The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-05-21

countries from which they have been
sent. The woman who has charge OF
this branch is German, and eminently
qualified for her duties by her linguistic
attainments and her remarkable knowl-
edge of geography. She is perfectly
familiar with every country, city and
town in the world. and it was stated by
the chief clerk of the post-office that he
| had no doubt that she would be able to
| distribute the mail in London as well as
in Washington.
The State, War, and Navy Depart
ments have fewer women in their EN-
ploy than any Of the others. A few
| women are employed as translators, but
in this work, which, according to popu-
lar ideas, would be especially suited to
the requirements and taste of women,
few women succeed. Their knowledge
of languages is usually not exact and
thorough enough to qualify them for
a service which requires thorough
grammatical and idiomatical knowl-
edge of foreign languages. The official
translator of each department is man.
and generally foreigner. In the same
connection it may be stated that it is a
singular fact that in the occupations
in which we would naturally expect
| women to excel, such as translators,
botanists, etc., we find no conspicuous
cases of ability, while the universally
acknowledged and notable instances
of superiority are in those departments
where we would least expect to find
them at all, much less to find them TAX
ing high rank.
There are fifty-five women employed
in the Quartermaster's office in the
War Department, and about the same
number assisting in the preparation OF
the .sOfficial Records of the War of the
Rebellion" In the Navy Department
a few women are engaged in the work
of the photographic Office, in map
drafting and tracing, and as tele-
graph operators, typewriters and clerks.
These are in most cases the widows or
daughters of deceased army or navy
officers, and many of them bear names
honored in the historic annals of the
country.
The Agricultural Department en-
ploys liz women, including those en-
gagged in the seed-room. They are
chiefly corresponding clerks, keeping
an account of seeds sent to each Sena-
tor, Representative and Delegate; also,
the records of all applications for seeds,
plants, shrubs. etc. Much OF the work
is manual, such as making seed bags.
labelling and putting up seeds. The
employees of this department were
81
November.
The Government Printing Office,
which is the largest establishment of
this kind in the world, employs 200
women as stitchers and folders of PAM
phlets. gold-leaf ornamenters, opera
tors of ruling, folding, and sewing
machines, press-feeders and compost
tors. All of the work is manual, and
the employees are not subject to the
civil service regulations; but, as an off,
set to this, the salaries are much lower
and the number of hours longer. Much
of the work is done by the piece, the
average amount earned per day being
$1.33 Is. The compositors are paid
35 cents an hour, and usually average
about $40 amonth, which is the highest
salary paid to women-.in this depart
ment.
The Civil-Service law makes no dis
tinction with regard to sex, but in
original appointments the head. of q
department designates the sex of the
persons appointed. Women are not
now chosen as frequently as before the
adoption of the Civi1-Service rules.
Men are regarded as more available
for all sorts of work Women are en-
titled to the same pay as men for the
same work.
Two women in the Treasury Depart
ment receive $500 per annum each.
One is chief of section and the other @
law clerk of the Internal Revenue Bu-
reau. OF the remaining women EN-.
ployes in the Treasury get 81 600 each,
81 81, 400 each, 128 $1,000 each, 81
81, 900 each, S66 5000 each. and the re-
naming 178 obtain all the way from
$3.50, this being the pay of the char
women, to $40 each This list is also
exclusive Of the women employed in the
Engraving and Printing Bureau, where
the highest salary is 81, 600.
In the Interior Department Z &c,
d. 600 each. so 81, 400 each, 1856 81, 200
each, 194 81, 200 each, 154 $500 each.
and the salaries of the remaining "a
range from $500 to $500.
In the Post-office Department, 2
women are employed at 81, 600 each, 8
at 81. 400, 20 ut 81, 200. IL at 81 900, 81
at $500, 8 at $40, and z at $720.
The pay obtained by these women
workers is good when compared with
that obtained in private vocations, and
the hours of service are generally easy.
The workrooms, too. are large and we'll
ventilated.-N. 2. Tribune
DEMANDS PROTECTION.