Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-23
GIRL WORKERS IN COAL PITS.
A Picture of Underground Life in
the Realm of King Leopold.
From the OAarleros Rerue Undesirable.


From the Charlerot Reuue IndustrieIIe.
A young unmarried girl of II said in
reply TO questions: "My work in the coal
pits begins at O'Clock in the morning
and ends between 8 and II at night. l
load from sixty to seventy cars every
day. and l earn francs god. day. l
went regularly to school from my eighth
to my twelfth year. l could read once,
but have forgotten Ii all Aow. Pit work
ought TO be prohibited for girls"
Upon being pressed more closely by the
Presidents she said 1t ruined the morals of
every good looking girl. "The overssers
bride the prettiest girls by giving them
the best paid work"
A married woman said: ''The week be.
fore last my husband earned 13 francs
(11s.) He had never earned larger su m
in week. 1t Is impossible for us to live
upon such q wage. When have bought
our food and firing the whole wage is
spent; it is not enough to cover rent and
clothing"
The mother of a family replied: 81
scarcely know the taste OF meat"
Another young girl said that her work.
ing days in the pits began at 4:30 or
a. M, and closed at IL p. m. for which
she received franc 80 centimes to 9
AIdDC6s N yOuukCt oAobCI lClb VII WOIh Ab o
p. M, but she only earned 1 franc so
eentimes Is. 3D.. Nearly all the girls
volunteered, in almost the same words,
the emphatic statement, "Girls ought
not be allowed to work in the pits;" and
they were unanimous in their complaint
of the temptations put in their way by
the overseers.
The President asked each of them,
"What nourishment do you have? Do
you often take meatW
One girl replied: Three months ago
we had some meat on our table; 1 have
never tasted any SINCE" Another said:
II take q bottle of water with the fruit
every morning; cannot afford coffee"
The President asked an old workman
who had spent his life in the pits why no
effort had been made by them to bring
their condition before the notice of the
public. III would gladly have given
evidence" said he, ''but l knew that |
should be dismissed IL l told any story
about the works. My comrades have
urged me to speak for them, as have
had so long an experience. But l was
afraid TO do it."
His present wages are francs day
(1s. SD. When he was younger and
stronger he used to earn the sum OF 2
francs 80 centimes day.
The President inquired if the workers
found regular wages or pieceworK more
profitable. III .,-.
s'The day wage is miserable" said the
old man, "but piece work is no better, for
Ii the overseers find that a man earns
more by piece work, the terms are at
once lowered
One of the working-class leaders, who
was examined at great length by the
President and Commissioners, denied
that the work folk were Socialist revolu-
tionaries. They will follow any leader in
their despair, but their own actual de-
mands are very simple. The President
asked him to formulate as shortly as DOS
sible the real programme desired by the
workingmen and women in the pits.
Speaking of the employment of children,
he said: ave want the work day for
children limited to eight hours, and their
wages fixed as follows: "Children of ~
to 10 years, franc 20 centImes a day of
eight hours; from Is to 10 years, / franc
go confines; IS TO II years, 9 francs.
The President-Then you would not
abolish child labor.
1--WE would not abolish families, NV
family consists Of nine persons, only three
of us earning anything. We have to keep
six who are not earners. The united
yearly income of the three OF us who are
workers is l 800 francs."
The President asked IL they would not
like their children to go to school after the
twelfth year.
mo-" replied the workman, cit is not
possible for the parents TO wait until a
long school term is ended, as the family
needs the wages of the elder children.
We have not only to keep our young chill
dren, but also our old people. After mis-
fftieth year a man can earn little in the
pits, and is usually dismissed"
"a Il xw ha
particularly anxious to have examined.
as he is In good repute both as workman
and an orator-told the Commissioners
that the average weekly wages OF the
head OF household in'full work js from
twelve TO fourteen francs. 81 need mot
say that q family cannot live upon that:
Tho wife must work when she can, the
children as soon as they cam
A married woman, VINO had been a
worker in the coal pit, said: II am tho
mother of elk children. We are very
poor; but would rather starve than that
one OF my girls should 20 to work in the
pits. The overseers use all means in their
power to ruin the girls. II nothing else
succeeds, they will put timid young
girl to work In solitary place until she
is terrified"
When she was asked what wage her
family earned, she replied that her hus-
band had1 . francs week, and one OF
her sons so confines a day.
To the question as 10 the food OF the
family, she said; every Sunday and