The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-12-02
WOMEN's WORK
prominent Business Houses that Cav,
Them Employment in New Orleans.
AN ExAMpLE roR orHrR cnm,lr-,-rrIl :.


!. AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER CoMMUNrrIRs
t Probably one of the most unfortunat,
characteristics of the Southern people. and
) notably the people of New Orleans ha,
: been an unwarrantable inclination to frowu
down any attempt on the part of women I,
earn living outside of the school house OF
J away from the needle and sewing machine
This feeling, doubtless the result of lone
years OF prosperity, retained such a strong
hold upon the South that when the war was
ended and the country impoverished. many
thousands of women were deferred from
making an honorable living through fear OF
losing social caste
: Gradually, but surely, this narrow view
is fading before the dictates of reason, and a
broader and more generous principle is find
ing Its way into the hearts of the commu
nifty Year after year new fields of labor
are being opened to the sex and as it steps
forward to take advantage of opportunities
offered society smiles approvngly
| There Is certainly class of people who
| through mistaken ideas of delicacy, are in
| cllEed to discountenance any effort on the
part OF woman to earn a livelihood, but
the better thinking class entertain no such
| false scruples.
The character ola lady, and her conse>
| quent standing in society is dependent en-
| tirely upon her own actions. To be respect
ed must be to merit respect, and that is as
| easily done behind a counter or in an Office
as in a drawing room.
1t Is unjust to suppose that a woman
should be debarred the privilege of entering,
as competitor, the arena of industrial life,
merely because she is woman, and no
right minded person will censure her for
doing so.
1t is not the intention of the writer, how
ever, to discuss the subject in detail but
rather to inform readers of the States of
what is and can be done by women in New
Orleans towards making an Independent liv~
ing.
OF course female labor is weak and un-
skilled, and therefore is not of the same
value to employers as the labor of men would
be in the same positions. Consequently, in
most instances smaller salaries are paid
them. But it does not follow because a
woman cannot earn as much as a man that |
she cannot obtain the proper remuneration |
for her work. In a number of cases, as will |
appear further on, salaries as Eigh as
twentyand twenty-five dollars week are
paid to careful and rapid work women.
If the number Of females engaged in differ
ent branches of industry in this city could
be appropriated here, the announcement
would probably astonish great many read
ers.
OF the number engaged in such institu-
tons as the Mint, Postoffice, public libraries,
etc, 1t is unnecessary to speak, as they are !
omparatively few. The particular class TO !
which this article has reference are employ :
ed in stores and manufactures, and are, !
therefore, more constantly brought under :
public notice than any other.
The limited space at command will not {
permit an enumeration of all the different '
employing female labor, con- S
'equently the brief mention of few must t
suffice for the present. /
The dry goods establishment of Mr.. d. H. :
Holmes employs eighteen lady clerks, and !
pays them salaries ranging from So to $12
Der week.
The Messrs. Danziger employ twenty-five 6
aides as saleswomen, and pay from 81 to
BIZ per week.
A. Shwartz & Son employ ten lady clerks,
md pay from So to $l2 per week
Each of the above named houses employ ;
| large number of needlewomen, who are
1aid for their work per piece.
Mr.. Kreeger employs in his glove and {
ancy goods depot thirteen ladies, and paws [
hem from Sc to IS per week, beside premi- :
inns on sales, which enables them to earn ,
IS much as SIS and $50 per week in very !
busy seasons.
Madame Rosa Reynoir has twenty-five
aides in her employ, and pays them salaries
angling from $40 to $50 per month. Their /
business Is that OF trimming hats and max =
ng fancy millinery goods I
Each of these several employees state that 9
he fact of the ladies holding the positions :
hat they do, does not detract in the least :
rom their social standing. Quite a num-
'er of them are members of the first social '
ircles, and are treated with the greatest a
eference by persons doing business with r
hem. 7
Although it was not the intention of the T
1riter to include in this article the manu- G
actories, he cannot close without mention
ng the firm of S. Hernshein & Brother. d
These gentlemen employ in their cigar J.
actory go women and girls and are will c
ng to give remunerative employment to f
ny number Of females who may desire it.
The girls employed in this establishment :
re required to report in the morning at 7 =
clock and to cease work at a quarter to ="
tx in the evening. They are provided with v
very convenience and are treated with the a
reatest consideration. o