St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-03

IN M RyaF,h them was box
wik %t$Ti5r4 ~ making. Be ing
CX.SS~SLS| amused and inter
eSted by t he
stories from girls
who had tried to earn living at that
trade, | concluded to look it up.
How many paper box factories are
there in the city, and where do you find
them?" | asked.
l found that there was Ony one, and 1t
was said to be situated on Washington
avenue, near Second avenue north. Fol-
lowing the directions received,I climbed
two flights of stairs in a dilapidated
building, only to find that the
factory had moved across the street.
Retracing my steps, / found the present
location of the establishment on the
fourth floor of large, new brick build
ing: the StairWayS were broad and
clean, the halls neatly finished and
wainScOted. On the third floor was the
office of Hayward IL Co. The factory
is OH the fourth floor: but how was | to
get up there? The door at the foot of
the stairway leading TO the factory was
locked. After looking around the build
ing and finding no other method of
GOING INTO TIE FACTORY
than by that doorway | was rather
puzzled and had concluded to defer my
visit until noon when surely the door
would be unlocked to let the employees
go out to dinner. The upper half of
that door was Of glass so that | could
tanta!lZe myself by looking up the for
hidden stairway.
Just as ! was turning away, a girl
came down from the factory, and aD-
paTantly disappeared through the side of
wall into the office, and as she came
back, | saw that there was a narrow
doorway opening into the office. ! tried
the office door: it was easily opened. A
man at the desk asked me what
wanted, but | was so busy looking for
that doorway, that hadn't time to an
sWer. Aftera moments search | I'M
fastened the little door, and skipped up
the stairs. At the top, large doOrways
leading into the factory stood wide
open. | havn't doubt but that man
in the Office would have given me a pass
and, perhaps, an escort through the
factory, because he looked real pleas.
ant. but | never like to put employers to
that trouble, preferring to pursue my
researches unaided.
The factory proper occupies the whole
fourth floor of the building. The floor
was Uttered with pasteboard, scraps of
colored paper, and crates of finished
boxes for shipment. The walls and
lately been WhitewaShed. 1t seemed to
me that the light was rather dim, but
one of the girls said: 'Why. this is
just splendid work-rOom compared to
our old one; we have much better light
here and more r0Om.''
There seemed only few girls at work.
81 thought there were good many girls
employed here" said to a girl who was
tying waste paper into sacks.
You don't see them; they're all up
IT, the gallery" she replied.
Looking up, saw that a gallery had
been built on each side of the factory. a
steep stairway, or ladder, rather, lead
ing up to this place. On climbing into
the gallery found about
TWENTY GIRLS AT WORK
on many kinds of boxes. Each one had
a bench before her, the top covered
with zinc, where she pasted and fin
iShed the boxes.
How do you like to work up here?''
] asked.
"Oh, it's a regular picnic to work M
here, that's what it isl was the sarcas-
tic reply, lust you stay up here a half
an hour and see how hot and close it is. -
| sat down to rest and watch the girls:
after while one of them came along
saying: Il guess I'll have to hang
around while now, there's no work
ready for me-"
Make box for me while you're
waiting, and let me see how you work?''
/ asked.
She good naturally complied. First.
taking a fiat square of paSteboard. hay
ing the corners cut out and the edges
marked, she quickly bent this to shape
cover. staying" the corners by past
ing on paper; another larger piece was
bent to form the sides. of tie box. then
the bottom fastened; this gave box in
the rough. Fancy paper was then
pasted on the sides, also on the ton and
edges of the cover, gilt trimmings and
lace edge finished a pretty little article
which took along as a souvenir of nv
visit.
She made the box in less time than if
takes to describe it.
''HoW long does it take to learn box
making?" | asked.
Its according TO how smart you are:
some girls learn in three days, others
fool around couple of weeks before
they know much about it,
Gould | get chance to learn?' |
asked; I'D be willing to work without
pay until learned"
We'll, | guess you would 90 without
pay till you learned: that's the rule:
what you'd make would go to the girl
Then of course girls don't mind
TEACHING a NEW HAND,
because it's the same as getting paid for
it, | said.
well we get tired of it. A girl
don't generally stay here if she can get
anything else to. do, so we're always
teaching new hands, land it's good deal
more bother than their work is worth,''
she replied.
''Why don't you explain that matter
to your employer and tell him that you
don't care to teach girls?" queried.
"A lot of good that would do. His
wife is an eX-boXmaker: he'd get her to
teach new hand and fire. gill who
dared refuse.''
You said girls didn't stay here long;
why is that?"
Il can't stop to talk to you any
longer" she said; ''Fll have to get some
pasteboard and go to work.
"YOu get the material already cut for
the boxes. don't you?" | asked.
sometimes, then again we have to
wait for hours; of course we're work