The New York herald., 1869-01-12

sion would have been In better taste. Facts are
stubborn things, and without knowing when or by
whom this important question OF woman's work and
wages Is to be regulated but feeling that some
tion should be taken immediately, q few facts con.
cernng the manner In which working girls treated
in "the great metropolis'' are here given.
Take hrst those who, from one cause or another
are compelled to sew In the miserable places they
call 'hone," very many OF them having near rela-
tives to support, it being startling truth that
among the number thus stitching, day after day.
early and late, very few have only themselves to
maintain IL does not appear possible that more
than one person can subsist on seventy-lve cents
per day. A woman living on the east side Of town
says she cannot earn more than that sum, and out
OF It has to MAINTAIN an invalid husband, herself and
child. Her average fare Is brown bread and rye
coffee. without milk or sugar, except on Sunday
mornings occasionally she. buys little sausage
meat or liver, because she says her husband '.longs
for meat" Rather hard diet for an Invalid. ss~>
Girls and women from thirteen to sixty years OF
age visit these houses where work Is dispensed,
and after giving references as to ability, and often
depositing sum guarantee or their safe return,
s Wsfss Wn suass os
or two rooms IN some squalid tenement house,
.GSss. ay Would SdO sight; ss
to endure moment. But many '.live. move and
have their being" amid sucn surr0undlnRs whose
haps time, the rough user, has partially enaced the
ideas of luxurious days. but tastes once refined can
never ne Ds cOmprsssd Sunsa down s Yrsses
countrys defender" VINO fought nobly, losing life
and limb In the contest represent largely the shop
Receivny compensation which would NOT support
their employer's cat. occupying quarters which his
aoS would i survey Win corn and leave immedl-
incredulous sum--tnese delicate NO men manage 70
keoD from starvation disabled or invalid PATROLS
ago but
experienced can Imagine. Take, for instance an ex-
tensive DO kbindery on Centre street. where numer.
stencil that arises nom the blending Of close Impure
atr with some paste, dirt and gunmy refuse il re-
v0ttng. The wages paid 70 females employed IN
this oienstye work range from tour 70 eight dollars
per week. ~ tAs II T II III ~~--
At one enormous wholesale ana retail dry goods
numberless embr0Iderera, sewing machine operators,
dressmakers and 1no sewers. Scarcely day passes
but an advertisement appears In some or the daily
papers for workers In some one Of its varied dlvl-
slons. Coco dressmakers are paid respectable
salary, for the. trade commands . fair remunera-
dependent on no one arms patronage for SUBJ
s!stence the establishment grlndS In from
grinds out to this. sewing machine operators by
lncessant labor may perhaps earn seven dollars per
week. woeiuiiy suicicnt equivalent for the BACK
STOPPING hour alter hour over dainty piece Oh
goods. terribly irving to their slgnt and parience
the Iaborer Q considerable sum out OF pockeI. Is
lars week. Few Of the swlftest fancy workers are
enabled TO make that sum- aud none it s stated upon
the most reliable authority, 60 begond it.
Said one young lady, WHO has had considerable
or 30 ago, Never send woman obliged to earn her
tr!ed 4 one and am thoroughly competent to give
tsement," pointing 70 the article In quastion "I
called st the establishment one morning. aave
ceived an infaats cloak stamped with q fancy
aud dtmcult pattern, for whicn when returneL
IN fnisned state. Twas to be paid one dollar and
terms and went hons, slightly dIssatisned. Now
am considered q fast w0rkwoman, out I embroidered
In one week and day the noxious article wis
competed. and disguised with work IN general AMI
that species in particular. restored It to the com
lady's wrapper, which snc persisted would pay
splendidly.' The pay was two dollars. and the
Scventy-flve cents they ofYer for embrolder.ny n
child's suta good weeks work lor an adept at the
6usinec. 3 The material and silk wiIl, perhaps cost
I'VE dollars, and the suits are sold for from eighteen
@ twenty-five do lars. These prices for the most
irving Kind OF neediework are the regular averages
establishments are subject to the most terrDIe ex.
pcriences. Hudded together like so many cattle,
brought into contact with AL kinds and conditions
aud exposed 10 the most perncious influences IL Is
not surprising tnat the grave aid street receive
many poor grs into whose life ray OF sunshine or
lows looking out the nthest OF all lthy IocaII-
YES, are crowded twenty 'glrls,n the majority OF |
whom .l.. are % slckly, prematurciy old women. The
Arising from this. mngled with the closeness and |
mpurity OF the atmosphere, make II o wretched /
iris insist tnat il is Offensive only when just COMM
n from clear, bracng outside air, and wonder what /
Why said oss vi VINO mad sscnea away steadily
makes me 50 dizzy every once in . while rise In
me moor hits me in the face. Il must be because I
lave no appettc.r Al another place the proprietor.
osest ana most misersSc quarters possible 70 con-
'eive OF. Dutchman u paced over them ~ FORE
nam and the poor scantily paid, sufIocated starry
ept at the lunch hour penalty Of being reported
tis Christian proprietor Most OF the girls IN at
hort svns 1 themselves only ums 70 W swsIow $ 1IS sSs
cany Allowance, which y never SUFFICIENT 10 satisfy
c terrible q nore
whie examining ons Of theso workrooms an Incl.
oung resn sensible looking g.rl entered 70 Inq lIrs
bout work and prices: -Pnsw y said sbe, open
round at the heads Tor moment turned away froin
vork TO survey this pleasant intruder.
"How long have you been heres' advancing to the
sADov swo monshs,v she replied, hesItatingiy,
urnlng ! frightened glance IN tine direction Of tho
axnd were Jon sick before you worked nsrefr |
~ an nos sickp she replied lliNl lf4le iADN Il
"Apy iliorIuataen you wAns, Mia rvss you,n
rowiod the irAte foreman. .,.,. (. "a -
well then, sr, how much can these girls make 1
lyon dollar : dag II they vorks.n .Mt.
Now said she, nasnlng- him q contemptuous
,ok ~ have been trying 20 1nd WORK for two days
I'd have visitcd any quantity Of JUST such dog ken
els - thg; bus beforaI would commit suicide hero
y nov degrceA 10 jump on the dock and expedite
matters; rood morning s.r," and she was gone.
JUS 20 long ~ sucn prsCee are paid FOE honest
l00r, JUS - long - women are packed together In
lose, unvcntllated workr00Ins, Will the alarming
roStituti0n existing In this city prevail. Hest aud
0iuetnlng 70 cat are great temptations 10 the tired
md nunary anl II IA not surprising that such task
masters ~ some OF 0otharns merchants are known
70 should be deserted Tor those WHO Offer the com.
orts Of LIE a. remuneration, IL IL wonderful that
many eat, drink and before Awakng 70 ,lle con.
ciousness oI guitf 10 II strange that dlsxrace
Uses is sting wien these Ushnls, rackcd by DC.