St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-31
WOMEN WORKERS.
AGeneral Glance at st. Paui's Fe-
male Operatives.

WOMEN WORK ERS'
AGeneraI Glance at st. Paui's fe-
male Operatives.
ssThe girl of the PERIOD" that is, the in
dustrious girl, appears to fare well III OF.
Panl The enterprise OF the wholesale ana
retail houses has insured girls and young
women a large amount OF steady employ
ment. There seems to be general disposl-
ion to pay fair wages, to provide well ven
slated Work-roolns and to encourage the
koilers to pursue the ways of thrift
aud industry. In general, the en-
Movers speak well of their female assist
ans who so far have not manifested any
IeriouS discomfort.
The factory girl in the New England
sense hardly exists in st. Paul. There are
probably l, 900 girls and young women en-
Moved in the business district but it can
hardly be said that there is any
GLASS in this city corresponding to
he female wage-workers of cities
such as Lynn and Lowell. Young
women engage here in business pursuits
ALWAYS with the reservation that they may
anv day become the wives of worthy me-
chanicS, or enterprising pioneers intent
apon subduing the wilderness, not in the
dime novel style, but as plain, thrifty farm
ers. The ranks of the bread winners are
thus all the time depleted and the young
woman who is to-day engaged in the myster-
les of millinery may month later be the
helpmate of some one who has learned
from experience in the wilds of Dakota that
It is not good for man to be alone.
DAUGHTERS OF CRIsPIN.
Thre are probably more young women
employed in the shoe industry than in any
Dther About five hundred are so en-
ployed, but some of them are no longer
young. A girl generally begins in
shoe factory by sewing but
gradually learns sewing, and then she is on
the way to promotion. Sometimes the adj
vance is slow, and ten to fifteen years may
elapse before she has attained the knowl-
edge and capacity to act as forewOman.
The sewing of tops and uppers is the prin-
cipal work done by feminine hands The
earnings are from So to SO per week. The
working hours are ten, being from
Z in the morning to 6 in
the evening, with one hour allowed
for dinner. Nearly all the work is paid for
by the piece. Prices vary according to the
class of work, to 10 cents per pair being
the current rates. A man first cuts the up
per of the shoe and hands it to girl who,
aided by the sewing machine, sews it to-
gether. She hands it back to man who
puts on the lasts and soles and returns to
the cleaner, who is sometimes but not al
ways, boy. The shoe is then complete.
The forewoman gets about SIS per week,
although in Toronto it is said that she re-
ceiyeS SIS.
Girls come to the shoe factory here from
Montreal, Chicago and Milwaukee; very
of the shoe industry. AS rule the young
people in the shoe industry are neatly at
tired and work in large, well-ventilated and
well-lighted factories In summer Satllr-
day is a half day, and the girls 60 to the
country for recreation or engage in the de-
lghtful task of shopping. The shoe in
austry is rather brisk at present, as the
factories are preparing for the fall trade.
THE DRY GOODS STORES.
About 800 female hands of from II years
upward are employed by the large houses in
the wholesale dry goods trade. One house
employs on an average 100, but has some
times had 210 in its workshops. The houses
try to give continuous employment to their
female assistants, who are employed chiefly
In making shirts and overalls, as well as
linen and cotton goods of all kinds, which
require womans' handiwork. All is piece
work, and yields from $3.50 to SO per
week. The average is from S. to Sc. The
work is considered easy, but there is broad
scope for skill and taste.
DRESSMAKING.
In dressmaking employment is given to a
large number of young women. At pres
emit business is brisk, for lovely woman is
preparing her summer wardrobe, and, wo-
man-like, has deferred doing so until the
last moment. In the small establishments
where three to eight people are employed,
81 per day is deemed the regular wages,
but all do not earn so much. The
working hours are from until 6.
The ages of the employees are from Is to 25
very few Of the latter age. The young
women generally live with parents or other
relatives. When they reside at boarding
houses they pay from $3.50 to $3.50 per
week. Those who live at home generally
work for less than such as board out, be-
cause their expenses are less. Applications
for work are common, but as stated above
business has improved since the spring,
when there was hardly any.
In the large establishments, such as in
clude dressmaking with the retail dry
goods business, about 200 young women are
employed. The hours are from 7:30 to
6, and the earnings from So to $3.50.
lecting the work people, who are generally
members Of families residing in the city or
suburbs. The rooms where the sewing is
done are well lighted, well ventilated and
comfortable in both summer and winter.
THE MILLINERY INDUSTRY.
In millinery woman has field in which
machinery does not come into competition
with her skill and taste. 'sYou cannot, -
roid inf on trim hot hNrT
chinery You may do so when there are
flying machines, not before" Constant
employment may be had in millinery, for
when the wholesale branch is
dull, work may be had in the
retail. The three wholesale millinery
establishments in this city employ about
seventy-fve women. The wages range
from SO to SIS per week, the skilled hands
receiving about SO. The hours are from s
a. m. to 6 D. IN. The busy season begins
IN the middle of February and lasts until
june The girl who would learn the tart
and mystery" of millinery works without
pay for the spring and fall seasons, after
which advancement depends mainly on her
skill. In the large factories the work
rooms are comfortable. Light is essential
10 our business" said manufacturer, lit
depends so much on color and style" The
millinery business is increasing and has
already released the ladies of this good city
from dependence on Chicago or st. Louis
warerooms. Woman may now array her
self in this city in way that would eclipse
Solomon in all his glory.
HELLO! HELLO!
In the telephone business ladies have also
IN undisputed field, but not for as compli-
mentary reason as in the millinery. The
telephone, it appears, is too monotonous to
he male nerves. After a months service
IS telephone operator man is willing to
saw who'd Not 90 with woman ,,ro1,idod