Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-13
IN A CIGARETTE FACTORY.
Girls Comfortably Seated mt Desks-Rs-
piditY of the Workcrs.

J1Tn comfortably NSAtt0 Ht DceAS-AA8-
pidity of the Workers.
Leaving the offices | went to the fourth
noor, 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
nlent Four hundred girls were ~ work
seated at what 1ppea-'ed 70 be deskp These
were set in rows of SIX a e being occupied
by operators who roll tbs cigarettes and the
sixth by a ''clipper" who cuts eff the ragged
ends of the tobacco Each girl sat in a com
Portable chair, and ali materials were brought
them, SO they lose no time IN going for new
work Attached 70 the front Of these desk
tables is long, marrow 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 10 the
packers On the right of each girl is n square
of marble, a sponge filed with paste, and
tiny wooden paddle; on the left a 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
replenished 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 plsced,
the rapidity with which these girls do their
work is almost incredible They take the
rice paper and lay upon Il the tobacco, aud
in trice roll it into q firm, compact cigar
cite. Lifting it to their lips. with little
- b, no aIs Of 10
paper, apply the paste with the paddle, and
with 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, ard
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 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
2 1000 daily, il affords means of making a
comfortable support with no hard labor, and
only respect and consideration received. A
novice is able to earn from az 10 So week
No operator Is retained who is not capable Of
doing better than this, for the business of the
establishment is so great that 1t cannot
afford to employ laggards
drew one of the rollers into conversation
She was u very pretty girl, and was
thoroughly absorbed in her work She zap
pened To be the fastest worker in the room
She told me she always rolled from three to
four thousand day, and one week she bad
made 81 900 cigarettes. This was. of course,
phenomenal, bat her dasy work is rernarka-
BILE, as it gives her $50 or s65 per month
very good wages for a factory hand. And
the climate Of Virginia is such that they sell
dom lose It DAYS work through its severity
Richmond VA Cor. Chicago Times