The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-07

who trim womens hats. Females Of every age are
employed in straw sewing from girls Of twelve 10
women of iorty. and even fifty years old. Among
them are to be found women who would grace any
position in life, and who have been reduced
from state Of afiuence to dependence uponthe
most arduous work at which females eau be employed
How many have sunk under the burden to which
they are subjected and who compelled, even in
the last stages OF consumption, TO work at their
needle rather than throw themselves on the cold
charity of strangers The feeling OF independence is
the most marked feature in TIE American character
and in none Of our Industrial classes is it dis
tincty visible than in our sewing girls. We know
of many women who might, if they pleased live COM
fortsbly without working but who prefer depending
on the labor Of their own hands for living to being
supported even by their own relations.
THE CAUSES OF THE REDUCTION OF PRICES.
We have stated as the cause Of the present low
prices paid to straw sewers the competition among
manufacturers, the system Of sub-contracting, and
the large number who learn the business every year,
but there is another which has more depressing
effect than all these upon their labor. 1t is well
known fact that large proportion OF the work sold
in New York is done by women in the eastern
in this city-keeps about nine hundred women in
village in Massachusetts, constantly employed during
the season. 1t is estimated that about half the
straw goods sold here are made in Massachusetts,
and other New England States. The argument used
by straw sewers against this system will appear
plausible to many. They say that if the employers
get their work done in New England they ought
also to find market for it in New England. It
would hardly do to apply this mode of argument in
every OF the kind although it is hardly fair for
the needle-women Of the East to underworld their
sisters in New York, where they must know the
cost Of living is much greater than it is in the
country When straw sewers demonstrate
against the reductions which are sometimes made in
their prices, they told that If they not willing
to do it, others can be found who will gladly do it
for less. A large amount of the straw goods made
in New York are manufactured for Southern houses,
and we are informed that they pay the lowest prices
The hats generally made Of the coarsest kind of
braid
THE woRKKooMs, THE FoREwoMEN, AND MANNER OF
PAYMENT.
OF the three thousand straw sewers, the principal
part are employed in workrooms in different parts OF
New York-a considerable proportion of which are
situated in the lower part of the city and the Bowey
In some of the workrooms there are as many as one
hundred and fifty women and girls employed, who
are under the superintendent of one of their num-
Der, called the forewomen. Her principal business
is to give cut the braid to the sewers, and to
keep an account of the amount Of work done. Each
is provided should say, provides herself
with small book in which her work is entered
as it is returned to the forewonan. They are not
paid like persons engaged in other occupations by
the week; but are forced to wait the convenience,
interest, inclination, or caprice of their employers;
as general thing, however, they receive their
ings about once every two and three weeks. Even
then, however, they never receive the full amount
for when it happens, as it almost invariably does
that there is surplus Of few shllings, it is allowed
to lie over till the next payment. There are some
establishments who, we have been informed, do not
pay their employees oftener than in every two
three months and they give the lowest prices Of any
in the business. They have no consideration what
ever for the inconvenience which their regularity
five may mild form Of expression for what is
the most hearlless njustcesubects the poor sewers
in their employment to, and the annoyances they
are compelled to suffer at their boarding houses in
consequence. We are glad, however, to be able to
state that there are very few such establishments in
the city, and that the straw manufacturers more
honest in their dealings with their employees than
the shirt makers and many others who live by the
enormous profits which they realize from female
labor as well as by the frauds which they perpetrate
upon those who work for them.
The forewoman is paid by the week, her wages
varying from four to sly md seven dollars, but there
very few employers who pay so much as seven.
They have very little responsibility resting upon
them, and their principal business, as we have
stated, is the superintendent of the women.
SYSTEM OF sUBcoSTRAcTNG, COMPETITION AND
IT'S INJURIOUS EFFECTS UPON THE SEWERS
Some dealers in straw goods contract with manu-
facturers to do their work at a certain per cent
age, and furnish them with the straw. By this
means they get their work done cheap, if
not cheaper, than if they carried on the bust
ness themselves !; besides, they are relieved from
the trouble and annoyance of having the work done
in their own establishments This system Of sub
contracting productive of great deal of injury to
the interests Of the sewers creates most active
competition among the manufacturers, and conse-
quent reduction in the price Of the work. We know
of one manufacturer who, than become party
to the injustice gave up her business altogether The
dealer offered her the work at the rate she paid
for it herself that she could not realize any profit
except by reducing the price which she had been
customed to pay each piece of braid. She repre-
scented this to him. but his only reply was, that if she
refused to take his work on those terms be could find
many who were willing to do it, and who had no
such scrupes. 1t is an undeniable fact that the
prices have been greatly reduced within the last
three or four years and that this reduction is owing
&c great extent, to the competition Of which we
have spoken. But, besides this, there are
other causes to which the present depressed
condition of labor in this occupation is attributable.
Formerly when straw sewers were able to earn from
six to ten dollars week, they had TO Serve an APP
premiership of six months, while, at present, five or
six weeks is considered sufficient to qualify them for
the business Then, however, they were taught
bleaching and pressing, which form two distinct
branches now, and which are principally, if not en-