The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-20

A Picture Of their Industrial Condi
New York san.

A Picture Of their Industrial condi-
tfon.
New York san.
One OF the last acts Of the late con-
gress was TO authorize the publication
Of the fourth annual report OF the
commissioner OF labor. which Is de-
voted entirely To the condition of
working women in the United States.
The compilation of the statistics and
information embodied in the volume
are due to the endcaver Of two young
women, working with slight assistance
from one man, under the direction OF
Mr.. Carroll -. Wright, commissioner
Of Labor, and with the purpose of pre-
senting an authentic picture of the in
dustrial condition of working women
of the day, to furnish valuable addi-
ton 10 the history of the times which
should be absolutely true. and to gath
er data for its scientific bearing upon
social problems. When Mr.. Wright
was ia charge OF the bureau OF statis-
tics be conceived the idea OF making
report OF the working women of Bos-
ton with respect 70 their home as well
as shop conditions, and to this end he
had 1000 representative work
ing women, not including the
semi-professional women, inter
viewed personally. At his APP
his appointment as commissioner of
labor BY President Arthur he dete-
mined 10 extend his investigations to
other cities, and accordingly all the
representative cities from New England
10 the Mississippi river. and as far south
as New Orleans. as we'll a the large
cities on the Pacific Coast, where
working women are congregated in
large numbers, have been visited and
the condition Of their working people
very thoroughly looked into and ac-
curately reported. The gathering of
this Information required the greatest
tact and sagacity, for working women
are, az rule. extremely reserved, too
proud 90 confess their actual needs
aepriyations, suspicious of interview
ers, and antagonistic TO anything
that suggests charitable iaterfer-
ence, fearful of compromising them
selves, and sometimes intimidated
by employers and superintendent.
In spite OF all this, between II 600 and
1900 women have been interviewed
and visited, not only in the shops, but
at their homes, and the bulk of the
work has been accomplished by the
two women to whom IL was relegated.
They have together visited Boston,
BROOKLYN, Buffalo. Newark, Cleveland,
Chicago, 81. Paul and ST. Louis, Louis
vile, Cincinnati, Baltimore. Phiia-
delphia. New Orleans, Atlanta, Savau-
nah, Charleston, New York, Indian
apolis and Richmond. remaining from
three weeks TO five months In each
city, according to the number of the
working women and the difficulty I'm
obtaining the desired information.
They would 20 into strange city
alone, pick up such information as they
could concerning It's industries by con-
sultation OF the census and ques--
uoning the people they met, and then
proceed 10 Interview the employers.
aud If possible To gain Abundance to
the workrooms. This was frequently
denied them, and the addresses of the
women also refused. They would
quietly visit another establishment,
and, sooner or later. were sure 70 find
some one who had worked in the fac
tory or shop to which they
had been refused admittance. and who
could tell them it, condition, rs we'll
"a the addresses of some of its EN-
ployes. Frequently. too, they found
the employees and employers arrayed
against each other in the most hostile
relations. and 90 gather the desired In
formation from both sides required in.
( finite tact and diplomacy. The DAYS
were thus devoted to the collecting of
Information, the evenings TO making
= All Mt Of
same. and Sundays were spent
! in visiting the working peo-
[ pie at their homes. Sometimes IN
( interviewing trade they would visit
every house in q street, for operatives
III the same branch of labor are inclined
I to group themselves in the same neigh
borhoods. Their interviews consisted
III learning the nativity. age. coniugaI
relations. age at which work was be-
gun, elect OF work upon health
wages and hours. work previous
t " done, II differing from that engaged
in az the time, from every woman
+ they visited. From 9 to 10 per cent.
OF employees IN shop or factory were
visited. When once the working
women became satisfied that their ia
qalries came with kindly rather than
charitable ur refoFmatnrv motives
they talked freely ana iniSlsisentlv on
ths subject and allowed the figures 70
I've copied from their little pasS-hooks.
ia which vas the actual amount al
wages Laey received after al fines and
ether expenses demanded hv the en-
ployeFS had been SsIlstracted. En-
ployers frequently allowed their pay
roAs % he copied, and frorn the tao
accounts the correct average will lie
Inasla.
Ore os these remarkable bright and
interesting young women. WHO'S FROM
the South and requests that her natae
he withheld, says aS a result of her
two years investigation:
While ! find many serious evils in
tue working woman : condition. 1 ais,
nHa = brighter side than i popularity
believed to exist, Women work ansser
a great disaas aasage from want of
proper training The less desirable
portions os the work are assigned 10
theIiss and an infinite number al infiu-
ences besides the raparity oi empley-
isrS Affect their Nages Isnmigratsou
Shils u tends 90 build ap the eoantrs
reduces the rate al labor xerv raAteri-
ally The unfortunate conditions an
der which waHaen work. aud amid
which they 1--we are often ewing 10 the
uaeanfs$s OF landiosds IN refusing 90
fasAe needed repairs. or build sanitary
tenement houses Bat | also ind
wuTklag- women on q much higher
E3stse than they we're "a or ~ wears
ases and many os them attaining isaaie-
fsssashsnee lgy their unaide8 labor.
Where there we're Formerly hus -
occupations open tss women, there
arc ssow about Ra in which noaev
may hx earned | sifad THAI
many Of them 60 10 w0Tk ai Is. live
Nels. dress wsAi, sad sometimes save.
Families ia which there are many
daughters hive very nseely Of the AK
EregAte tnssnnse. very often. ssrsristiv