New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-05
PRISONERS OF POVERTY.
WOMEN WAGE-woRKERs THEIR TRADES
AND THEIR LIVES
BY HELEN CAMPBELL
Copyright. 1885,

at msthols ts heaviest weight falling always on
the weak shoulders that If endurance could make
strong. should belong to-day TO a race OF giants
OF the ninety trades now open to women, thirty
eight involve some phase OF this question of cloth
ing about which centre some of the worst wrongs
of modern civilization. II is work that has eg1ti-
mate place 1t must be done by some one. since
the ex gencies of this same civilization have
abolished old methods and made home manutact-
ures seem a poor and most unsatisfactory substi-
tute for the dainty stitching and ornamentation
OF the cheaper shop-work. 1t Ia work that many
women love. and. If living wages could be mad,
would do contentedly from year to year OF their
ignorance and blindness. aud the mysterious posses
sion they call pride and the many stupidites on
which their small lives are founded, there is much
to be said when these papers have done their hrst
and most essential work of showing conditions 40
they AS they are and not as the disciples Oh
laissez fare would have us to believe they are.
The story Of the working woman in one great city
Ia with slight variations in conditions the story OF
the workIngw woman in all, and when we have once
settled conclusiveiy what monopoly or competition
has uone and is doing tor New-York, we know
sufficiently well what Boston and Philadelphia
and Chicago AMI all the host Of lesser cities conld
easily tell us in detail With the mass of poor who
work chiefly TO Obtain money for drink aud who,
with their progeny. are filing the institutions III
which delight, We have absolutely nothing to
IL
are recruited. small proportion. rescued By
societies or mission schools, may be numbered
among them. but the greater part are a grade
above aud while perhaps well nigh as ignorant,
have AN inheritance of better instincts and could
under any reasonable conditions of living. ind
their fate by means intolerabe.
have chosen to-day. instead of passing on to
another form OF the clothing trade. to return TO
that of and this because it Is the record
Cd Wit in which subjects
could no; enter household service and have not
been reduced to poverty by intemperance. Nor is
the selection made with view to working up as
startling a case possible. On the contrary, ~
has been made almost random from the many
recorded. any separate mention of which would be
imposs bic iu the space at command. First on the
long list COMES Catherine 6, an "expert IN
under wear. and living on tue top floor of a large
old-fsshioned house in Clinton place; the lower
part stores ana otces the upper tenement She
earned three years ago 81 50 day at times FL 75
The same wOrk now brings her So cents. and now
aDd then but rs. The husband boss
painter aud they were com portable even prosper
ous tall the fate of his calling upon him. and
first the "drop hand" and later blood poisoning
and hear, disease followed He is just enough alive
to little TOR the children and to oversee the
pitifu household affairs. the oldest girl, child of
seven doing the marketing boiling he kettle. ETC.,
and this going to SC hool. They are fair |
faced gentle children, and this is their mothers |
story:
can run the machine and did with every one |
OF them, when they were two weeks old. for I've |
nj WAYS been strong. Nothing that happens IS Dad |
enough TO kill and its lucky its so, tor it's two
years and over since William there could |
dollar. He helps ne. bot see for yourself he's
half dead aud getting well. because we've |
nothing 10 bny food with medicine. or anything |
hot a. hsin W. hoth nrnu CHI m hera
In the city. We don't know ANYTHING about the
country. but sometimes | wish did. and that
cond take the chill iren and live somehow But
don't know how people live there TN certain OF
work mere. aud I'd afraid to anywhere else.
Pm making babies slips now three tucks and
hem and ind your own cotton, and II takes
eighteen bours to make dozen. and these are
seventy i've cents a dozeu. | can buy cotton at
eighteen cents Dozen but we have TO take 1t from
the manufacturer at wenty cents-somet'mes
Twenty-Five ceuts Last week | was on corset
covers 1 take whatever they send up, for I'm an
old hand aud always OF work Thev were
plain cor,et-covers, aud got 40 cents dozen
without the button-holes If did them it would |
be I'VE cents on every dozen. and sometimes do
That pile 10 the corner eGtra-size chenises |
get 81 80 d dozen for making them. and if cord
the bands 80 cents a dozen for them can do |
seven OF eight day. but there are no more Just |
now they saw | work fourteen hours DAY yes, |
I've often worked sixteen. but you see there are |
six IF rs. and We must be clothed and fed. |
William is handy. but. poor SOUL he's only a man. |
and he's sick past cure, and nobody tut me for us
all God help ms. | wouldn't m nd If wages wore
steady but they cut and cot and always some |
excuse for making them lower. aud here am l. that |
can 10 anything private orders and all down 10 70
cent, day. couli earn moro by family sewing, |
but can't leave William or the children for he's |
likely 40 any minute the doctors say, II ne over
exerts himself and suppose II came and not here.
and the baby Willie and all Pve turned all
WAYS think and thiuk as sit here and there's |
no help 10 God It's all wrong somehow. |
bat we don't know why moi how. and the only way !
] can see is just to die. There's no place for |
honesty OF hard work. You must lie and cheat II |
YOU want standing room. God help US, II there is a
GOD. but I've my donbta Why don't he help If
there is oneT
pere the average earnings were S25 a month |
the rent OF the room they occupied 81 leaving |
SIS ter food. ire Ii ght land clothing Another |
disabled husband, recovering, but for many months
unable 10 work found II a tenement house In |
East Eeventh-st In this case work and earnings |
were almost Identical 18th the last. but there were
but t>ro children. aud thus less demand for food.
etc. For a year and half the wife, though also
an expert" had never exceeded So cents day
and had sometimes fallen low seventy. Sue |
had sometimes gone TO tue factory instead of
working at home, and the last firm employing her
In this way had charged ten cents Oh the dollar
for the steam used IN running the machine which
she operated.
at didn't pay" the little woman said with Q
laugh hat ended as a sob, checked instantly.
could earn 81 q week. but there was the steam,
ten ceats on the dollar and my fares. for there
was no time to walk, sixty cents for them 81 40
you see altogether. Nigh: as roll work at home
and nave the comfort OF seeing that tho children
we're all rixht- There's plenty OF work, it seems.