The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-19
WORKERS In COAL PITS.
GIRLS WHO LABOR EIGHTEEN
HOURS A DAY.
Startling Story OF Underground Life
in the Realm Of King
Leopold.

lu INC hChlm VI INNS
Leopold.
A young unmarried girl OF IL said,
in reply to questions: my work in
the coal pits begins at 5 O'Clock in the
morning and ends between 8 and il
at night. / lead from sixty to seventy
cars every day, and / earn 2 francs q
dsy. went regularly to school from
my eighth to my twelfth ye.r.
could read once, but l have forgotten
it all now. Pit work ought to be pro
hibited for girls"
Upon beiog questioned more closely
by the president she said il ruined the
morals of every good looking girl.
1.-THE oven eels bribe the prettiest
girls by giving them the best paid
work F"
A married WON an eaid: "The week
before last my husband earned Is
francs. He had never earned a larger
sum in a wesk 1t is impossible for
us to live upon tuch a 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 family replied: 81
scarcely know the taste Of meat"
Another young girl ca d that her
working day in the pits began at 4.30
or 5 o'clock m. and cl, sed at II
o'clcck pm, for which she received !
fraIc 80 confines to 2 bancs. A
young sis er left off work at 6 o'clock
pm, but she only earned franc 80
centimes. Nealy all the girls volun-
tseIed in almost the same words, the
emphatic sta.emsn': "Girls ought not
to be allowed TO work in the pits"
aud they were unanimous in their
complsiut OF the temp atoms put in
their way by the overssers.
The president asked each OF them
"What nourishment do you have?
Do you often take msat ~
One girl rerliel: "Thres n ontds
ago We had some meat on our table; /
have never tss ed any since" Ar
other said: 81 take bottle OF water
with the fruit every morning; can
not afford Coffee"
The PRESIDENT asked an cd work
man who had spent his life in the pits
why no effort had been made by the m
to bring their condition before the
notice OF the pubic. IL would gladly
have given evidence" said he, but l
knew ! should be dismissed II told
any story about tho works. My COM
rades have urge d me TO speak Tor them,
AZ / have had 30 long an experience.
Dut I WAS afraid IN do IL
His present wsgs are 2 francs day.
When he was younger and IT. one or he
used to earn the sum Of 2 francs and
80 Centimes day.
The president asked if the workers
found regular wages or piecework the
more profitable.
"The day wsge is miserable" said
the old man, "but piecework TO bet
ter, for II the oveIsees find that man
earns more by piecework, the terms
are at once lowered"
One OF the working class leaders,
who ives examined at great length by
the president and commissioners, de-
MED that the work folk vera soc alist
revolutlonaries. They will follow any
leader in their despair, but their own
actual demands are very simple. The
president asked him to formulate as
sho rtly as possible the real programme
desired W nc working men and
women Ia the pits. l..
Speaking OF the employment Of
children he said: 1--WE want the work
day for children limited to eight hours,
and their wages fixed as follows:
Children of IL to Is years, franc 20
centimes day OF eight hours; from
Is to l5yea's, | franc go centimes; 10
to IL years, 2 francs
The PSesident--Then you would
not abolish child labor?
I'VE would not abolish families.
My family Consists OF nine perso ns,
only three Of us earning anything.
We lave to- keep six who are not
earneis. The united yearly income OF
the three of us who are workers is
1900 francs"
The president asked if they would
not like their children to go to scho d
after the twelfth year.
NC" replied the workman, "it is
not possible for the parents to wait
until long school term is ended, as
the family needs tho wages of the
elder children. We have rot only to
keep our young children, but also our
old people. After bi5 fiftieth year a
man can earn but little 10 The pi s, and
is usually diemissed"
This spssker-whom the work, re-
were particularly anxious to have ex-
amined, as he is in good repute, both
as a workman and an ora or told the
commissioners that the average weekly
weges OF the head OF a household in
full work is from II to IA france. 81
need not say that family can not
! live upon that--the wife must work
when she can, the children as soon as
they can"
A married woman who had been
worker in coal pit, said: ~ am the
mother OF six children. We are very
poor, but would rather stsrve than
that one of my girls should go to work
in the pite. The overseers use all
means in their power to ruin the girls,
II nothing elte succeeds, they will put
timid young girl to work in solitary
place until abe is terrified"
When she was asked what wages
her family earned, she replied that lei
husband had 10 francs a week and one
OF her sons so Centlmes.
To the question as to the food OF the
family she said: Every Sunday and
Thursday I buy pound Of meat; OF
all other days we live on potatoes and
bread. ~ Chdrteroi Reuore IndtlStrielle.