The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-22

the community and have called upon tia
Herald to investigate the matter Resoon-
sive to the appeal this paper dispatched a re-
porter to the different stores in the city
where young girls are employed as clerks
and saleswomen to ascertain exactly how
they are treated and what their grievances
are. The first OF these visited was the great
building on the corner of Fourteenth stree
and Broadway, known properly as the
Palais Royal. In this store are number
of well behaved, respectable looking youp-
women and girls who
TOLL HARD To EARN AN HONEST LIVELIHOOD.
The mean rate of salary may be stated
about 50 per week, and the hours are from
O'Clock A. NJ. until $50 o'clock p. NJ. This
seems small pay for so many hours, but the
money and the labor are the least of the
drawbacks to the situation. In the frs.
place the girls have TO stand all day long.
Not a seat for any of them can be found be-
hind counter, and no time is allowed for
dinner. The regime of this establishment
can be better explained in the language OF
one of the employees than by mere verbal
description. she was a comedy young wo-
man ofperhaps five and twenty years, dark
eyed, brunette, of middle height, aud the
sole support of a mother and one or two
smaller sisters. She was sfraid to speak to
the reporter at first, declaring that she must
not converse with anybody who was not
there TO purchase goods. His mission was
made known by the visitor, and this rendered
her still more unwilling to speak at all "Yes:
but don't yon feel at liberty" said the re-
porter, "to tell me what bylaws govern YOU
and under what unjust restrictions you la
bor?" "No, sir; I'd rather not You see
sir, we are all bnsily employed now. 1t IL
holiday times. But after the holidays We
know that some of us will be discharged.
and each of Us is fearful that it will be her
sell. We are afraid TO speak, badly of az
we are, and that is the truth" Cant you
answer one or two questions?" "No, sir;
please don't. The boss is everywhere. He
is watching us now. Do you want this fan?
No! It's cheap. can't talk to you" The
person who had caused this interruption
having passed on, the ssleswoman contin-
ued: I'VE have hard time, / may tell you
that. Don't look up, please. Take this
card and article in your hand, and examine
lt as II you were going to purchase il, and
I'll mention one or two things to you which
ought to be put in the paper, if il was only
to let the rich folk know what we poor
working-gjrls have to go through
FOR AN HONEST LIVING.
Now, sir, we come here at in the morn
ing, work all day; have to stand on our feet
till P. M; are not allowed any time for
lunch, and are fined for the least thing. Do
you see that piece of paper on the pillar near
by? Well, on it it is written that any girl
who comes into her place behind the coun-
ter with an apron, without white biD will
be fined 81. That seems q slight grievance.
but assure you it is not. It's,no Joke to have
to wash and iron your own bibs and aprons
at home nights after ten hours long standing
behind one OF these cases as one mustdo, not
being able TO afford the luxury of washer
woman. "Do any of the girls complain of
this practice OF keeping them standing all
day?" They do even worse than that.
One OF them tainted to-day and had to 90
home. But you must leave me now, sir;
here's a customer" The reporter left, and
next turning down Fourteenth street,
paused before the msgDificently decorated
store at the corner of Sixth avenue. 1t was
all Christmas without, but something less
joyful within. This was Macy's great en-
porium, with its fine show windows, crowds
OF visitors and hundreds OF young girl
clerks, cash messengers and saleswomeD.
There is said to be nearly, if not quite, 400
young women engaged at this place during
this holiday season. They range in age
from the tenderest years, say nine or ten,
to twenty or twenty-five, and are pretty and
well clad. How they can be so is one of the
of New York life yet to be ex-
planned. The average rate Of wages paid
to these young people at this establishment
stipend they toll from eight A. M. until
nine P. M, at this time of year, and without
sitting down. Indeed,
CHAIR OR STOOL Is UNKNOWN
inside any of the counters except at the
iesks of the cash or check women. One of
hese young persons related to the reporter
evening that she and her sister
Jerks are fatigued beyond measure, and al
most beyond endurance, by this terrible
train on their physical powers. They are
Kept going all day long, and if they were
lot, they have no opportunity or means of
esting other than what may be found on
he floor or counters. This young girl was
Ifraid to say much to the reporter lest some-
,ody should overhear and have her dis
harged. Fines, she said, were i'm
POSED On them for the slightest dere-
lotion, but they did not mind that so
much as the fatigue consequent on the
ong hours they were compelled to stand
Without cessation or a minutes rest. The
Employer, she said, claimed that because
hey were allowed to quit work in the regu-
ar season at noon on Saturday the extra
ime required of them now was nothing
more than fair compensation for the indul-
ence. The same complaints about the diff
ulty of keeping on their feet from early
norning until late at night was made to the
eporter by the young ladies at Ridley &
of Is, corner of Grand and Allen streets,
nd other places. To remedy this by call
ng public attention to it is the aim of the
Working Women's Protective Union.
A very well bred and exceedingly digni-
oitx