Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-02
IN A CIGARETTE FACTORY.


Girls Comfortably Seated at Desks-Ra- |
pidity of the Workers.
Leaving the offices went to the fourth |
floor, where the cigarette is rolled. On enter |
ing the long room was pleasantly surprised. |
The appearance was rather that of a public |
school than large manufacturing establish |
ment. Four hundred girls were at work
seated at what appeared to be desks. These
were set in rows of six, five being occupied
by operators who roll the cigarettes and the
sixth by 'clipper" who cuts off the ragged
ends of the tobacco Each girl sat in a com
Portable chair, and all materials were brought
them, so they lose no time in going for new
work Attached to the front of these ''desk
tables" is a long, narrow box, which has two
compartments. In one of these is placed the
tobacco for use, and into the other are dropped
the cigarettes as soon as made. From here
| they are taken to the clipper, who cuts the
ends evenly and sends them down to the
packers. On the right of each girl is a square
of marble, a sponge filed with paste, and a
| tiny wooden paddle; on the left pile of little
| squares of rice paper. The tobacco is in the
box in front. The rice paper is the product
| of famous French establishment.
These requisites for work are constantly
repenished from wooden carts on iron
wheels, which are pushed along the broad
aisles by stalwart negro men. The completed
| work is carried away by similar carts. Even
with all materials so conveniently placed.
the rapidity with which these girls do their
work is almost incredible They take the
rice paper and lay upon it the tobacco, and
in trce roll it into firm, compact cigar
cite Lifting it to their lips, with little
puff of breath they blow up the edge of the
paper, apply the paste with the paddle, and
with a quick stroke of the finger securely fas-
ten this edge. This completes the cigarette,
and it is tossed aside to be carried to the
clipper 1t is extremely dainty work, and
some of the girls are quite graceful in the use
of their hands.
Each employe is furnished with card,
and for every thousand papers received from
the desk gets a hole punched in this card,
Thus her work for the day is recorded. A
'roller" receives sixty cents per thousand
cigarettes. This does not seem high pay,
but as any steady, industrious girl can roll
1850 daily, it affords means of making q
comfortable support with no hard labor, and
only respect and consideration received.
novice is able to earn from e TO s. week
No operator is retained who is not capable o
doing better than this, for the business of til,
establishment IS SC great that it canno
afford to employ laggaTdS.
, drew one of the rollers into conversation
, She was a very pretty girl, and wa
!, thoroughly absorbed in her work. She Eap
| pened to be the fastest worker in the room
She told me she always rolled from three L
four thousand day, and one week she hat
made 81 ,o1) cigarettes. This was, of course
phenomenal, but her daily work is remarka
bic, as it gives her so or SG5 per MONTH
very good wages for a factory hand. An
the climate Of Virginia is such that they Sc
, dom lose p Gays work through its severity
p Richmond Nal Cor. Chicago Times.