National Republican., 1883-08-22
FAIR TYPE WRITERS.

Where They arc Employed and What
They Earn-Plensant Stories the Most
COngenlol-NOrmal Graduates who Like
10 be Independent.
Neio Yors Journal
The-e arc from 500 to 500 girls in the city
who are type writers, stonographers, or copy
lists. They form, next to teachers and ranked
with telegraphers, the most refined and we'll
educated class of working women. Almost
every girl in this class of work is we II edu-
cated-iar better than many Fifth avenue
belle, and their intelligent faces, quiet, re-
firing manners and ladylike dresses mako
them noticeable in the busy thoroughfares of
down town New York. In several Offices
dozer or moro lady type ritors or copyists
are constantly engaged. A JOurnoiior visited
an Office in the Bennett building managed by
n lady. She employs from fifteen TO twenty
stenographers and typo writers, and the place
is much patronized by lawyers and authors.
The large, well-vontilatod rooms have an or
derly, home-like appearance. No dusty piles
of papers or corners filed with trash offend
the eye, as in almost all offices where men
toll. In one window is n growing vine, in an
other u gray cat was Curlcd up sleeping con-
tentedly, while the tables were occupied by
bright, cheerful-looking girls The click,
click of the type writer was the only sound
that broke the stiffness. The whistle blew
for 12 o'clock; few of the girls stirred and
got up to wash their hands at the dainty little
green basin, but several kept at their work
until they had finished some chapter verse,
or sentence.
One of the girls mado tea, and the lunch
baskets were opened and the tempting little
sandwiches, cakes and fruit began to disap-
pear. 1t is queer to noto that the best class
of working girls are tho only ones who arU
not ashamed to carry lunch baskets. Girls
who work in the shops or factories try to con-
Ceal from strangers that they work; so they
double up their lunches in little brown pa
pers and hide them in pockets made for the
purpose.
What kind of work do you copy most ?"
asked the JOurndlier Of one young lady.
That obtained from lawyers and authors"
she said concisey.
(Which is the most pleasantW
Stories, of course. All we girls like to
do the stories best, and we take turns. de-
test n lawyers case the first part of the
second part and the second party of the first
part Is awful stuff wonder why the courts
cannot use plain English. l have to do all
that kind of work mechanically, and it is ox-
ceedingly tiresome. The worst of it is, you
arc so apt to skip line or two, and that is
considered an objectionable crime here. We
| have TO be exact That is our rule"
"What kind Of stories do you have ?" said
the Journaiier.
"Oh," said another girl, "you ought to see
inc STORY L III copying now. lU is very Inter
esting. ! want to read it through before
copy it but havn't the time and then
presume it would be dull work 10 copy it,"
"You combine business with pleasure, very
WELL" said the reporter.
'Yes, indeed" she replied. 81 used to do
| type writing in an Office on Wall street, but
disliked it very much. ! was the only girl
there and sometimes the men in the next
room q had a room to myself would forget
was there and joke and smoke tobacco and
make so much disagreeable noise. l should
not have minded it a bit if l had had another
girl with me; but sometimes l was fright
ened. They used to have boxing matches,
| and gossip ever so much"
"How much do you make a week?"
"Well never under So, and often $15 and
$1S. We girls here get salaries from $40 to
$l5 each, and our hours are from 0 until
o'clock. We are not allowed to talk, except
when necessary and at recess, so we feel as
though we were in school; at least do"
There are several similar offices in tho
city, but over two-thirds of these girls are
employed in private offices, two or three in
each, and sometimes more or less. They
generally have their own type writer, and
can command position at almost any time
Type writing is easy, and only requires prac
tice
Most Of these girls 1.-Two in Brooklyn oi
Jersey, and are generally the daughters O
American parents. They are girls who like
to be independent, and many of them are
normal school graduates.