The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-06-30
Needle and Garden.

Under the above title some one is wri-
ting a series of articles for the atlantic
Monthly, which should excite the horror
and disgust of the American people
They are relative to the sewing women Of
our country, and the writer speaks of
what exists in Philadelphia. He says:7
One widow taking out shirts at the ar
senal, earned two dollars and forty cents
in two weeks, but was denied permission
to take them in when done, though ur-
gently needing her pay, being told she
would be making too much money. :. "A
third, whose husband was then in the ar
my, found the price of inEantry-panta-
looms reduced from forty-two to twenty
seven cents-reduced by the government
itself-but she made eight pair week.
took care of five children, and was al
ways on the verge of starvation. She de-
clared that, if it were not for children,
she would gladly lie down and die. A
fourth worked for contractors on overalls.
at five cents a pair. Having the aid of
a sewing machine, she made six pairs dai-
ly, but was the object of insult and abuse
from her employer. An aged woman
worked On tents, making in each tent for
ty-six button-holes, sewing on forty-six
buttons, then buttoning them together,
then making twenty-eight eyelet holes
all for sixteen cents. After working the
whole day without tasting food, she took
in her work just five minutes after the
hour of receiving and paying for the
weeks labor. ...She asked them to pay
her for what she had just delivered, but
was refused. She told him she was with
out cent, and that, if forced to wait till
another payday, she must starve The
reply was, Starve and be d-d, That
is none of my business. We have our
rules, and shall not break them for any
-" A tailor gave to another sewing
woman a lot of pantaloons to make up.
The cloth being rotten, the stitches of one
pair tore out, but by exercising great care
she succeeded in getting the others made
up. When she took them in, he accused
her of having ruined them, and refused to
pay her anything. She threatened suit,
whereupon he told her to "sue and be
DID," and finally offered a shilling
pair, which her necessities forced her to
accept.
Now for the doings of those who claim
ed to belong to the religious class. One
public praying man paid less than any
other contractor, and frequently allowed
his hands to 60 unpaid for two OF three
weeks together. Another would give
only dollar for making thirteen shirts
and drawers, Of which woman could
finish but three i'll 4 day. What but
fallen women must some of the subjects
of such atrocious treatment become! 1t
was ascertained by a letter sent 10y one of
this class, that she had given way under
the pressure of starvation. She said:
" was an innocent girl. the daughter of
clergyman. Left an orphan at an ear
ly age, tried hard to make living. but,
unable to endure the hard labor, and live
upon the poor pay received, l fell into
sin. Tell your public that thousands like
ME have been driven to want and crime"
....Yet the men who thus drove virtuous
women to despair, were amassing large
fortunes. Their names appeared in the
newspapers as liberal contributors to every
public charity that was started-to sani-
tary fairs, to womcn's aid societies, to the
sick and wounded soldiers, to everything
that would be likely to bring their names
into print. They figured as respectable
and spirited citizens OF all men they
were supremely loyal. Some of them
were church members, famous as class
leaders and exhorterS, powerful in prayer,
especially when made in public.