New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-24

degree at least and where the work Is done under
conditions that must be called favorable; the east
side firms. representing generally cheaper materiai
and lower rates and last the sop-work. which may
be either east west. m st often the former anu
includes every forn of outrage and oppression that
workers can know.
Clothing IN ALI Its multiplied forms takes the first
place IN the ninety-twO trades and the workers
on what is know as white wear form the large
majority Of the al wags increasing army For many
reasons. the shlrt-makers naturally head the list;
the shirf-makers about whom has hing n certain
sentimental interest since the dag when poor Tom
Hoods impassiOned plea in their behalf nrst saw
the hight. Yet to-day. IN spite OF popular belief
that they are the class most grossly wronged the
shirt-maker fares far better tlal the majority OF
the workers on siy other form OF clothing This
always however If she forturs ia enough TO have
dlre,t relation with large factory. or with an
establishment which gives out the work
directly into the hands of the women them
selves. Given these conditions, 1t is possible
for frsr-class operator to make from
81 to S12 per week. the latter sum being certain
only in the factories where steam is the motive
power and where experience has gwen the utmost
facility in handling the work. In factory Oh
the west side employing some $50 girls, and where
everything had been brou ght TO al most aftermath
cal accuracy, toe price paid per dozen Tor shirts
was So 40. But one of the operatives was able TO
make a dozen day. her usual averar re being about
nine Eve dozen per week of sixty hours
Here every condition was exceptionally favorable.
The building occupied the centre OF a small square.
and thus had light on all sides. Ventilation was
good, and the forewo nan, on whose Intelligence
and good disposition mlch Of ths comfort of the
operatives depends. tar bsyon1 the average
woman IN this position. Tue working day was ten
hours. with half an hour for 1inIsr. lni the SAM
tary conditions more favor able than IN any other
establis hment of tha sIue size. Manv OF the Oper
a.lves had been there for years, aai the dull sea-
son. common TO all phases Of the clothing trdfe.
never marked enough here to produce DIS
charges material les prod Icton. The wages
averaged seven dollars per week. though the laun-
dry women and fnishers seldom exec 'ded five No
midde-nen employed and none of the Gus
iOnary exactions tn, wlv Of fines and other i'm
positions were pracfised Piece-work was regarded
as The only secura method for both employer ami
employed. rs IN sncl it rested with the girl
herself to make the hig Iest or the lowest rate Mt
easure. here were no holIdlys beyond the
legal ones. but all the Redo possible to constant
labor was give1. the place representing the best
con iitions Of this special lnfn'rv. Another firm
quite as vel known and EN- DlOglng an equal num-
Der Of workers bal fonnd II NOR expeiIent 10 give
up the factory system and SIMPLY retained rooms
tor Cutting and general handlnr OF the com 1letei
work. giving It, Oltin pacSIgss to workers At no ue
One woman employei h. the for seven wears hal
never made ANYTHING hat the bntton- holes in the
small piece attache to the bo'O n a1d slcb line
lettering as was orl,rel for cnston shirts her
wages IN the b1sv seas be- often twelve dollars
a week. the years average, hoHever. bringing
them to seven. She WORKED exoinNve.g al ho ne
and represe lte1 the best pad AMI most com Portable
phase of thu induStrV.
Descending step and turning 70 establishments
onihe easr side. one found every phas' of sanitary
condition including under his head bad venflatIon
offensive odOrs facllitirs for washing. quality o.
drinking wafer. D1sInon Of wlter-ciOSets. length
of.tme allo we'd for lunch, length Of working day.
etc Here fhs q1aItv Of ha WORK was lower. ma
terlal thread .ni sewing hsing all OF an order to
ne expected from he price Of the cpnpletei gar
ment ranging from forty to sixty cents The
wages. how-ver dld no. fail 40 far below tho aver
aye as niylt be exoeet"d. the operator earning
from five To elxht lOt trs week during the bnsv
Season Bnt the gre lter number of manufacturers
o. both east and ~ side, Of the city tnrn over
the work 20 n id e-men. send n 10 the country.
many factories being run III New-Jersey and Penn
svlvania where renrs are merely nominal rmN
nroved to b. tns case with several firms whose
names represent a large business. bnt VINO ind less
trouble and more profit m the ron ract system
Snn another rnethoi has gone far toward rednc-
,ng the rates Of pawn mt To the city worker. and
thi. Is the wing ont the WORK IN Dlckages to the
wives and dan ghters Of farmers The Ontlyiug
countrv These w0 nen. having homes and thus
no rent OF general expenses to meet, take the Work
al rates which for he city ooerat9rs mean SIMPLY
staryaftOr and thus prices are Kept dow ahd
one more -fnn bhng-b bck put ~ tine way oi tue un-
ornter ed worker Careful examination oil THIS
phase tOw- that tn. appic m ;, many OF whom
give assumed names, work sim Nv for me saNe Oi
pin-mOn,y. which IL expended IN dress Nov
and then 1t case oil want, ahh
often that OF woman who, iatilng u
make her husbapd sea thai she has tnV nglJ 10 an
actual cash share ~ VIII the work 81 per own
hands - he ped % earn turus to IN, A. the ony
me- hOd of Secu \ D al ght DcrsO dI lucO ne
Bat for the mos plrt 10 l. only tor pm III 'hey, al
no argument could convince these earnerS That
their work any lie gree lliegit mate or udu@hi
with salde~t cOn-cq Ier TO thOsr VINO. D-c1us-
If IT. r,relVe lust - nucl the less Nor would IL
lie possible to bnng such argu nent 10 bear J"
earn seem, the iuaiIenIbe rlght of any Who ar
" ing 10 WORK. and the rcsu Of methods VIII
never he quesLO - by employer or en- )iOyed,
Lriess n ~ are forced 10 il by power nj cou-
Sldera 'iOus than a " 1t present brought forward
have CHOSEN TO give these details mlnutely De-
cause they practically. tlr sun al ~ ~ hOb
only for ,hiri-m king, bit for every ira ie 1lch
can be and to come under the head of clothing,
whether for men. women OF chlldren-ih~ iuclud-
InQ every form of trim nlng or other al IRA neat
used IN ircss from ar Iticla Il iwers TO u mDs,
frinrAs and buttons And hOH, davug gwen tht@
general outline, we may pass 10 tue Stty OF me
uuits that make up thus armv--stOrles chosen from
Quarters wiIeIc dOub Impossible, and cVulirinrH
often bv the unwilling testimony 81 those from
whom he work hns come. giving Win them also
the necessary details OF the trades they NAV repre-
sent and seeking. first, lasi anj ALWAYS, only The
act ual facts that max ny the lie Oi the WORKER.
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