The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-12
HOW OUR WOMEN WORK.
"A VISIT TO THE GREiT BOOKBTND-
ERTES or WV YORK.

hudel W OfkHnnp WIN """'h
Better workers thru the Young Women
when bookbtndiug began TO be done by
women Is beyond record; tut It Is at le'st GER
tain that many generations before womans
rights we're ever talked u, most Of the branches
which form the art u hoOkbindiog, we're
voman's work. Tho received explanation is
that the man bookhinder. VINO did the work at
home 10 a family slpp. gave bis wife ana
daughters the folding and sewing to do, while
he himself did the heavier work belonging to
The cover which l. s'ill done ~ men.
How much do women make IN this business
ttisdifrcult to strike an average. as the work is
mostly done by the ~ &c; acme departments
are moro remunerative than others; there Is a
great an constantly operating difference In the
dincrinc dpxtcrity 81 the workers and. nnallv,
there Is not work emo igh 10 oil all their time A
mart o, their "working hours " NAV be spent In
waiting for work. In the small shops they lose
time altogether In the duller periods, and In the
great and old establishments. where the loss Is
saualized as much possible anon, all the
hands. 81 course eAcn nand has less to do. The
sversge earnings NAV be m the ne'ghoorhood OF
tsaweek. vet many 10 not make more than ~
or - white the pay hook Of one OF the largest
and beat establishments showed against certain
womanly names paw week after week. ~ Ell
or sis occasionally rising rs high as fl5. and
then dropping TO e.. THIS Is when the book
binder tries TO do as mach rs she cans most ~
those who have natural skin and qu'ckne's do
FOR the Arst month ors'x weeks the learner gen
orally works for nothing.
WHAT TIE WORKS.
The various Departments OF bookblnding
which are done hy BOYS AMI women IN the
IN ,le- shops are fo.ilng. sewing, e,therins.
pollating. inserting ins,nbbins. posting, laying
on gold. feeding fol1'ng mnchines Sc. The
adult bookbnder nm most shops can do all
branches Of the business. having come sir i2ht
tles q iwn. following re the Of launr steadiy
year after year. exceft In case Of rress OF
work
An old woman. a, t- momen. uickn; W
not ~ cir Oldest one eifle-. W lkei hor round A.
Reatharer until the p''nN. lnier her feet wore
worn two-ihirds thr va. 1- wfs disc 'Ner - Al
the taking up Of tn q ou the remov II the
hepsr ment. She hld nod il the sam. foot
rtep- for quarter o: century. and she Is sill
Do YOU never tase yaca'ioni Have you
worked steadily. veir fftei year. summer and
winter. spring snd nufumnf
III never stop; wlnens earnings DO not
ADM Of vacation. wls utr reply, and she
addsd. looking a. the -eman. Who stood by !:
81 know W. Foote womb be- gl,d 70 have ~
paid more; 1t Is not mis- fault; hut we suffer
from the old custom. nd one s9ciety ~ e~taoI /,
have no vacation. Ia, wouid double Home
expenses would continue while was gone |
cannot take a vacation.
"Then, have YOU husband and chidrenf"
II h'rvo never bad husband and children,
but have always ne or more persons for
whom have provided IN mart or entirelv. I
have been a gatherer thirty wears. gathered
twent ave years on .ie .tu'e pl,nks. That was
% the floor below thi.. VS. nrsi employed bv
not the oldest: there j. woman who came
here two wears before o o.
Erayish white hair. whose g.. although .h,rp-
nned by AZ. was r"t -lrk"n-np thinner or
ege. sue was hu~iiV ul fitcljlV tt WORK. She
lives ia Brooklyn. an J. - iyi' or slippery. cold