The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-11
stand that IN some Of them, the sewers obtain .
higher price for their work.

higher price for their work.
MARINERS FAMILY INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY.
This society was organised about nine or ten years
ago. for the eommendable purpose Of providing work
"at fair remuneration, for the female members of
the families of seamen; and to relieve the necessities
Of such families Of the same incapable Of labor
including their widows and orphans" An act Of in
corporation was passed by the Legislature in April,
ls49 but believe the State does not contribute any
thing towards its support 1t is maintained at present
mainly by donations and the profits realized by the
sale Of the work As these are very small it is i'm
possible for the managers to pay what might be
called . fair price for the work; besides, the sick
who are unable to earn anything, entirely depend
ent upon them But a small proportion Of the work
done here consists Of shirts and these are princi-
pally made OF coarse material. The last annual re-
port says that ninety women were either fully or
partially employed in making 10, 023 garments, dur
ing the past year. For this they received 81 1888 Ga
which gave to each seamstress an average Of about
5000, or four dollars per week. There were many,
however, who did net get more than two dollars,
and we know Of one woman who did not get more
than one dollar and half week.
The impoverished condition Of large body of the
shirt sewers has often excited the sympathy Of the
community, but no permanent means Of relief have
yet been devised. Associations have been founded
for their benefit but the little good they have thus
far accomplished, after repeated trials, has proved,
to mind ct least, that it is impossible to amelio
rate the condition of the great body Of the shirt
ers through their means Now, let us not be mis-
understood-we do not censure, but rather award
them praise for the partial good they have done;
but say they cannot relieve tenth of the des
titution that prevails among this class Of our popua
tion. We know Of only two associations Of the kind
in New York, and both Of these do not employ more
than one hundred and fifty women. Now, why can't
the women work for themselves instead of working
for stores? The dressmakers do so, and they can
make four, five, six, and sometimes eight and ten
dollars week.
The plan is simple, and If adopted we have no
doubt will be Of more real service to the shirt sewers
than any that has yet been presented to their notice.
In the first place we would advise them to place q
sign on the fronts of their houses, somewhat after
this style
9
q SHIRT SEWING DONE HERE, o
ON THE MOST REASONABLE TERMS.
{ 8
Or after this fashion,
Q 6 .
SHIRTS MADE IN EVERY STYLE, o
WITH HEATNEss AND DESPATCH. o
We have heard many Of our friends say that they
would not deal in stores for their shirts if they could
only find persons to make them, and there are
thousands of persons throughout the city who would
rather pay one or two shillings more for the max
ing Of one if they knew that it went directly into the
pocket of the worker. But persons who keep shirt
stores must have their profits and they incur besides
heavy expenses in the pursuit OF their business. Now
all this must be paid out Of the labor Of the poor
sewer and consequently for the support of one estab
lshmert one or two hundred shirt sewers must be
kept poor. We do not find fault with the employer
for this, but we see no reason why or two hun.
dred persons should suffer for the benefit of one Now
we hope we have made ourselves clear upon this
point Let us illustrate it by few facts: For the
making Of one shirt an employer pays half dollar,
and receives three or four shilngs profit upon the
sale Of it. If he has one hundred shirt sewers en-
ployed, and each is able to make shirt day, he
realizes from forty to fifty dollars daily Out of this
he has to pay perhaps thousand or fifteen hundred
dollars year for the rent of store, work rooms and
the salaries of his statesmen, or saleswomen clerks,
and whatever help be may require while the residue
amounting to two or three thousand dollars year,
is required to support himself and family
Now, we will present this proposition under an
other aspect. There are hundreds Of married women
in New York, who would willingly hire shirt sewers
to make up their linen, and board them in their own
houses, besides paying them better price than they
can get from the stores. For young women who
have none but themselves to support, engagements
of this kind would be very acceptable, we have no
doubt. A sign like the following would answer all
their purposes -
o SHIRT SEWING DONE OUT ON REASONABLE o
90 &c Q
A few shillings would purchase sign like this,
and the shirt sewers might continue working for
stores until they received sufficient custom to enable
them to set up entirely on their own account.
THE SONG OF THE SHIRT.
We cannot better conclude our account of the
shirt sewers than by republishing Hoods Song of
the Shirt 1t is peculiarly appropriate in this place;
and our readers will find, from the scenes Of destitu-
ton we have presented from real life among por-
ton of the shirt Of New York. that the misery
it describes is not exaggerated, but painfully true.
We hope it will not be read with feeling of inder
ence, and that the facts which we publish to day
may be the means Of relieving this oppressed class Of
our working women. The best way to aid the shirt
sewer is by patronising those who set up on their
own account. Let those who have abundance of
means, and who feel disposed, furnish them with