Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-05-08
MATCHMAKING WOMEN.
Facts Cleaned from n Recent Report by
the Commissioner of Labor.

Facts Cleaned from n Recent Report by
the Commissioner of Labor.
A quarter OF century ago most
avenues of employment were closed to
women. The occupation available to
them were generally unremunerative
and often distasteful. Since that time,
however, conditions have bettered
wonderfully in this respect, and it ap-
pears from the annual report OF Carroll
ID. Wright, Commissioner Of the De-
partment OF Labor that women are
now extensively employed in 3i2 &C.
equations.
One Of the most remarkable show
ings in Mr. Wright's report is that in
all the great cities the working women
are practically girls. Their average
age in all the cities comprehended in
the report is % years and seven
months. The highest average, %
years and one month, was found in
Savannah, and the lowest, II years
and five months, at st. Paul. The
bulk of the 1924 women interviewed
by the compilers of the statistics were
between the ages Of Is and 20. The
average age was raised by the pres
ence Of II considerable number OF
women past middle age.
These figures prove, if they mean
any thing, that the great majority of
women who work for wages marry
early in life, and in this fact many en-
ployers find justification for paying
lower wages to their female than to
their male employees. The latter be-
gin with an intention TO make their
position stepping stone to prefer
ment. The former in many cases re-
gard IL us Il mere makeshift
Another interesting fact is that IA
l20 Of the 1924 women interviewed
are native born. The parents of
great majority OF these, however,
were foreign born. OF the whole
number only 745 women are married,
while there are LOSS widows. Those
in perfect health number l4,55i, which
argues well for the general sanitary
condition of American workshops.
Good homes are possessed by II, 020 of
the women, but many of the remainder
exist under the most miserable and
discouraging conditions.
The average yearly earnings Of wom-
en- in the leading industries are given
as follows:
Artificial flowers, s277. So; awning and tents,
s2iG46; book binding S27i.31; boots and shoes,
i2S6GD; candy s2l3.59; carpets, s20s.53 cigar
boxes, s96136; cigar factory, s291.G6; cigarette
factory, S266.i2 cloak factory, Se9l.16; clothing
factory, s!is3G; cotton mills, s22s 30; dres smak
ing $3.50 Ga dry good stores, s36s 81; jewelry fac
tory, S2S5 20; laundry s3i3,75; mattress factory
1903 80; mems furnishing-goods factory 1901. "a (;
millinery s4j. o. paper-box factory ~ AZ; plug
tobacco factory, s235.67: printing ONCE $4,000;
skirt factory, s265. 40 smokng-tobacco factory,
s23s ~.
A careful study of these figures is
very instructive. They might have
been made more valuable, however,
had not Mr.. Wrights agents confined
their Investigations to the women en-
ployed in purely manual labor. These
form but small portion Of the work.
ing women Of the country. Thousands
of others are engaged in teaching. in
telegraphy, in stenography, as clerks
and in tho professions. 1t is pity
that Mr. Carroll did not make more
comprehensive and thorough report.
Albany On. Y. Journal.