The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-08-23
wOMANLY INDUSTRY.
Young women az the London Tele.
graph office

The usual picture OF woman's work Is
SO dark and icribldding that we hail with
ge luine pleasure this glimpse of womani y
industry given by Anthony Trollope IN
Good Words" Eight hundred young
women at work, ell il one room, sll
looking omfortsble, most OF them look
ing pretty, earning fair wages at easy
work. work lit for women TO do; work al
which they can sit and rest aud not be
weary. with kitchen at hand and hot
dinner in the middle of the day, with
leave of absence without stoppage OF pay
every year, with doctor for sickness, and
pension for Old age and incompetence
TOR the young women IS years roll on
will become od-wilh only eight hours
of work, never before s o'clock in the
morning and never after S at night, with
female superiuIeudents, and the chance
of rising 10 be II superintendent open to
each girl.
Anl this in government office, under
government surveillance, and al this mas
sprung into existence curing the last
eight wears; and when We see 500 womel
at work in one room, 500 !e'nsle govern
tut0L clerks We lSC4 bbaN hCtu'o : H'''
been done for them. Every body knows
the Genersl Postotfice, in ST. Msrtln's-'e-
Grand. near st. Pauis. Everybody
K ows that there are now two great post
offices NJ the same place, facing each
other, the eldest one having been found
altogether insufiicien tor the purposes re-
quired, although when 1t WAS first opened,
about torty-fve years ago, it was suppos ed
I be absurdly large for any possible re-
quirements which the country could nave
for such building. Those who pass from
Cheapside into Newgste street, after the
lamps have been lighted, may observe,
% looking up, that the whole top floor
OF the new building Is illuminated. 1t
is here that the 500 young women are at
work, aud their business consists IN the
receipt and dispatch OF telegraph IN essa-
ges.
The work on which they are all en-
gagged is performed IN one large rOom-a
room that appears to be low because OF
its great size.
The stranger, If he be at al such 3
stranger rs |. was will think great deal
more about the youEg women than the
teiegraphiug. To those who are the
m 4sters in the place, who have used their
skill and science in concentrating so much
that i, useful il one place, and are thor
oughly aware of the Importance OF the
Interests which are COufided to their
charge, the security and expedition and
cheapness OF the messages are, OF course,
the points Of attraction. To me 1t was
the condition of the girls-their appear
auce. their welfare, their responsibility,
their immediate comfort, their future
prospects, their coming husbands. their
capabilities, their utility, and their APP
propriateness in that place.
Mr. Trollope then devotes
several pages to the interesting details OF
their work After discovering that st
least 800 women can keep secret (secresy
is essentially there seems to be 30 ground
for fearing that any undue use Is even
made ctthe multi udinous communica.
tions which are always passing under the
eyes Of these Young women, he asks
further: Tome. how many dismissals
did You have during last year? For | had
known much OF the civil service myself
and haI been aware that in dealing with
large bodies OF men the eXerciSers OF
disciple must nave recourse TO that last
means of declaring that obedience and
order are pensshle.' Dismissed?
said my friend Yes. We have had y
dismissal. Miss was dismissed.
But 1t seems to me q long time ago. I'll
get the books" The books were got, and
ii appeared that the unfortunate one
ramrl had been sent awsy at some time
j. ls73 From body of public servants
"a. 4rse ss regiment there nan been no
Glsmis,:l in four years. You, Mr.. Editor,
a~a much concerned with the conduct Of
u large population in q large city. " hat
Il you think ot this representation as to
the conduct q. so young women IN the
middle OF the metropolis They who
have ausht TO with the employment of
many persons, whether IN the civil ser
vice or in private enterprise, will, | think,
arknowl ledge that this shows an amount
o. success over which there may be some
triumphant rejoicing.