The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-11-27
The Wages of Sewing Women i'm New
York.

Out of all the movements now taking
place in the cities among the laboring classes
for an increase of wages, that of the sewing
women in New York will attract the greatest
attention and largest sympathy. About 400
of these women assembled Thursday night.
and made some statements about their wages,
which it appeared ranged from 81 to s. per
week for board, not including washing, thus
entirely absorbing their earning, and they
are compelled TO work from ii to l6 hours
per day. The astounding fact was also made
evident that the sewing girls are now paid
from % to 80 per cent less than two or three
years ago, while the price Of everything they
ale obliged to buy has nearly doubled
There we're present at this meeting, cloak
makers, dress makers, tassel makers, burnish-
ers, tent makers, corset makers, book sewers,
hoop skirt makers, lat binders, shirt sewers,
umbrella makers press feeders, wool sorterS,
cap makers, bobbin winders, vest makers and
sewing machine operators. and they gave the
! following as the prices paid them for their
labor: For making hoop skirt springs the
price averages from Is to 2J cents hun
dred, and from two to three hundred can be
made in day. Formerly the price was one
dollar. y cent apiece is paid for furnishing
silver spoons, and it is a good days work to
burnish 35 and if the work is not well done
the girls must do it all over the next day
without compensation. Sixty cents dozen
is paid for finishing shirts, and it is a hard
DAYS work to finish half a dozen. One dol
lar dozen is paid for fine shirts From
four to six cents each is paid for flannel shirts.
and from nine to a dozen car be made in a
day. One dollar dozen was paid in 1850
for the same that now bring about so cents.
Overalls 80 cents a dozen large cloaks.
taking day, 40 cents; small cloaks, taking
about s hours, % cents. BY working early
and late, three dollars week can be made
at this. Capes 81 cents dozen, taking a
long day; corsets $3.50 s3 a week. At
book sewing about S3 week is made. For
tutton-holes on coats about 81 week can
can be made, but it is very hard work. AT
dressmaking S3 week is made. working
, from IA. N. to JPN. Linen coats. Is cent
to 90 cents each; two of them is as good as
, ten hours work. The girls iron and
finish them, and have to buy THEN own
thread. which costs 10 cents spool, ard Of
: which one spool is used in two coats. Pres,
T feeders get 81 week sometimes. Shelter
7 tents, with 46 bitton-holes and l6 evelets
brought last season % cents; they are now
made for eight cents, and only four can bt
made in day, working as long as one car
4 see. Cavalry tents are cents day fol-
r basting, and four can be basted in q day.
n Vest makers get % or 80 cents day. Sew
e ing machine operators get 5 cents for stitch
e ing 80 yards. Parasols and umbrellas ar
e so cents dozen eight can be made in
d day. Some of the employers if the girl i
e five minutes late, charge her 5 cents for j,
r In some of the establishments, If button
n left off shirt, It is a rule to deduct 25 cent
n from the pay.
d Such developments as these will take tn
public at large by surprise. We have bsel
k accustomed to hold up the sewing women o
v England as an example of slavery equal t
o that of the South, and the condition Of tn
y sewing women of London, who by the hard
e est labor can hardly obtain enough to kee
IS body and soul together, has long been con
q s;dered the depth of misery. But here W
= have condition of things fully as bad at ou
h very doors, and the people are just finding
out