New-York tribune., 1886-11-07

the premises had only to cease. and 1t couid even
be put as a favor TO the women that they were
allowed TO work at home. The rule estaoiisneu
itself at once and the firm, smiling sereneiy AT 'n
stoppage Of this most damaging and most un-
necessary leak proceeded to make fresh discoveries
of eauaIly satisfactory possibilities. To each
woman who applied for work 1t was stated
1--WE send all packages from the cuttng-roon by
express the charges to be paid by you. It's
small charge only 10 cents to he paid when the
bundle comes in."
We can come for ours. We live close ov. we
don't want to Ipse the 15 cents" a few ooJected'
but the answer was invarable:
alt suits Us best to maze up the package. in the
cutting-room. and il yo1 don't like the arrange
ment there are plenty waiting that twill suit well
enough"
Plenty waiting! How well they knew it. and
always more and more the ships came IN. and
the great tide of producing power" nowed
through Castle Garden. and stood. always at
high-water mark. in the wards where cheap labor
nav be found. Plenty waiting; ana these women
who coul not wait went home and turned over
their small store of pennies for the 10 cen's the
pavment of which meant either 3 little less bread
or an hour OF two longer at the sewing machlhe'
defined az the emancipation of women
In the meantime the enterpris,ug firm had made
deliver the packages at IL cents each. and could
TINS add to the weekly receints clear gain of
cents per heal 1t il unnecessary to add that thew
played into e9ch Others hands aud that the wagon
driver, had no knowledge of ANYTHING beyond the
fact that the we're collect the 10 cents and turn
il over TO their suoeriorS Bat in some mannor 1t
leaked ort and driver whose feelings had been
stirred by the sad flce of little widow on Sixth
st. told her that the Is cents vas J" gouge," ana
they had all better pat their heads together and
refuse to pay more than Il cents
five ha6 any heads it might do TO talk about
putting them together" the little widow said
bitterly. :" For ny part. begin to believe women
are born fools but I'll see what can do"
This seeing" involved earning dollar or two
less for the work, but the cheat seemed so
despicabIe a one that indignation made her reck-
less and sne went to the woman who had first
directed her to the firm and had been in its employ
almost from the beginning.
ats like em oh. yes, it's like EN- " they said
but we've no time TO spend in stirring ND things.
and You know well enOugh what wonld he the end
of it if we did disct arge an somebody else get
ting -our wages. You'd better not talk too much if
you want TO keep your place"
"That isn't any worse than the thread dodge"
another oman said a. know from clerk in the
house where they buv their thread that they
charge us ; cents a dozen more than it costs them,
thougn they make a great point of giving it 20 us
at cost aud cheaper than we could buy 1t our
selves"
@Whv don't you club together and buy. then p
the little widow aske |. to hear again the formula
And get yonr walk'ng-ticket next day We
know little better than that"
few weeks later a new system of payment
forced each worker sacrifice from half an hour TO
an hour OF the precious time, her only capital,
Hitherto payments bad been made at the desk.
when work was brought in but now cheeks were
gwen on a Bowery bank, and the women must
walk over in heat and storm alike and wait their
turn in the long line the benches. If paid by
the week this wOnld make little difference. as anv
loss of time would he the employers but this form
Of payment is practically abolished, piece work
done at home meaning the utmost amonnt Of
profit 70 the employer every loss in time being paid
bv the workers themselves. When questioned as TO
why the check system of payment had been adopted
bv this and various other firms the reDly was
simply:
at saves troube. The bank has more time to
count ont money than we have"
aBut the womenf Does it seem quite fair that
thev should be the losers 7"
aFairY Auythng's fair in business. You'd find
that ont if vou un nlertook to do it,"
As the case then at present stands for this irw.
and for many which have adopted the same
methods the working woman not only pays the
rent that would be required for factory but gIves
them profit on expressage. thread. time lost in
going 70 bank. and often the price OF dozen Of
garments. payment for the dozen Bing deducted
by many foremen If there isa flaw in one. This
foreman becomes the scapegoat. if unpleasant
1uestions are asked BY any whose investigation
might bring discredt on the firm In some cases
they refuse positively 20 give any Information.
but in most. questions answered with sus-
picions glibness. and if reference is made to any
dificnlties encountered by the women in their
employ. they take instant refuge IN the statement
aOh. that was before the last foreman left. We
discharged him as we found out how he
had served the women
ado YOU s.e those goods :" another asked. point
ing TO connter filed with piles OF chemises.
How do you suppose we make a cent when you
can buy chemise like that for so cents' We
dont The competition is ruining us, and we're
talking of giving up the business"
@Thats So 1t. really more in charity to the
women than ANYTHING else that we go on" his
mariner remarked with a look towar him which
seemed to hold million condensed winks " That
price is Just ruin that's what it s'
UndDnbtedlv but not for the firm, as the follow
ing figlres will show figures given by a competent
f,re woman in a large establishment whore she
had hal eleven years experience: Twenty seven
yards and threequarters are required for one dozen
chemises the price paid for such cotton a. Is nsed
IN one sellin, 80 cents being cents per yard or
81 80 for the whole amount; thirty yards Of edging
at 40 cents ward furnishes trimming for the
dozen at 81 81, AMI fenr 2i0yard spools of cotton
are required at 25 cents per dozon. OF cents per
dozen garments. The seamer who sews mp and
hens the bodies of the garments receives 80 cents
a dozen ami The maker" this beins the techn cal
term for the more ex experienced worker who puts On
hand and sle-ves receives from go cents tO III a
dozen though at present the rates run from 10 to
90 cents Our table, then. stands as follows:
Clo,, ,,, nm, dozsn cbsmisas ............. ST. so
Eiring for one doz-n ehrinises. 80
Thread for dOz-n Oh h~m srs- --..-.----- Oo
seamer for d0Zvn cho iDisrs -..-.----.- %
Maker for dozen cnefnises -..------.--. W
Total cost Of dozen ............. 50
,ss.i. -. n.r d,,zan