications that have had the effect of con-
frming the statements we then made, and prov
ing. beyond a shadow of doubt, that the female
operatives of this city are most shamefully treated
by their employers
We insert one of the many communications we
have received.
DrAR Sra Having motto ed in your paper the Goth
and 2ls inst the articles in relation to the wages of
men, and particularly those employed in making um-
brellas would beg to make few remarks in order to
let the public know that there umbrella manu-
facurers who not such task masters
and all that is wanted is merely state facts and not
suppositions He says that certain house in c.
street advertised for 80 girls TO work umbrellas
porting to give the best of prices.
The advertisement referred to- did not make any
ton of prices that girls were wanted to
whom constant employment W oud be given the whole
year" and he goes to give list of prices paid viz
cents for paraso and plain umbrellas and cents for
corded umbrellas would merely state that the prices
paid at this establishment are as follows :Parasos from
to IL cents We pay cents for cotton parasols, which
sell at 30 cents each and we pay for umbrellas from
to II cents each The ladies must not be left to
pose that their fashionable nged parasols made for
cents.
them t the to whom they belong f any there be)
which do not believe and further, do not believe
that there are any operatives who would submit to any
In regard to the enormous profits which we make, I
o sve ae
urs than to raise the girls wages, if could raise the
price of the umbrellas In regard TO the girls wages
will state that SO girls in my employ will average
so per day without any deduction whatever and
in regard their Dress will say that they have good
dresses, and dress well majority of the in
this city who not dependent their needle for
what they have.
CEDAR STREET.
"Cedar Street" says that the prices paid at his
establishment are, for parasols from to IL cents
each /; and for umbrellas from to IL cents each.
We will take Cedar Street. on his own ground,
and we will submit to him and the public, wheth-
er his own statement does not confirm all that we
have stated.
We must assume that girls who make umbre-
las obliged to eat and drink as well as other
persons and wear clothes likewise AT the low
est calculation, their board costs them dollars
per week. Now, by " Cedar Streets own show
ing, parasol sewer must make sixty-seven
parasols in six days, in order to provide herself
with the means of keeping body and soul together
Tor that period, and for every year she lives she
must make three thousand four hundred and
eghty-four parasols.
Suppose, again, that her clothing Twill average
oua dollar ne sba
additional parasols per week to protect her deli.
cate frame from the scorching sun of summer
and the chills and blasts of winter, or one thou
sand seven hundred and sixteen per year "Ten
it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of AS
caon," that in the metropolis of the United States
of America, the pride and admiration of the
world, that an American operative girl, must
make five thousand two hundred parasols in the
course OF year to provide herself with the plain.
est of food and raiment for that period OF time
Oh shame, where is thy blush
Here are the figures, andI neither a Cedar
street," nor any other person can make out any
other result.
1t may perhaps be said by some, that the
prices for making parasols vary from three cent
TO twelve, that an operative, by working at the
twelve centers, will make more money than Al
the three centers We doubt that--for unques
honaoly the scale of rates is graduated proper
tienaoly to the quality of work on each kind.
we make this calculation on the assumption
that these operatives are able to slave in this
way during the whole year, without inter.
ruption by sickness, or any other cause. But anv
person who has observed these girls going to and
returning from their work, in the winter season
with their miserable calico dresses and worn on
shoes, must have perceived that they earned thei,