The southern sentinel., 1886-06-18

countries from which they have beel
| sent. The woman who has charge o
this branch is German, and eminentl.
qualified for her duties by her linquisti
attainments and her remarkable knowl
edge Of geography. She is perfectI,
familiar with every country, city an,
town in the world. and it was stated b,
the chief clerk of the post-office that h,
had no doubt that she would be able t,
distribute the mail in London as well n
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 a thorough
grammatical and idiomatical knowl-
edge offoreign languages. The official
translator of each department is a man,
and generally a 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 uanslators,
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' office in the
War Department, and about the same
assisting in the preparation of
the ''Official Records of the War of the
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
in the historic annals of the
The Agricultural Department en-
ploys 1l2 women, including those en-
gagged in the seed-room. They are
shelly corresponding clerks, keeping
IN account of seeds sent to each Sena-
or. Representative and Delegate; also,
he records of all applications for seeds,
plants, shrubs, etc. Much OF the work
s manual, such as making seed bags,
abeling and putting up seeds. The
employees of this department were
classified under the civil service last
November.
The Government Printing Office,
which is the largest establishment of
his kind in the world, employs 1.2OO
vOmen as stitchers and folders of PAM
'hlets, gold-leaf ornamenters, opera
ors of ruling, folding, and sewing
press-feeders and compost
ors All of the work is manual. and |
be employees are not subject to the
iyil service regulations; but, as an off.
ct to this, the salaries are much lower
nd the number of hours longer. Much |
the work is done by the piece, the
verage amount earned per day being
1.S3 Is. The compositors are paid |
cents an hour, and usually average
bout $40 month. whichsis the fishest |
llary paid to women in this depart
lent.
The Civil-Service law makes no dis
notion with regard to sex, but i'm
riginal appointments the head of a
apartment designates the sex of the
ersons appointed. Women are not
ow chosen as frequently as before the
1option OF the Ciyil-Service rules.
len are regarded as more available
7 all sorts of work. Women are en-
lied to the same pay as men for the
me work.
Two women in the Treasury Depart
ent receive $1.800 per annum each.
ne Is chief Of a section and the other 9
" clerk Of the Internal Revenue Bu-
au- OF the remaining women en-
Dyes In the Treasury5 get 81 600 each.
-, 400 each. 1873 $l.2 each, 81
600 each. 366 $500 each, and the re-
aiming 178 obtain all the way from
80, this being the pay of the char
omen. to $40 each. This list is also
elusive OF the women employed in the
lgraying and Printing Bureau, where
Q highest salary is 81, 600.
In the Interior Department z ge,
900 each. 50 81, 400 each, 1856 81 200
ch, 194 1000 each, 154 5000 each,
d the salaries of the remaining 81
nge from $3.50 to $500.
In the P0st-ofice Department.
'men are employed at el, 600 each,
81 400, 70 at 81, 200, IL at 81 900, 60
500, 8 at $40, and z at $720.
Il