The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-06-17
EosToNAND woKING WOMEN.
4 prr1ABrr PICTURE.

III y Il
CExtract from the last report of the Massachu-
setts Bareau of labor statisties.l
In Boston, large proportion are
workers IN shops. We Will take.one
trade, that of tailoresses and cloak
makers; they so to their work at I'll
almost without any warm breakfast;-
they work till 10, and then perhaps
have few minutes rest, when the
little teapot is set on the range and a
lunch of dry food each; but in most
sof the low-priced establishments the
girls do not stop work till II, when in
all they are allowed from 80 to 60 min
hutes for dinner. Work, ends at five
P. NJ, and many of the girls take work
home with them, not ceasing work till
midnight. Room rent costs not ess than
s$2fto So each, with often two or more
double beds in a room. In good
shops, and with brisk work, they can
earn about 81 day. Some machine
girls receive more, but the work is
very wearing, and induces spinal dis
ease; one of our largest, as well as
Skindest, custom-work merchant
tailors, testified to q committee of in
quiry that few " machine girls" could
work over two years before becoming
sobroken down that they were ever after
unit for labor. In slopwork shops
girs can seldom earn more than their
room rent, except by -overwork. In
I slack times their suffering is extreme; !;
girls having been known to work
weeks with only water and bread, or
crackers for food, and fortunate if able
to procure an ounce of tea. In dull
times, many have lived for weeks on
five cents worth each of stale bread
per week while seeking work. The
lodging house keepers charge working
women higher rates than men; many
refuse to have them in their house at
any price. Hence they are often
obliged to live and sleep in localities
where they would be ashamed to let
any one know they ever went. Yet
few ever break down morally or be-
come untidy In dress. Those women
who take work home from the slop-
shops, prosident, aid and other char
liable societies receive as follows
Shirts, 4 to cents, fine bosomed
shirts, 10 to 25 cents; SATIN vests, ~
cents; pants 15 ,20and37 cents coats; 20
cents; Ere ach calico suits, lined sacks,
faced skirt, 20 cents; long white night
dresses, 5U cents. OF ~, 900 women
in and about Boston who live by sew
ing, very few earn over S12 Il week.
the average of wages do not exceed 81
IS. Many poor women take this siop
and charity work III quantities, and
give it to others to do, still further
lessing the receipts OF the actual work
ers, who are usually women with small
families dependent upon their labor
for support. Paper-Dox makers av-
erage about 50 per week.
Factory life Is much harder ON wo-
men than it was twenty i've years ago;
instead of tending two looms as then,
she Is required TO tend SIX, wnIle a
weeks work now will prodnce as much
comfort as when she only tended one
loom. Very few working women of
any class ever have a good bed wili
sufficient bed covering. Their wages
will not allow them to purchase warm
flannel under-garments or serviceable
shoes, waterproofs, etc. Few are ey-
er exempt from diseases caused by
scanty clothing, insufficient innutri-
tious food, and log continueds slabor
in deIeter1ous conditions. The con-
slant pressure of anxiety breaks down
many girls physically, and too often
morally, before they reach the prime
of life. All avenues of employment
are oyercrowded.