The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-02-25
W0MAN'S WORK AND PAY.
The Poor Wages She Receives in the Great
City of New York


City of New York.
From the Nec YORK Erening sun
Ladies' corset covers are made for 10
cents dozen. A regular seamstress
would receive at least % cents a piece.
They are made on machines run by steam.
The utmost that can be earned by the
workers is SO week.
Women doing piece work at home get
10 cents for making women's ulster.
These are heavy cloth, the seams are
bound and the ulster neatly finished. By
working from eight in the morning until
midnight capable woman can make two
ulsters. The price paid to principal or
dressmaker for making an ulster would
be not less than "a.
Underclothiug, as it is made in large
shops and under contract, is done in Sec
tions. That is to say, one set of girls
make one part, another set another part.
Thus it is passed on until finished. Girls
are advertised as learners, and, couse
quentiy, are paid little Under this
method of work they learn nothing be.
You'd their own section. After several
years of work they know no more and
receive no higher wages. The wages fol-
machine-made underclothing are from So
to 81 week.
Thousands of girls in this city receive
1xr
lives: She pays SIPS room rent. She
has bread and tea for breakfast, and is al
her work at eight o'clock. For lunch
she has couple of chocolate cellars OF
cream puffs, which cost little, and are
sweet and satisfying. She goes home
at six o'clock, and has bread and tea fol-
supper. In the evening she makes heI
own clothes, mends and washes and irons
them. Naturally, if in this sort of life
she can find any distraction or amuse
ment elsewhere, she is glad to avail her.
self of it.
Said pretty telegrapher: 'Iwish you
could tell me why it is that the Young
man who sits next to me gets $50 a
month, and l only get $50, when | dc
three times as much work as be does
You see, our dispatches are numbered
and there have been times when l have
had 800 day against his sixty. I work
steady. and he is resting every half hour
At any rate, I've often begged him &c
change wires with me, and he won't"
''There must be some good reason
Perhaps it is because he can do night
work.
''1f he does. he is paid forty-five cents
an hour for overtime. FL do ii gladly
for that. | am an expert as much as he
is an expert. No, they say it is becaus,
men have families to support. But so dc
l have family to support. | don't blame
the man, you know. don't want to drae
him down to my level; | want to raise
myself to his
perhaps women are not desired in
telegraph offices.
Eyes. they are, if they are experts
Luz IL 10 ssNbbiil5 very uillculU To DeCOlne
an eS pert. You see. the first few year.
you are not very capable, and nobody
wants you. But without practice you
can't become an expert. Ore of the first
rules of an organization is to hinder stu
dents wherever you find them. There is
injustice again. Now, personally, l am
sure | have no such feeling against the
girls, but it seems we must do that for
self-protection.''
But doesn't the organization help you
who are members in sustaining YOU
wages?'
mo; when it becomes matter OF bus.
mess the women are voted down every
time. L have thought about this great
deal, and l don't see any way out. Tell
me. L am almost afraid to ask it. Dc
YOU suppose the ballot would help Us.
For sometimes l have thought that may
be the fact that the young man who sits
beside me has vote gave him more pay
for less work than l do. Now, do tel
me just what you think"