Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-01-03
NEW Y0RKs WOMEN WORKERS
How Hard It Is for Them to strike
the Proper Demeanor--- Working
for Commercial Firms.

New York Cor. Milwaukee Sentinol1
"Upon my word," said young lady In
the position Of receiving clerk in the main
office Of tile Western Union telegraph Office,
'it doesn't seem to ME that TIE men who do
business have brains enough to keep thom
out of the poorhouse if they had to work for
other people. You've no idea how difficult
it is to strike just tho right sort Of demeanor
in place like this. The manager tell as
that we must be nice and amiabls, and never
curt or saucy That's all very well, but we
find that it won't do to obey those orders too
fully. 1t don't take more than half
smile, or more than word sweetly spoken,
to excite insulting familiarity in good
many customers. get mad enough twenty
times day to strike my fist right through
that wicket, into their silly, aggravating,
mawkish faces"
Notwithstanding the sentimental disabili-
ties which masculine idiocy thus imposes on
women, they are getting along first rate in
New York In making their way into good
employment Ten years ago the needle and
sewing machine provided the only work for
them above mental positions Clerkships in
stores were opened more and more to them,
until at present they outnumber men ten to
one behind our retail counters. But it re-
mains for the type writer, by its introduction
generally into mercantile and professional
offices, to provide wages for women
of education and naturally bright intel
lects. Tho different makes of these ma
chimes are clicking by the thousand in this
city. The operators commonly attain a
speed of 2O00 words an hour; which is about as
fast as the merchant, tho lawyer or the
journalist cares to dictate letters, documents,
or articles. Scarcely brokers' office in Wall
street is without female amanuensis There
Is q reason, aside from the fact that these
women are glad to work for less pay than
men Of equal attainments would accept, for
preferring them as private secretaries The
person i'll such position necessarily gets at
the secrets Of his employer. 1t is notorious,
for instance that men acting in this capacity
for Jay Gould have enriched themselves by
making use Of knowledge obtained in the
course of their duty.
Now, it may be that women are worse than
men at keeping secrets, but it is also true
that they are not so ready to use them for
mercenaly purposes In the copying OF
legal papers and other manuscripts, these
nimble- fingered machinists find an extensive
industry; and here the requirements arc Of q
lower order than for writing for dictation,
since the latter necessitatos expertness in or
biography. In one of tho commercial agen-
cies where tho business consists largely in
furnishing reports to Subscribers, made
up of quotations from the recorded ratings,
saw over 200 girls at work IN a single room.
1t may be long time before women will be
permitted to vote or will have any desire TO-
but the means of independent and pleasant
livelihood are rapidly opening to her in
various sections The hardest obstacle which
she encounters is the on0 that have already
described. Too many men have yet to learn
to treat her respectfully in business life.