Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-24
LOWELL.
How the Factory Girls Live
White Slavery.

Mr.. Jerome B. Stillson, a correspond.
ent of the World, (better known as 81
B. S., has been flirting a trife with
the Lowell factory girls, of which he
publishes an account in Saturday s
World, from which we learn the follow
ing interesting facts
Lowell has a population of thirty
two thousand females and fifteen thous
and males, comprising six thousand four
hundred families. Sixteen thousand of
the population are bachelors, maids,
orphans "and people disconnected from
home" About 25, 900 men, women and
children are employed about the cotton,
wooden and iron mills, of which there
are forty eight of large size, run by
water of 10000 horse power Fourteen
millions of dollars of capital stock are
used here the mills have 100000 spin
dies and $4,000 looms 2,25O,O0O of
yards of cotton goods, 10000 yards of
wooden goods, $4,000 yards of carpets,
25,0 90 shawls, and 5000 dozen pairs of
hose are manufactured every week.
The female laborers work from 1850
to 3 75 per week the male from S120 to
50 90 per day, and board themselves.
The Merrimac Manufacturing Company's
mills are the most extensive, and employ
a capital of two and a half millions of
dollars. Nearly all the manufacturing
corporations here own land adjacent to
the mills, upon which dwelling and
boarding houses are erected at the COM
panies' cost The dwelling houses are
leased to the officers of the companies.
The boarding houses are leased to land
lords OF landladies, with whom the COM
panies arrange for the board of a
certain number of operatives, or for the
price of board of each operative The
price of board is determined between
the companies agents and the landlords
and landladies, as, also, are. the varia-
tions of the price which may result from
the stringency or the case of the times
The operatives have, therefore, no bar
gaining to do in the matter They
simply pay the price which may be
price the most economical
that can be maintained. The keepers
Of the boarding houses are held to
strict account by the agents. Rules are
according to which none of
the girls are suffered to be out after a
certain hour in the evening, and the
houses are closed at 10 o'clock pm.
On the grounds of this company
Tatchman is detailed, whose duty it is to
report any violations of these rules or
any Irregularities that may come under
bis notice. Their meals have to be on
the table at just such minute. Break
asst at six o'clock, so they can be in the
mills and at work at half past six The
irst bell rings at half past four in the
morning the SECOND bell at half past
i've, and the bell for them to go to the
actory, at twenty minutes past six.
they have thirty-fye minutes to eat
heir dinner in. The bell rings at noon,
md they must commence work at
quarter to one. They stop at half-past
tx in the afternoon, except Saturdays,
ghen they let them out at five.
These boarding houses have a very
nice parlor and sitting room in which
he girls huddle together during the
winter evenings, as they can not afford
o have fire in their rooms.
A gOssiping landlady showed the cor
to some of the girls rooms,
md entertained him with the following
DISCOURSE
"You cant expect to find Brussels
carpets and fine chimney ornaments
everywhere, she proceeded, with a
hrewd, sad smile. "This is how girls
i've who have to work for it, and who
nay thank their stars and me that things
ire kept clean, anyway. There's a
specimen wardrobe, hanging against the
vail. Look for yourself-dresses, night
gowns, underclothes, and all Not |
many fine dresses, you say. Well, if |
hat little trunk over there was un-
ocked and thrown open, you'd be aston
shed to see what is in it. Trust me
here ain't many girls who don't. keep |
me nice suit stoWed away to wear on
sundays and at parties, or when a
gentleman. comes to take them to a |
ecture. There are some who don't, to |
De sure. I've got some girls who haven't |
,een out of the house after they came |
lone from work since / can remem-
)er.
They get too tired, 1 supposeY'
Tired Tired is no name for it. I've /
cen girls come in here at night tremb-
ing all over like leaves, with no more
ppetite than as if they hadn't sto M
'chs. All they wanted to do vas to
.rawl up stairs and fall down on their
,eds and grOan."
The correspondent expressing desire
o have conversation with some Of the |
iris, was invited TO call in the evening,
which he did, and was shown into par
or, where to him .'reaecting upon the
lumber and variety of firtations which i
lad been carried oa in that very parlor,"
PRESENTLY appeared "three dignifed
roung women of repressed demeanor,
Vho ourtesied extremely low.
After quite lengthy conversation.
portions of which are detailed and show
hat their title tattle was no more or no
ess insipid than that of an accomplished
school miss but which, never
heless, jenkins informs ns, "served,
rom first to last to strengthen the fibre
f his respect for the young women who
,ranted him there presence" He left
hem to indulge the following evidently
cry appropriate and just reflections:
Their pride did not suffer them to
omplain, or reveal ONE half the straits
f their condition; they defended what
Gas suggested as cruel or unfortunate,
nd palliated what was indefensible. 1t
Vas easy enough to see that they tOiied
nd lived under system of slavery as abb
olute as that dead-and-gone system
gainst the phantasm of which Mr..
Wendell Phillips still thunders through
he Antt-Siarery Standard and from
he rostrums of lecture halls throughout
he land
The shadow of a tree, made by the
noon, was photographed in water, which
i. Il l..