Smyrna times., 1881-10-19
Working Girls Of Boston.
WHAT THEY EARN AND THE NUMBER OF
THEM.

The number and diversity of vocations
pursued by our female working population
presents field of inquiry which is COM
paratively little explored, fact of which
the eleventh annual report, rendered by
Miss Jennie Collins of Bofiin's Bower. is a
timely reminder The leading Boston in
dustry for women is the manufacture of
mems clothing for the custom and sales
goods. There are many classes of the
former, graded according to quality of
work. The custom coatmakers are those
who do every part of the work on coats
except pressing and earn compensation
of $12 to $21 week. The "bushel
women" are paid by the week and under
stand all parts of the trade. In this class
of work speed is an essential as well as
skill, the price Of "busheling job to
customer being determined according to
the time taken to do the work. Vest
making is neat and remunerative class
OF work requiring taste and skill. One
OF the most undesirable is the making of
custom pantaloons, the stitching of which
has to be done by hand OH the four long
seams, the two side pockets, watch pocket
and additional back pockets, requiring
much outlay of labor. This class of work
was advanced last spring in some estab-
lishments from $1.5O to 81 a pair. The
class of work which is called "custom-
made sale" is sub-divided into pocket
makers, seamers, oollarmakers machine
stichers, buttonhole-makers, finishers and
little ''trOt'' girls. The duty of the last
named is to carry the pieces from the
operators and pressers to the seamtresses.
The great centre of the iobbing clothing
trade in Summer street and vicinity.
A high grade of industry for girls is that
OF compositors, who are employed mainly
on the types of weekly papers and maga-
zines. Their earnings range from S. to
Sl6 week. 1t is stated that there are
about l 800 in Boston, but there is never
so large q number at work at one time.
The women's work on boots and shoes
is subdivided in a manner similar to the
clothing. The girls have no vacation, EXCEPT
by choice, as the work continues throughout
the year without intermission. The wages
earned range from 81 to $40 a week, the
latter price being secured only by those
of the best ability. That the varied in
dustries which have sprung up for women
of late years have not caused the ranks of
the housekeepers to be deserted is cyi-
denoed by the fact that there are at pres
ent in Boston, according to the statistics
OF Col. Carroll d. Wright, 1907 dOmes-
tics. In reference to the statement that
there is no occasion to furnish free dinners
, to poor girls in winter as there are so
many families in the country in want of
servants, Miss Jennie Collins AYERS that
when one shop discharges 80 on a Satur-
day night and another 20, and so on, it is
impossible to put them, one at time, in
place Is the country.
According to the statistics there are
over 10000 shopgirls in Boston, and the
inequality of natural gifts is exemplified
in the fact that many of them can earn 81
week more easily than others can earn
50. Those of the working girls who come
from the country may be ranged under
| two classes-the first of superior talent,
who seek a broader field of work than
the country affords; and second, those
who have been condemned by the senti-
ment of their associates before leaving
home. Some of the .saleswomen, it is
stated, are connected by kindred or mar
riage with the most distinguished families
in the State, and one is the direct de-
scendent of distinguished governor of
Massachusetts. As class the working
girls and women of Boston will compare
with any other element in the community
and 1t may be said that no city can pre-
sent so large an array of those who pur-
sue their own ways of support without
parting with their inherent delicacy and
grace of nature.-BOstOn Journal.