The St. Johns herald., 1889-08-15
WORK FOR WOMEN.
Wages Paid in Chicago for SO-CaIlei Un
 skilled Female Labor.

skilled Female Labor.
 Investigation proves that unskilled fc. male labor in Chicago is not poorly paid, says the Eers or that city. The humblest work performed by women for hire receives fair compensation in each and every in- stance, and there is plenty of work to do. Under the head ofunskilled female labor are laundry girls, washerwouen, unprofession- al nurses, scrubwouen, chambermaids, waitresses and domestics.
 There are perhaps 2,900 women in Chicago working in laundries. They work nine hours each day and receive as compensation not less than @ week Since the intro duction of steam laundry machinery their labor is comparatively light, the only hard ship endured being the heat in the summer There is no apprenticeship except one week at the beg;aning Of the employment, and any girl can earn 2 full salary at the end of the first week. There arc, however, small girls who perform light work, such as dampening linen by spriakliDg water on it, and they do not receive more than S4 for Q weeks service.
 Washerwomen who go out by the day to wash for private families receive 8 for a day's work and in many instances arc given theIr meals. These who take in washing at their homes are generally widows CT de- deserted wives who have small children that need their attention. They fix their own prices by the piece, and charge the same as steam laundres. Inquiry ct sev- eral female employment agencies showed a demand for this kind of service that could not be supplied.
 Unprofessional nurses are paid go a month az sainirn !Tn salary, and this in- dudes board and room. They are neat aud ddy girls, who have intelligence enough 10 make themselves useful around a sick room, and nay are often paid 50 month for their services. If they are careful and reliable, physicians will recommend them, and they need never want for employment.
 At twelve o'c lock every night the scrub women in the big hotels b gin their work. They get down ca their hands and knees and with soap, water and a stiff brust scrub the marble floors, wiping them dry with cloth as they go along These women are mostly Pclcs and Bohemiars Their pay ranges from SIP to 1j month, which includes board and room. There is an army of these women employed to scrub the downtown office buildings, and they receive, in most instances, $2 day.
 |. The white-capped ChambcrInaid, who q ways looks so neat in her p,aIa calico dress receives an income Cf a week, includiE board and room. Sac needs DO IrcgioU. experience if she is intelligent and i. capable of executing tue orders cf the house keeper.
 Tho waiter girls in restaurants, boardinc houses and hotels get rot less than g; week, which always includes board and, CT cept in restaurants, room. bIany Of then receive S4 and .5 a week, wbiic the kitchc- girls and dish-washers get 4 2 week witl board.
 There has never been 6 time in Chica1r when girls were not m demand at gOot wages to dc general housework. ThCr seems alweys to bc scarcity Of this Inn of domestic service, although tho lowe: wages raid gro - @ wecl. 2nd in nan cases t5 .s cEfercd without securing help. very est'ma5ie women who keeps e fam2lt employment office on Washington boulevarC said:
 "Ican o.Tor a good explanation for tEc scarcely Of domestic servants. Girls refuse to work where they are misused. Even the worm wlll turn II tramplcd upon, and in my opinion the mistress of the house is often to blame fer the dissatisfaction Of servants. Their poodle dog is petied while sensitive girl has her life made miserable. The fault is not ill the girls, but in those who hire them 2,