Wichita eagle., 1886-09-03
OVERWORKED TOILERS.

LIVES OF THE UNDERPAID FASHION,
ERS OF MASCULINE MILLINERY.
An Industry in Which Thousands Of
! Girls Labor Long and Painfully for
Meager wages-Evils of the System in
Vogue.
We hear a great deal about the "Song of the
Shirt and the woes of the women who make
those garments, but we pass by tiose who
work at mems neckties and we do SO because
we somehow think that those who make up
those pretty satin and silk arrangements must
find easier work, better pay and less Of that
monotonous drudgery that seems inseperable
from work on white goods. But probably
there is not a worse paid branch of female
labor existing than making neckties of all de-
scriptions. The making of neckties is trade,
and one requiring rapidlty, exactness and ex-
treme Eeatness, and rot little TASTE It takes
a long time to become expert, and few ever do
attain the degree that commands a living
remuneration.
HOW THE TRADE Is LEARNED.
The trade is learned in most instances
through the following routine: A person
and there are very many who do this-will
advertise to teach necktie making, also Teck
and puff scarfs, at reasonable price, and
many Of them also promise to secure profit
able employment for those who learn. The
fee is s., in advance. The learner is con-
Quoted to a workroom, when the IS has been
duly paid, and given a seat among other
learners. For the first week the novice must
rip up old scarfs and ties that look as if they
had been fished from ash barrels. The Innings
of these are saved and used afterward. The
second week is given to slip stitching the
Innings and wadding The third to sewing
up the ordinary cravats, and then as many
more IS the girl is willing to give to the
woman who manages the place are occupied
in making up ties Of all kinds, which she
takes in from dealers, nut the learner gets
nothing for her labor II some instances the
husbands of these women sell the neckties.
1t really does not require, even for the dull
est, over one week to learn all that can be
taught. The rest comes by practice. When
the mistress sees that her pupil is becoming
restless she sends her to one of the houses
which give out their work 1t must be un-
derstood that the learner has been led to be-
lieve that she can earn $40 and S12 per week
if she is expert
FURNISHING SAMPLES WITHOUT PAY.
These dealers, who only manufacture and
sell very ordinary goods, hire the new re-
cruits, and the first thing they have to do is
to sit down and make q sample. Sometimes
they bring samples of their work, but the
dealers prefer that the sample be made before
their eyes for two reasons, first, to satisfy
themselves Of the capacity of the person, and
secondly, the sample is never paid for and in
year the amount saved is quite worth the
trouble. Ii the sample suits the girl gives
her address and references, and gets a half
dozen or a dozen ties to make. which she can
take home with her When these are brought
back they are examined one by one, by a
lynx-eyed person, and if one only is not Just
right, she gets no pay FOR all until that one is
altered and made exact. Ii girl gets ten
gross of one kind to make every one must be
the exact counterpart of the other without a
shade of difference, or she gets no pay what
ever until all are arranged to suit. no matter
how much she may need it.
The work Is cut out by professional cutters
and the applicant for work gets all the neces-
sary adjuncts for each style of cravat she is
to make, all cut smooth and exact, but no
more, each dozen done up in separate pack
ages The ordinary neckties, made of satin
and crossing in front, have first leatherette
shield in which is fastened long needle. A
piece of cotton-hannel is laid over this and
then the satin or silk. The pieces which lap
over this are eight in number and consist of
first satin outside. cotton-hannel buclram
and satin or siiesa for lining. The band |
which passes around the neck is made of satin
outside, satin lining, a tin which is sewed to
piece of buckram and pasted inside the band.
This then has to be slip-stitched and carefully |
pressed, and the band has to be turned, tire
some job Oh account of its narrowness. In
most Of the factories there are girls with
machines who do what machine work is re- |
quired on each tie of whatever class they
make, and these are given to such women as
have no machine OF their own. OF course the |
difference of labor is deducted from the pay |
New York World