St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-25

N V her %sr.,,,s Statement '' { I { ::
gerated, but thought that perhaps it
would be worth while to find how much
of truth there was in her story.
Following the address given in the
note, | found the house after some diff
Guilty. 1t vas two-stOry frame build
ing that had originally frOnted the
street. but now stands at the back of a
filthy yard, while newer and more
pretensionS tenement now fills its
former place. The house had that air
of dilapidatiOn acquired from years Of
rental and neglect. The building
seemed to be occupied by people
who rented room or two each,
and took in sewing or washing
in order TO exc ont a subsistence. After
a little inquiry found the room where
my friend lived. She was lying on
couch with her eyes bandaged, so that
| had time TO glance about the room be-
fore making my presence known. The
floor was guiltleSs of carpet or rug.
The wall paper, originally OF some dark
color, had been torn off in MANY places,
leaving discolored patches. The sun
light Streamed in through a grimy and
uncurtained window. A char, and oil
stove, table and few dishes formed
the only other furniture besides the
couch on which my friend was lying.
wasn't a cheerful place, and / thought
perhaps she kept her eyes bandaged in
order to shut out
THE MISERABLE SURROUNDINGS.
After making my presence known,
and indulging in few polite
commOnplaces, | said: Mary, how
do you happen to be living
here and where is all the pretty furni-
n hat n
comfortable?' She explained that she
had always been able to earn from S. to
IS Il week until, on going to work in an
overall factory, her eyes had been in
jured by working in poor light. The
foreman advised her to quit work for
awhile, but, being dependent OH her
work for a living, she saw no aterna-
tive but to work as long as possible and
trust the future for better times. Moth
inc better came, however; she had been
lying for weeks with her eyes bandaged
and the physician gave but little hope
that she would be able to work steadily
again. A package of pawn checks rep
resented the pretty furniture which had
formerly made her room look so cosy.
There was no fire in the room, but
Mary said the laundry woman down
stairs would let her sit by the heating
stove when it became too cold to stay
up stairs without fire.
THE OVERALL FACTORY.
After reporting the ease to some char
liable people, who promised to see that
the girl had good care, | visited the fac
tory at which she had worked. 1t was
frame building, a story and a half high.
Judging from its appearance, it might
have been one of the first buildings
erected in the city. A blacksmith shop
on one side and brick block on the
other left not much vacant space about
the building.
The light came through the large
windows in the store front. Those who
were fortunate enough TO sit near the
windows had good light, but those who
sat farther back were at disadvantage.
The girls said that they were obliged to
work rapidly in order to make living
wages, and the lack of sufficient light
was serious matter TO them. Several
complained of sore eyes. There were
lamps hung along at intervals over the
machines, but they were not kept in
such order as to give good results.
On inquiry | found that the prOprie-
tor, Mr.. Cohen, is said to own the brick
block adjoining and also a large amount
of real estate in different parts of the
city. One might pity him if he were
Just starting into business, and could
place in which to work. AS it is, he
could put his overall factory in the brick
block adjoining, but that would involve
the loss of Office rent which is now re-
ceived from that building, and certainly
no sensible or humane person would
think of asking girls to work in their
present quarters with its attendant sur
roundings.
Can get a glass of water?" / in
Quired of one of the girls.
Eyes. if you want TO drink the water
from that we'll out in the yard" she an
swered.
whats the trouble with the water?"
| asked.
Just go out and see where that well is
situated and then remember that all.
last summer we had to
DRINK THAT WATER
without even ice TO cool it. The owner
of the factory said that we could beg a
chunk of ice from the restaurant across
the yard if we couldn't do without it.
Several of our girls drank the water and
ii made them sick. So we used TO work
all day long in the heat and suffer thirst
rather than drink the impure water
from that Well"
| found that the we'll was situated
where it couldn't fail to receive the
drainage from several vaults, and all
sorts of refuse were thrown out from
the blacksmith shop and stores. The
closet which the girls are obliged TO use
is in too filthy a condition for deScrip-
ton, vet complaint and request for bet
ter accommodations have been unayail-
ing.
| found the wages as high as those
paid for similar work in other factories.
Girls who were just beginning earned
from $3.50 TO 81 per week. \ large per-
centage earned from 80 to 80 cents a
day. Experts earned from IS to Sll per
week. The foreman was pleasant and
gentlemanly-evde willing to do
all that he could in order to better the
condition of affairs. But he claimed
that he could do nothing in regard to
the evils of which | have spoken unless
the owner of the factory were willing.
ANYTHING FOR WORK.
The girls seemed disposed to accept
their surroundings without much COM
ment, saying shat they were glad to get
work in any sort Of place, and their
greatest source of trouble seemed to be
that they had no money to spend for
Christmas, because work had been so
slack. EVA GAY.