Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-02-10
AN UNDERTAKE., UNFORTUNATE
CLASS.

Hon. Charles +. Peck, Labor Com |
missioner of New York State, pre-
sents in his annual report the results
of careful investigation he made
last year into tie condition of the
working women of New York, more
especially those engaged in trades.
In New York City alone, according
to his estimate, there are more than
100000 females at work in the va
rious trades, and in general their la.
bor is hard and their pay miserably
poor. As rule, their wages are
much less than those of men, even
when the quality of their work is in
no respect inferior to that of their
competitors. There are, however, a
few professions or trades in which
women receive equal pay for equal
work with men; but it is a significant
circumstance that in nearly all such
cases the women are organized, as,
for instance, printers, cigarmakers
and hatters. When unorganized fe-
male labor is able to get as u.uch
as a rule as male labor, it is because
the sum earned by both men and
women is wretchedly small, and the
vvorl, iS of a low order
The female hands engaged in the
cigar industry, for example, are
mostly employed in those branches of
the trade where the poorest wages are
paid, such as stripping aud binding.
The work in which the greatest num-
Der of tradcswomen are employed is
the making of clothing, and that is
where the most beggarly wages are
given. Here they have to meet the
competition not merely of their own
sex, but of large army of sewing
men who get better wages for their
work, and they are often obliged to
endure the exactons of tyrannical
middieman, or sweater" who pays
them starvation prices for their work,
and is the great oppressor of the sew
ing-girls. The woman takes the
goods to her own home, thereby saw
ing rent to the Sweater" who per-
haps paws her no more than 81. so a
dozen for the making of trousers
while she gets so small sum as Is
cents for turning out waistcoat
Her rent eats up one-quarter of hel
earnings, she tolls day and night al
her sewing machine, for which she
must pay, and she is held responsible
for the goods committed to ner care
oftentimes having to submit to dock
ing at the hands of her harsh EN-
ployer. ...
Mr.. Peck tells Of visit he paid t,
a room on the attic floor of Heste
street rookery, and where he founo
six women at work in the sitting al
of an apartment of not more than II
feet, square,. The place was fllet
with cloaks ready to be put together
and four sewing machines were cease
lessly humming. Yet these unfortu
nate creatures could only earn 81
cents apiece for l6 hours labor. TIL,
cloaks were elegant and expensive
garments, selling at from $50 to 81,
each, and two of the women could b.
constant application complete no NOR
than one cloak day, receiving 10
their work 81, to be divided between
them. Nor was this an exceptions
case. He found, as rule, that womeI
received 80 to SO a dozen for max
ing pantaloons, ID to s. cents apiec
for vests, IS cents to $3.50 doze
for shirts, and from IS cents to 81 2
"a dozen for overalls. lie further founC
that cigar making tended to brin
on nervous and hysterical complaint
among the women; that laundry girl
were especially subject to colds an
consumption, while shop girls wer
generally the most healthy, owing t
tn, exercise in the open AIR necessi
tated by going to and coming fror
work. Mr.. Peck SAYS that, With tn
exception of the shop girls, the wan
misery and degradation OF thes
women are almost beyond conception
Yet poorly as women are paid i
comparison with men they save NOR
money, OF one hundred thousan
open accounts at the Bowery Saving
Bank fully one-half are those of won
l.,