Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-03-25
OomrmaI amO Atatesmram
Friday Mornine, Maroh 26, 1854.
The WOrklng Women Of new YORK.

that when called upon to praside ho had submit
ted to him u constitution which should attract
tho attention nnl admiration of all VINO felt in
terestod in the welfare Of working g-wOmen, 3O,-
900 Of whom reside in this city, who are employ.
cd in all branches Of business.
The accomplished speaker proceeded to show
that 1t was not the intention of the meeting to
make AZ attempt 10 regulate wages, but to take
steps to aid tho poor working women iu their
laulable attempts to obtain that which is justly
their du
The Secretary Of the meeting then came for
ward. aud read and an exceedingly interesting
statement. He WAS followed by Miss Teresa
Esmonde, who read n song written for the occh-
sion by Mrs Stephens. One verse will serve as
specimen Of its style and sentiment;
The war shout that rings up from battle
Thrills through the answering crowd.
When you free the slave as chattel,
The joy of freedom is loud.
But the prayer that comes from woman,
When she asketh bread forstoil,
Is met with olamor inhuman,
Mid an eager rush for spoil.
Work Work Work This is the answering
CRY,
"0ur wives arc fond of jewels, and widows
were made to sigh"
Miss Esmonle was followed by smart work
ing woman Of middle age, who came forward
and in business like manner exhibited speo-
Ahoho VI tho btNluB uuHb ny Nud NOihlnB NumNu
Of this city. She spoke distinctly and with
clear voice, making an impressIon upon the
minds md hearts of her hearers that will be long
remembered, The following are some Of the
statements she made to her deeply interested
hearers:
pair OF drawers made of white cotton drill
ing, 1900 stitches, sowed on tho machine, and
we'll made. Completely finished with buckles,
buttOnholes, straps and strings.
The women who made these drawers WAS
smart operator, and could finish our pair per
day, working from a. m. until 9 in the even
ing, receiving four and cents pair, or six
teen and three-quarter cents for her days labor;
resting, she says long enough to make herselfs
cup OF tea-and eat piece of bread.
Another very la'ge pair Of canton flannel
drawers, 2 900 stitches done by hand. Double
seams, felled; with eyelets, button holes, but
tons, stays and strings, the working woman to
furnish her own thfeRd-a rule adopted by en-
ployers since the price of a spool Of cotton has
risen from four TO eight and ten cents
This woman, the mother of three children, was
very poor, and came to the rooms Of the Working
Women's Protective Union, No. 4, New Cham,
bers street, where she threw down the work,
saying she had been working on these drawers
for seven MONTHS aud could not work any long
or for the price paid. Said she al may as
we'll starve withous work Us to work and starve
at the same time" An inquiry revealed the fact
that the wealthy firm who employed her paid 63
cents per pair for those drawers, of which she
could make two pair per day, remarking, 'lf
get 10 bed about daylight, Lud sleep two or three
hours, feel satisfied"
A haversack pocket, made by hand, containing
upward of GO0 stitches aud three automobiles
TWO yards of sewing
This article was made by woman who sup
ported her sick husband and four little children.
Each pocket required one hours faithful labor,
and the compensation received was II cents, or
124 cents for ten hours work. She furnished
the thread.
A coarse flannel army shirt, large size, made
by hand-sewing. Collar, wristbands, and gussets
put on with double rows of stitching all round.
The seams all feled, button holes buttons and
stays, requiring upward of 1900 stitches.
The woman who made this garment was 60
years Of age, and too deaf to go to the stores for
orders. She has worked on these shirts since
the war broke out, receiving seven cents each
one of them being good days work for her
Younger women might make two, or perhaps
three, in II hours, furnishing their own
thread. This old lady occupied, with another
woman, a damp, dark basement, where she
strained her eyes in the day time, and sewed by
the light of her neighbUrs lamp during the even
ing. AT the End OF the week her net earnings,
after paying for needles and thread, amounted
to so cents in "eurrency"
A knapaaok-army wvrk-an article made Of
strong coarse linen, eewed up with 2 900 coarse
stitches entirely By hand, making IL felled
seams. These knapsaeks are atterward painted,
vanished and trimmed by male wOrknen, who
complete them for the soldiers.
Three of these knapsacks can be finished in
one day, by On ordinary good seamstress, work
ing from six o'clock in the morning and quitting
about ] ! p M. The operators furnish the thread
and receive for each completed article u cents,
or 221 cents for the days work.
A fine white cotton shirt, with fine linen
plated bosom, nicely stitched and we'll made
throughout containing II 500 sewing-maehlne
stitches, six butonboles, ielled seams SC.
Two Of these shirts arc flushed etch day by
the operator, who employs nearly every moment
of her time, finds her own thread, and receives
for the garments 10 cents, each or 32 cents for
more than twelve hours labor. These shirts sell
iOr So to So 90 in the retail stores. Their total
cost to the employer may be summed up US fol-
lows:
Thee yards fine muslin at 3S cents 90
Half yard fine linen 89
Labor aud thread 10
Buttons O
Total cost, $l.59
A more common white shirt with plated mus
lin bosom, collar and wristbands, containing
5000 stitches six button-holes, &c. The stitch
ss-s 4 al.,, Al. .Ass