New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-24
Acoo,onanied BIZ DIR. Hertyberg, the United States


work peoples houses of St.Etienne. large major
itv of tine places we visited ODE. Hertyberg assur-
ing me that we exploring the industrial
ouarters of the city) filthy, scantiy furnished,
the staircases leading to them coated with dirt OF
years standing, the air unfit to be breathed; IN
short squalor and misery were to be seen on all
hands equal to that of South Wales the Black
Country. the industrial quarters of Manchester or
Sheffield. Without actually seeing these miserable
dwellings, few people fully appreciate what
they really are. There are tail tenement-houses
which are occupied by a more prosperous set of
operatives who earning better wages, but even
their places look dirty and gloomy.
After passing few hours among the homes OF
the work-people it is with no small degree of
amazement that stranger examines the artistic
production of the loom, the exquisite designs and
beautiful tints of the velvet or silk ribbons for
which St Etienne has gained worldwide fame.
The ribbon trade seems good deal like politics,
both parties cannot be in at once When ''velvets"
are booming, silks" are stirring. When "plushes"
are "ragng, the other vendors retire in misery
and DESPAIR AT the present moment "velvets"
are H. and thercsultis wages have increased for
experts in that line and they from 81 60 to
81 so a day "In fact" said one manufacturer
me- "the number Of velvet weavers has not been
up to the present time sufficient to cover the
actual demand, IN consequence of which good
many silk-ribton wcavers have abandoned their
ribbon looms and taken up velvet weaving"
But il seems that only the men who worked what
is called the tambour loom could take up velvet
weaving. So this leaves the plain silk-rbbon
| manufactures short of hands Just at a time when
the SUI is beginning to break through the clouds
and theiriudustry is recovering. The wages have
/ almost doubled for the weavers on the tamDour
looms hut this is partly due To the fact that before
| the recent rise they had been extremely low. -
| The jacquard looms. tiud are amost unoccnP,ed,
| and as the weaYers are unable TO take up VeNet
| weaving, many OF them are out oil WORK.
| The small masters owning half dozen looms,
! masters that the manufacturers dcaD, make fair
| income. The rents charged are sometilnes most
extortiohate, and the condition OF affairs Is not
| unlike that which for years prevailed IN the
| oice ter and Nottingham hosiery district before
| Parliament abolished stocking-frame rents.
| interviewed Que Of the largest velvet-rlODon
manufacturer. in St. Etienne. THIS gentleman en-
ploys over 200 hands, but requested, for obvious
reasons, thai his name should not be published
| "HOw is the ribbon industry OF 81. Gtehle C'u-
red ut the present timer -. ,...
Tier are two methods in vogue in this district;
! First the weaver is the owner of the loom ana
| works at his own risk, This state of things, al
though giving satisfaction TO the s',lt-conplacehcy
OF the working class, has been III me Iohg run
| nursery for discomfort and socialism. l cannon
state exactly the ayeTa-e earnings under inns
system, but should say from sixty cents 10 81 q
d1V during full work. In bad times these men are
the first 10 suffer- a. they have no capital and the
! capitalist has no interest III them save I" eNo
"WEat about the factory systemf
velvet ribbon is also made IN large factories
with steam and water power. In snth estabnshii
treus we can ascertain the exact WAGES pald ana
! il will give me pleasure to submit TO you the Az
! stracts FROM my books Tor the year Just closed.
This lnanufactarcr then CAV ne me ngu tfs
I average earnings for wcavcrs (Inonl Tor tue year
| had been siXty-iiye cents da&; Tor winters
! (y5omeul thirty cents day. ms gives u very
accurate idea of the factory earnings. which,
! though less han the weavcrs working ia Jhcr own
homes has ia" advantage OF regularity SO that ~
| the long run the operatives are about equaIIy "eH
Society at 81. Etienne is not particularly inter
es ing. The Peiect aud his fanny ana tng o,mra
! officials form in Themselves a sort OF miniature
! court. They load socially. The dincuIty huN"Nsr,
is TO find any body l.! the town good enough ioI
! these high functiOneries - cad Icing appolht'u
/ hy the National Government the 0ucials are uot
dependant upon Tie local votes As RUE tne
! small manufacturers and tradesinen are ehtiTciy
| ignorant, and haf-dOzen OF the Wealthicst man
! ufactuTeI~ form the upper crust" OF Tie toNh'
But even these spend mucn OF their Time IN rarls,
and VIII not allow thelf daughters !" mani tn'it
debut in society at 81. Etlehne. An American adS
81 high s0ciaI position informed me that sue hau
attended "A lew nicely conducted balls and pleasant
/ ,artIes a. St EtIenne. For snort tine in the
yrra ta.ry good theatre and occasional opera pro-
vldos ohtertaIninent Tor the long evenings
There rs .iIle public spirit among those who
hayrtnadc ont of the Goa. nmes the steer ana
mon and the skliul weaycrs of II. Etcnne.
The WORE pcOrie naturally partake something OF
tneir SURROUNDINGS. lac distnct /, the hul-pcd OF
socialism. and the wearers OF the kcd Caps parade
u.
! own way. At me other extreme Is the Jesutcal
party, with "A college, a nunncry, a mum er OF
indie ", Oid churches, and band ol not over tidy
priests XnU by no means add 10 the JoJOnSnesH OI
! The place. there II SOFT of Oriental splendQr
ABOUT al least one pablo binding me iioleI de
| Vile. he Post Once, a miserable bruken-doWh
| store where the people have 60 wait hours l"f
TER mai, rather tones down the magnhcence
! oi the Cided iOwn-hall.
| Though containing 900 inhabitants, ST.
Etlenne seems be limited ~ Its piuces OF alnuse-
| uaut On the first day of my visit some stIOiilhg
| plavcrs. wandering side-Show or two, the propri-
et.Ts OF a few gingerbread booths and merry-go-
| rounds mad assembled, and wegs unpackhg pre-
! palatury 10 holding "A far, on one Oh the PuJlic
! sui,aresin this pan OF tie town. legged children,
! h'Iupkins in CROWN snocks and idiers OF all de-
scrIptIons gazed al tine chaos OF painted wood ana
| canvas adI wondered at the wOTkers AS II aSSuiind
/ FORM and shape. TO tine wOrking-pcople ms
| seemed the most observation-disclosures the town
| afforded, though an American might nave sought
refuge from tne snOAe, the SqualOr ana the aust In
| a GA. winch announced poster type on the WIN
| dow "Jocki.!is and ali American Drinks MIX
| Punch enterprise one even lndS IN such towns
! 49, - Etirnue ROBEiT T. foRTER.