Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-05-27
WHITE SLAVERY NORTH.
Sewing Girls and Women of New York.


ing girls ard women in New York. 1t is
unfortunately too true:
of the thirty thousand women now
out of employment in this wilderness of a
city, twenty thousand are said to be sew
ing girls. There are, first, the shop girls
who sit in long rows up and down the
length of dreary workshops, or piled in
promiscuously in less pretentious estab-
| lishments. Then there are the dressma-
kers, the cloakmakers, tailoresses, seam
stresses, and takers in of shop work. A
picture of one Of the vast establishments.
where shop girls work, will do for all the
rest. Large, well lighted show rooms at
tentive statesmen, watchfu floor walkers,
spry little cash bcys-all these will the ea-
ger buyers find in the lower rooms. Down
stairs to see the evening dresses, where
brilliant gas jets flame out to show out
the effects up stairs to see the bargains
in cloaks aud shawls; wherever they 90
the same genial light and soft radiance is
thrown. The work room is very differ
ent place to the show rooms, however,
On the third floor are the first work rooms.
They are large and well lighted, though
bot poorly ventilated. The impression up
on ones mind is that breath of fresh air
has not entered that close atmosphere for
long time, and yet the windows are
thrown open every night at sweeping hour.
But one must remember, when sixty hu-
man beings, some of them with diseased
lungs and horrid breath, work in these
rooms ten hours per day, that it is almost
impossible to keep these in proper con-
dition. These are the lace workers and
muslin fnishers They prepare those
delicate articles of lingerie which so wins
ones heart from the window or case where
they hang. Infants robes are made, babes
baskets are thoroughly prepared here
The girls look tired, even at an hour be-
fore noon. They bend over shcckingly,
and nearly all of them have sore eyes and
sorer hearts, poor things. Six dollars a
week is the average price made here
Some make nine. The majority only
make five. The fourth floor, one immense
room, running over the whole building
Fl ON back to front, and from side to side,
is occupied by cloakmakers. There are
four long tables down the centre of the
room, and smaller ones placed little to
the side. Here, during the brisk season,
n;nety-fve girls work. Now the number
cannot be more than twenty.
"The women working here seemed
moro cheerful than those on the lower
floor but they, too, are overtaxed and al.
low themselves to die by inches just be.
cause they fancy they are making an hon.
est livelihood. They average more than
the muslin workers. Some of them can
make ten dollars week. but these are old
hands at the business. On the fifth floor
is smaller work room than either of the
others. 1t is devoted to making up plain
underwear for ladies' and children. There
are about twenty five or thirty employed
here, pale, wan and sickly; but, strange
enough, more contented with their lot than
those of either of the floors below. / ask
ed one old lady, whose age would surely
entitle her to rest, how she liked to work
here? She replied, " l thank God that /
can take-care of myself in my old age!"
She is sevcnty-two years of age, and earns
three dollars a week. God help her. l
could not help wondering how in the
world she managed to reach the fifth story
with her poor rheumatic limbs and feeble
strength. AS if divining my thoug hts, she
said To be sure it's good ways up, and
l have to come very slowly; but after |
once get here there is rest for me until
night" A little creature Of thirteen, but
who looked no more than nine, was bas-
TING hens in a corner. She was only
learning she said, and had been there two
weeks. but in a fortnight more she would
be paid for working. Upon asking her
how much, ;" she answered with proud
infection of voice, five dollars month"
The faces of the employers throughout
this establishment generally wore a shock
ed, startled expression as they were for
ever on the rack. A great majority seem
ed to be suffering with lung and throat
diseases. Poorly paid, lily clothed and
fed, they go from one year to another.