The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-05-06
Il Sewing Girls; in New York.
Their IIardships and Priva-
tiOns- Long hours and small
us Wages JdHfot -i<'9f SDgfdj
Prom the New York Resofdti6ns.)

\
Long hours and small
w ages 0Hiod> ,i4'oa sp9Thj
70 Prom the New York Resoidti6ni.)
| of, the thirty thousand women now
out of employment in, this wilderness
IF city, twenty thousand are said to
be sewing girls, There ara, first, the
shop girls, who sit in, long rows up
and down the length of the great
dreary workshops, or pile in--prcmis
caously in less ,Prsten.iousIa establish.
mepts- Then there are Che. dress max
ers,. and cloak makers, tailoresses,
seamstresses, and takers in, of, slop
work. A picture of one of the vast es-
adjustments where shop girls work
will do for all the rest Large well
lighted show rooms, attentive sales
men, Yatchful floor walkers, spry cash
boys-all these will the eager buyer
find in the lower rooms. Down stairs
to see evening dresses, where brilliant
gas jets fame out to show the effect !;
up stairs te see the bargains in c'oaks
and shawls wherever they go the same
genial light and soft radiance is
! thrown. -. -. -, r-.r-.. 80
The work room is different place
from-thez. show. rooms however. On
the third floor are the first work rooms:
They are large aud well lighted, though
but poorly ventilated The impression
;rade upon ones mind is that a breath
of fresh air has not entered that close
atmosphere for long time, and yet the
windows are thrown up as high as they
will go evey night al. sweeping hour.
But one must remember, when sixty
human e;ngssone of them with disc ased
lungs and horrid breaths, work in these
rooms for ten hours daily, that ventila-
ton is almost Impossible. These are
lace workers and muslin finishers.-
They prepare those delicate articles of
lingerie which so wins ones heart from
the window or case where they hang.
Infant robes are made, babies basks
are thoroughly prepared here. The
girls look tired even at an hour before
noon.a They bend over shockingly, and
nearly all of them have sore eyes and
sorer hearts, poor things. Six dollars
week is the average price paid here.
Some there are who make nine. The
majority only five. The fourth floor,
one immense room, running over the
whole Aoor from back to front and from
side to side, is occupied by CLOAK max
ers. There are four long tables run
ming down the centre of the room and
smaller ones placed a little to theI side.
Here, during the brisk season, ninety
FIVE girls work. Now the number can
not be more than twenty. The wom-
en- working here seemed more cheerful
than those on the lower floor but they
too are over:axed, and allow themselves
to die by inches, just because they
fancy they are making an honest live
iihood. They average more than the
muslin workers. 100 90 Asi 81.
Some of them; Jean make ten dollars
week, but these are old hands at the |
business. On the fifth loor'is small
er work room than either of the 9th.
ers. It is devoted to the making up
Of. plain under garments for ladies and
children. There are about twenty five
or thirty employees here, pale, wan and |
siekly but, strange enough, more con- /
tented with their lot tnan those on eth
er Of the floors below. I asked one |
old lady, whose age would surely enti-
tie her to rest, how she liked TO work
there She replied. "I thank God
that eau take care of myself in nay |:
Did age" She is seventy years of age
and earns three dollars week. God +
help her I could not help wondering
hcw in the world shemanaged to reach
The fifth story, with her poor, rheumat
c limbs and feeble strength. As if
my thoughts, she said:
faTo be sure, it's q good ways up,
md i have to come very slowly; but
after I once. get here there's good
.est for me until night" A little
,reature of thirteen, but who looked
10 more than nine, was basting hens
n corner. Upon. asking her show
nuch," she answered with d proud in
lection of voice. Give dollars a
The faces of the employees
throughout this establishment general
y wore q shocked startled; expression, /
IS if they ara forever on the, rack. A
great majority seemed to be suffering
With lung and throat diseases. Poorly i
,aid, lily clothed ard fed, they go on
rom one years end to the other.