St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-21
ABOUT FOUR DOLLARS
The Average Weekly Wages OF
the Machine" Girls who are

The Average Weekly Wages Of
the "Iachinc' Girls who are
Striking.
The striking machine girls who have
been employed by Shotwell, Clerihew &
Lotlman have prepared the following
statement showing the reduction that
has been made in wages:
"The prices for making shirts used to
be from to IA cents. The cent grade
has been cut to 3 cents; the cent grade
to 5 cents, and the II cent grade to II
cents. The jumpers have been cut
from cents to So cents. Jean pants
used to be 10 cents without watch
pocket or canvas in the belt, and II
cents with them. Now the price is 8
cents with watch pocket and canvas in
the belt and cents without. The three
stitched jean pants used to be 16 cents;
last fall they were cut to Is cents. That
was the first cut Mr.. Woodward made
and resulted in Strike-abOut eight OF
the girls leaving his employ. Another
grade of jean pants that used to be IA
cents are now IL cents. This cut went
into effect some time after last Christ
mas. Mr.. Woodward brought few
bundles of those goods to be made and
uOhCo UHC 10 W AAiit W
making one bundle each for II cents,
stating they would not have to make
any more after that time. The girls
state that they are compelled to make
these same goods for IL cents now.
Cashmere pants, with curtains and belt
Innings and two hip pockets were form
erly made for Is, 10 and 20 cents. For
the finest grade the girls received $3.50
per dozen. Last summer they tried to
cut the price down to II cents. just after
the Fourth of July, but the girls refused
to make them at that price, and they did
not insist upon it then. A couple of
months before Christmas they took off
the curtains and belt Innings, and the
girls had to make them for Is and 16
cents. Soon afterward they took off
another cent for making the same goods,
reducing the price to IA and Is cents.
After Christmas they put on a little
extra work Oh these goods for the same
price; and last Saturday they wanted
the girls to put on the curtains and belt
price-14 cents. After New Years they
took off the cord which had formerly
been put on these good and required the
employees to put on a stay and strip.
The strip has since been taken off, The
work of putting Oh cord is about equal
to putting on stay. Engineers jack
cts brought cents when Mr.. Wood
ward took charge of the shop. They
have been cut several times, until now
they are cents. California Overalls
used to be Is cents when Mr.. Woodward
took charge of the shop. They are now
cents. The bib-Overalls that used to
be cents are cents now, and another
grade that used to be cents are now 4
cents. Double-seamed overalls that
used to be S1.20 are now 80 cents. All
the above cuts have been made since
Mr.. Woodward took the shop, and dur
ing the time that he has been in charge
there has not been a single rise in price.
AS rule, he required more work rather
than less when he made cut in prices.
The average wages paid the girls for
the last three weeks has been figured
out. 1t is just S4.51 per week."
There was no change in the situation
yesterday, the firm giving no sign that
any concession is to be made. Inquiry
reveals the fact that it will be next to
impossible to obtain skilled hands to
take the places of the strikers. If
green girls are employed it will be at
least six months before they can become
proficient. The firm will therefore eX-
perience great difficulty in filling its
orders, and it is upon this fact that the
girls build the hope that their demands
will be granted. They seem to think
the members of the firm are disposed to
do what is fair and just in the way of
pay, but are deferred from doing this
by the manager, Woodward, who seems
to be very unpopular. An advertise
ment has been inserted asking sewing
girls to keep away from Mime
apolis, and especially from the factory
of Shotwell, Cierihew 81 Lotnman, and
an effort is being made to provide places
for girls who have no homes to go to.
This afternoon another meeting of the
strikers will be held at $50 Second ave-
nue. south.