The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-05-15
Facts 4boat Woanam's Labor.

fUcfS IbOW VOlitUit'S LNOOF.
It is not possible to state exactly the
number of women employed in the vari-
/ Gus branches of industry in New York.
I In 1866 it amounted to "a, 72I, but there
are probably twice as many now. The
proportion of women to the number OF
/ men employed at the same time was 81
/ II of the one to 100 of the other, and in
/ Philadelphia 44,S1. A considerable
I number of new occupations have been
! opened to women of late, or are more
largely followed by them, such as print
ing, engraving, Photograph coloring
and telegraphy.
A. compositors, women have been
very successful, and are now employed
in several large establishments, includ
ing Harper's and the World Office.
/ They earn from Sl1 to S13 per week, be-
ing paid 80 cent per 1900 ems on night
and 40 cents on day work, the same as
men. Women are much steadier then
men, and more to be relied on. They
have no "blue Mondays" and, except
for want of strength to move the forms,
and such heavy parts Of the work,
would be much preferable to men in
fact they are superseding them, except
/ in the night work, for which they have
been found too delicate. They are also
employed at press work, working ten
hours ut SIS per week, and as binders,
book-sewers and gildeTs at from s. TO
so per week. Out of siXty-six hands in
one establishment. ten average $40 per
week and two received 5000. Ia all of
these occupations they are said to be
steadier than men.
As cngraVers, women can earn $50
per week If skillful. 4 publisher who
employs them state, three or four of them
work on shares, each doing q special
part of the work; but thinks they do
not compete with men from want OF
practice, the season for engraving being
very short and most plates being inn
ported. The same gentleman employs
female clerks-8 chashier and a sales
woman-and finds them preferable TO
men. because their services are 20 much
cheaper In Boston there are ten ladies
employed as clerks in the different book
stores.
As decorators and designers for china
ware, women have not been so success
full as might be expected. This work Is
mainly done by foreigners and requires
a longer apprenticeship than women
can give. The latter are employed as
burnishers, and can earn at this from IS
10 - per week. 4 HIS l. purely ne
chanical and somewhat labOriOus en-
ployment, but can be easily learned,
generally in month. Men are not en-
gagged in it, so that there is no direct
competition.
In many branches Of the tailoring
business woman have almost superseded
men the difference of pay being such
that men cannot compete with them
At a single establishment in this city a.
bout thirty five girls. all of Irish des-
cent are employed from a. IN. to o
p. M, making pantal0ons for the Bow
cry and Chatham street trade. Several
sewing machines are used, but most of
the work is done by hand. With the
exception of cutting out, all the work Is
done on the premises by division Of
labor. BY this means the labor Is les
sened, and a girl can earn nearly double
what she could make by the ordinary
plan. The average wages are s. per
week smart hands earning as high Is
80. Men earn from SO to Sl4 at the
heavier part of the work, such as
smoothing and pressing, which women
have not the strength to do. The work
room IS light, warm, and well ventilated
with no inconvenience except the heat Of
the fire in summer Cases of sickness
are rare, and the girls are of average
health. As class they are not steady
workers but apt to shirk when they get
a little money. The really industrious
are always ON hand, but a great number
are shiftless and lazy, and only work
because necessity compels them.
The general change from day to piece
work, which has taken place in most
kinds of business, has been of great
benefit to the women n well as the men.
Those who are capable and quick can
now earn far more than they did before,
and in less time also. \ gentleman Of
large experience states that some girls
in his employ can now earn So and lS3
by piece work, who only made - under
the old plan. Employers also generally
agree that the change is as much for
their benefit as for that of their hands.
The largest and best field of labor for
women is in occupations connected with
the supply of female wearing apparel
dresses, cloaSs, cOrsets, hoOpskirts, and
also mems underclothing. In three
large establishments, about 800 hands
are engaged at All average Of - per
week. The majority of these are skill
led hands. and not more than one quar-
ter of those who apply are capable of do
ing the work. In one establishment
StNclal colOEtu ElTlo are tiuplONtt, anu
are found to be very intelligent and to
get along tremendously with their as
sociates In all of these places the at
tendance is regular; few absences occur,
excepting from sickness, and a prefer
ence is given to women over men.
Piece-work is the rule when possible,
and the general OpiOn is that it pays
best As "a well-informed person states,
it gives twice the amount of work,
doubly as we'll performed and with only
half a. much superintendent" The
use Of sewing machines and division Of
labor have also been beneficial both to
employer and hands, and have greatly
improved the condition of the latter.
Among the women in these establish
ments there are many who receive
quite high wages. Ten, twenty, and
thirty dollars per week are not uncom-
mon salaries, and there are several who
get even forty dollars per week. The
highest salary which any woman re-
ceives in this city is s., 900, which, in at
least two instances, is paid without hesi-
tation. In several large Broadway
houses there are saleswomen who re-
ceive high salaries, but these are eXper-
fenced persons and control a set of GUS
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