The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-09-23
English NeedlewOmen.

The needle women Of Liverpool have
been holding meetings, for the purpose
Of procuring IN increase Of pay fer their
hard labor. A Mr.. Stimson, who takes
a great interest in the workiug.classes,
preudes at their assemblies, and the
ssacts brought to light show that the con-
dition OF the English needle.women is,
indeed, deploable. One woman, n man
Tie maker, stated that she worked twelve
hours day, with au allowance of av
hour and half for meals. When the
inspector came to visitthe workroom the
employer represented that there were
fewer people in the house than there
usually were, her object being to get the
establishment under the Workshop Act
instead OF the Factory Act, SO us TO be
able to keep her workwomen to later
hour. The wages ranged from five shil-
lings to twelve sbillings week, and for
these sums the women bad to keep them
selves.
The mantle makers, however would
seem to be much better paid than the
plain sewers. One young woman, n
plain sewer, said she worked eleven hours
dry and received permanent salary
OF seven shillings q week, and she was
the best machinist in the room. II this
Is the wages of the best il may be i'm.
agined what the bad machinists receive.
One old woman, who said she had been
forty years plain sewer, actually assert
ed that she had worked fvo days for
eighteen pence. A middle.nged woman
said she had worked atsackmaking from
hali-past seven in the morning till six in
the evening, with half an hour for din.
ner, and she got four shillings a week.
A young woman snid she was a macllin.
ist and made youths single jackets, for
which she was paid ct the rate Of FIVE
pence for four. It took her half OF the
day to make the four. When shc came
out ut night she added. after working o
heavy machine all day, she could hardly
stand on her feet,
But even this statement Is surpassed
by that ofanother muchinist, who makes
gentlemen's trousers, and who said she
was paid three shlllings q dozen, or for
the very best four shillings. "Ii We
worked" she explained, "from six o'clock
in the morning until twelve at night, We
might manage with the assistance OF n
basler to make half.a.dozen." "That
is" asked Mr.. Simpson, "two shillings
for working eighteen hours, and out Of
that sum you find your own thread and
silk ?" To which she replied Eyes"
Another young women said she got
three.lalf.pence n dozen for making
linen cuffs and collars, She could earn
five pence day by working from nine
to seven. That was as much as others
earned. A correspondent OF the Liver
pool Albion, who has been investigating
the matter, confirms many OF the above
statements.
The following is description oil one
OF the abuye establishments visited by
him: "The workrooms arc two cellars,
each fifteen feet by eighteen feet, the
floors being nine feet SIX inches beneath
the level OF the roadway. An opening
las been made in the partition wall so Us
to connect the two cellars. Workshops
less likely to fulfil the conditions Of
health it would be rather difficult TO con-
ceive. One OF the cellars contained FIVE
machines and the other three. The
proprietor informed US that he employ
cd sixteen or seventeen hands, inclu-
ding his wife and himself, but at the time
Of our visit thele was no work going on
in one OF the cellars. In the other there
were nine girls aud women, some at
work and others takinga tea dinner.
The countenance Of all, proprietor and
proprietor's wife, women and girls-bore
sallow evidence Of the effects OF spend
ing many hours q day in n close place.
It Is but fair to add that the profits Of
the sweater appear to be anything but
excessive. He Is, in fact, but contrac-
tor for tho shops, and Is himself nearly
as poor rs those he employs