The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-10-02
ENGLISH WOMEN'S WORK,
SOME OF THEM ARE BLACKSMITHS
AND LIVE MISERABLY.


Items of General Interest.
Mrs. Leonora M. Barry, of New
York, has written an interesting
paper on the condition of working
women in England. 1t appears under
copyright in the Albany EUenan9
Union; but we ven ture TO Gull an ex-
tract or two for our readers ben etit.
Mrs. Barry says
From Birmingham ] went about
fifteen miles to Dudley, or what is
known as the Black Country, and it is
rightly named. Both in appearance and
the condition of it's people, a blacker,
more dreary life could not be con
ceived. 1t is the property of Lord
Dudley. The Inflated YOUNGSTOWN. OF
Pennsylvania, did not present a more
pitiful appearance after its fearful
disaster than does this landed prop
erty of O. lord. Land robbed OF its
God-given treasures and gone to swell
the Golfers of those who fail to be
thankful for the gift. Homes-no,
that is not the proper name-the
broken, tumble-down, rickety, unsafe
novels in which the poor people live
are a mockery ON the sacred name OF
home.
The country is divided into little
hamlets bearing such burlesque
names as Thibbetts' Gardens, Gin
der Bank, Primrose Hill, Netherton
Ruins very appropriated Cradley
Heath, etc.
A description of one of these places
will suffice for all. Thibbetts' Gar
dens is a miserable, grimy, dirty
patch, with little novels built along
its one foul-smelling street, oyerwhich
all sewerage matter from roof and
kitchen has cut little bitches. At the
back of every dwelling, and included
as a part of the rent, is a forge with
fireplace sufficient for one Dr. more
anvils. Here, at these anyils, the
women and children of this poverty
stricken locality stand day after day,
until months roll into years, and years
| into q lifetime, swinging hammer and
tongs. welding into every nail and
| every link of chain their health, com
fort and happiness. The doleful sound
| of the hammer and anvil, used by the
mothers, is welded into every nerve
anu ADEC " LIIG ulOOJA O0OC, ohAA
after It's birth it is lulled to sleep by
the same mournful cadence, as its lit
tie body rests on the big bellows, or
swings in the rude cradle that hangs
from the rafters. Nails, such as are
used in the bottoms of ships, hobnails
for heels and soles of shoes, and chains
of different sizes, Nos. !, 4 and 8 are
| the sizes made by these women, some
q ... ~.o xv1 asxr4xr xyoo &c old
The iron rod is brought from the
factories in coils, and the ONE have
to straighten it out preparatory to
using. They get n hundred and
twelve pounds of iron rod at a batch.
They are allowed eight pounds for
waste and must be accountable for the
balance.
Chainmakers, by working steadily,
make eighteen pence per day, which
| equals thirty-six cents American
money. The rent of a house of two
rooms, with forge and two anvils, is
two shillings and nine pence per week
(~sixty-six cents) One good woman, OF
whom the clergyman who accom-
panied US spoke very highly, said she
had lived in one house and worked at
one forge for seventeen years, and in
that time nc repairs had been made
except such as YER paid for out OF
her own earnings. The husbands and
fathers of these chain and nail max
ing women + miners, working fol
such a miserable pittAnce that it is alb.
solutely necessary for the mother,
wife and daughter to live this cruel
life.
The Two-Headed Lady.
The following is a description of the
living two-headed lady, Mile Chris.
tine, who was born in North Carolina
in 1851. For the past thirty-eight
years she has been presented before
eight sovereigns. Was commanded tc
appear before the Queen and royal
family at Buckingham Palace. She
has two separate heads and shoulders,
blending into one body and forming
but one person. The juncture of the
two busts takes place just below the
shoulder blades, where the spinal
cords or back bone are united, and
from that point to the terminus of the
body there is but one spine in com
mon. She sings with both mouths al
the same time. In taking a seat she
uses an ordinary chair, just the same
as any other person, and in reclining
ON q bed of rest she lies on either side
with all ease and comfort. One head
NAV be awake while the other il
asleep, but as a general thing botl
heads go to sleep and awake at the
same time, and it has frequently hap
pened that both heads have dream1
the same dream.
Now one head may be suffering
from a toothache and the other head
will not feel it, but should a headache
arise from general causes both heads
suffer the same. Both heads always
eat and drink, having the desire fol
food or nourishment of any kind al
the same time. Life would be sus
tanned if only one head ate, but il
would not satisfy the head that did
not eat. While the sense OF feeling ii
separate and distinct above the bond
of the union, if you touch the foot Of
one the other head will feel it, but if
YOU touch the head of one the Other
will not feel it. Consider well what
you are reading about, remembering
that among the millions and millions
of people who inhabit this earth Mile
Christine is the only woman of hel
kind among us. She is Furthermore
a parsonage who has travelled the
civilized world over, having visited
every town and city in this and the
old country, being visited by more
people and attracting more attention
among the intelligent classes than any
- 49, L. H. n-xI