Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-07
THE OFFICE GIRLS OF NEW YORK.
A Cood.LoOSking and Sensible Lot 81
Young Women.

From the New York Sun.
There is no such procession OF maiden women in
America as that which moves simultaneously east
and west from Broadway every evening between 5
and O'Clock. 1t Is composed OF working girls but
happily not Of the class TO which the Sun has
done such great service by the exposure Of the
small pay OF those who sew for living. Those
were of the sad order Of women immort allied in
Hoods ''Song Of the Shirt" These are OF the new
order that is revolutionizing the downtown dis
trict Of counting rooms and Offices.
These young girls are on their ways to the fer
rieS, for nearly all OF them live out OF town, not
only in the big suburbs but in all the little towns as
far north as Nyack, as far south as the AmbOys,
WestwaTd pey EXON New Brunswck and east as far
writers, stenographers clerks, cashiers, buyers,
heads OF departments In big stores, telegraph
operators, telephone central Office employees and
private secretaries. 1t is possible for many in
these lines for women to earn as little as IS
week but the majority OF those live in this city,
Brooklyn, Jersey City and Hoboken. Those who
crowd the trains for the country villages and
towns earn between double and four times that
$40, and when they combine with type.writing
the duties OF stenographers secretaries or both
their wages run up as high as SIS week. AS much
as that Is paid TO some OF what are called the
'heads Of stock" and buyers In the large shopping
stores where there are other women who earn
dent of perhaps the largest OF these stores is wo-
man, and so Is the cashier in the same store. In
many stores in lower Broadway. Nassau street,
and the streets that cross them, the young lady
cashiers wages permit them to pay 500 q
year for Communication tickets TO country towns,
tainable for the same money in the CIV They are
progressing lot OF girls, well dressed bright
eyed, rosy-cheeked and plump, who are great
deal more like rural than city women in their
habits and methods Of speech. They know much
more about tobogganing, skating, straw rides,
homeocommings donation parties surprise par,
or the sights and shows OF the town. In fact,
many OF them seldom stay In town over night or
sightseeing tours that either the town ladies or
their own sisters and cousins, who come here to
spend their holidays and money, are fond Of.
A great many are courted and welded in the
country and there settle down for life, but Stu
dent or this new element in business which is put
men in the Stores and ofices has found that mar
riageS between them and the men they work with
are growing more and more frequent Indeed, he
maids than OF factory girls or girls who don't work
for living. The men in charge OF the large shops
and such establishments as the telegraph operat-
ing rooms declare that the girls pick out the smart
est OF the men around them Tor their husbands,
and do not, as Is so often the case with women
SeG stay AZ g. ns s
authorities declare that In all other matters
these wcl,pad and skilled girls are less sen:
more fortunate, stay-atthome sisters 1t an.
pears that they interest themselves more In
the news OF the day and the practical interests OF
mankind by reason OF having TO hear II to join
In the talk OF the men around them. At the same
time those who have taste for sewing make ana
mend their own apparel and those who like house
hold work and cooking practice 1t at night and on
sunday and whenever chance is afforded them.
That this Is quite likely to be true is from the
fact that whoever visits the largest type-writing
scnoo In the city, or any OF the other places where
there are many girls curing the noon hour, Will
find some OF the girls knitting sewing, or crochet
Ing. The others are apt 10 be chatting together
or reading novels.
What a picture all this presents! Here are
thousands OF young women employed at nice
work, with good pay living In the country at least
half the day, forced to be neat and as pretty as
possible while at their work, liable marry early
and well, growing practical and wise, and yet re-
manning as Wonanly as their mothers. Fortunate
New YORK, 10 have such q host OF wel-nigh per-
rect girls.