Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-05
WORK FOR THE WOMEN.
Great Progress Making Throughout
the South.
columbus Ca Enaulrer.sun.


Not great while ago the following para
graph appeared In the Charleston Is. c.
| Netrs and Courier:
For the first time in the history OF
Charleston call is made for a considerable
number of women and girls 10 be employed
In the manufacturing industries, and the
large class wh0shzve always found it 80 diff
cult to obtain remunerative occupation are
now given an opportunity TO work out their
own independence in Charleston, as is done
elsewhere. Although Charleston is behind
other places in finding occupation for young
women and girls, il is to be hoped that, now
that start has been made, this city will
soon be as far advanced as more energetic
neighbors."
There is great deal more contained in
the above paragraph tn an would be obser we'd
by casual glance. Charleston is city of
near 10000 inhabitants, and il ia indeed
sad thought that women who are thrown
upon their own resources, or upon those
with whom il is struggle for daily susie
nance, are without any means OF obtaining
employment. 1t is only necessary to present
few facts to show the great benefit TO be de-
rived by the establishment of well-regulated
factories, and We take, for instance, our own
city. Here in Columbus we have 10000
spindles and 1000 looms, besides other in
dustries, giving employment to 27S0 hands
L
than $617 200, and this with population less
than one-half that of Charleston, in round
numbers being 10000. OF the hands thus
employed very large majority OF them are
women, who receive remunerative wages;
others of them are girls and boys, who would
be but idle brats upon the public thorough
fares were it not for the mills. The thrift
and prosperity which characterize Columbus
as one OF the most progressive cities in the
South, aud the leading one in its enterprises,
is largely due 10 u varied industries, giving
remunerative employment TO all classes
1t may also be observed that the city of
Newark, n. j., one, of the manufacturing
towns of the North, shows how manufactures
build up cities. Out OF population Of $780,
600 over Al 900 are employed in manufac-
lures OF various kinds. The wages paid out
last year were $l4,784 1888, and the value of
the manufactured products was 500 1856, 766.
Philadelphia, the great manufacturing city
OF this country, with population of $780,
600, has over 100000 persons regularly en-
pfoyed at wages in the factories. A large
proportion of those employed are women,
and the value of the productions last year
exceeded S400000,000. During the last ten
years 900 people have been added to the
population, 1900 new mills and factories
have been built, and thirty square miles have
been added TO the built-up area of the city.
But it is unnecessary to go SO far from
home TO show the Importance which attaches
to the increase of this particular industry.
In all parts of the South new mills and fac
tories of different kinds are springing up,
and in cotton alone the increase has been
from 100000 spindles, employing IL 800
people and consuming os.66S, 629 pounds of
cotton in 1860, to IA 900 spindles, employ
ing 22,228 people and consuming 1O1 ,937 ,256
pounds of cotton in 1880. Only yesterday
morning we presented figures showing an in
crease OF 361, 900 spindles, consuming annu-
ally 100000 bales of cotton, within less
period than two years since 1880.
The amount of money paid out for wages |
aids very materially in infusing new life and |
vigor into trade and adds largely to the |
comfort and enjoyment of the large body OF |
persons who are dependent upon their own |
II, instead of whole family |
being dependent on the work of one man,
who may be idle for several months in the |
summer, each member of the family, includ-
ng the growing girls, could contribute to the
weeks expenses, how many light hearts
here would be. This is what manufactures
10 for place.