Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-09-15


search of a living, and it is really the last
they should adopt if they are awake to
their own interests. | am referring now
especially to the positions in the large re-
tail stores or bazars which many girls i'm
] aglne to be desirable, because there is
usually no night work in such places, and
Saturday half-holidays are the rule for the
summer months. But it should be re-
membered that these holidays are more
than offset by the work day and evening
during December, for which they receive
no extra pay. The daily work of a sales
woman is of kind particularly trying to
both mind and body, and only person of
! good physical constitution and phleg-
matte temperament can endure the strain
without feeling serious effects. The neces-
sity of standing behind counter all day,
for that is what it really amounts to, is
sufficient to stamp the vocation as un-
suited to the great majority of feminine
workers. All the talk of saleswomen
being allowed to sit down if they are tired
is humbug.
These were my reflections as | turned to
large and well-known dry goods estab-
lishment where large number of girls
tussle for bread which is not always but
/ tered. l spoke to several, who were at first
somewhat timid about replying to my in
| quiries, and now and then cast furtiye
| glance in the direction of the foor-walker.
| but their statements were all of the same
tenor, and entirely confirmed the bad i'm
preston had previously received regard
ing their calling.
In marked contrast to the rug-covered
| Office of the typewriter was the large and
Uttered, but well-lighted loft, where some
twenty-five girls pursued their vocation of
typesetting. Maggie Of the bright eyes
and rosy cheeks answered my inquiries
! concerning the trade with her dimpled
face wreathed in smiles and her taper fin
gers covered with dust
'Oh, yes the trade offers fairly remu-
nerative employment for girls not afraid
| to soil their hands in earning an honest
living, but it is hard to get an opening to
learn the trade. You see, it's Just this
way. A girl applies for an opportunity
and ninety-nine times out of hundred
the foreman will tell her he has no time to
teach girls, and he knows by experience
she will spoil more type than she is worth
There is scarcely place in this city where
young girl can expect any better reCep-
tion than this if she applies for employ
ment without previous experience.
Now, if you are going to ask me what a
girl can do to begin at the beginning and
learn the trade, and how the girls working
at the case acquired the knowledge, my
answer is: While master printers do not
wish to be bothered with novices at the
case, it's good scheme to get journey
man printer, for small consideration,
and, on the quiet, as you might say, to in
| struct beginner in the rudiments Then,
| you see, when she has learned them, she is
no longer inexperienced, and she won't
have much difficulty in getting place
somewhere to earn little money after a
couple of months or so. Is that the way
l learned? Oh, no; that's the way it is in
| big cities like New York, but was raised
in country village and learned my trade
in the printing Office there. | suppose
was pretty apt at the work, and if YOU
| have certain aptness at it, you know, you
| can get on much faster. | set type on
newspaper and book matter after had
been in the office about six months. In
this office-and | suppose it's the way in
most other places-a girl who can set
| 1000 ems a day can earn about s. week,
and if she is at all cut out for the work
she ought to be able to set this amount
after three or four months practice am
getting So week, and | suppose that
can set about 5000 ems a day, l know
some girls, though, who earn from SIS to
| SIS a week, but / think my wages are
| about the average.
Do think il laborious? Well, yes, it
is somewhat One should have good eye
| sight if she enters upon this business but
| | think the work itself Is not near so try
| ing as that of a saleswoman. You see, we
can set type either standing or sitting, and
consequently | do not think we are so
! tired when it comes night. 1t is not so
| pretty here as it is in some stores, but we
are not obliged to dress any better than We
| choose, and | think if girl is sensible
! and willing to adapt herself to her sur
/ roundings she can get her living in more
comfort and with more profit than many
l know who have prettier places to work
in. Do know anything of proof-reading
No. my sister though is proof-reader,
and | was for a while copyholder for my
sister. To be a copyholder only wants or
dinary intelligence, and to be able to read
more or less illegible manuscript. A copy
holders earnings usually range from S. to
SO week, and | think if vacancy ex-
lists in an office it is not very difficult to
get position if one applies for it. The
copyholder, | suppose you know, holds the
manuscript while the proof-reader scans
the printers proof and makes the neces-
sary corrections"
Not far removed from the busiest portion
of our great metropolis, in a tiny Office,
separated from the main floor of large
public building, young girl was standing
at a window receiving messages for the
Western Union Telegraph service.
ado ! like this employment" she re-
peated when | made known my errand
"Oh, yes, very well, l think it is an ex-
tremely pleasant occupation if one is so
fortunate as to get situation, but it is
very tiresome waiting and waiting for a
vacancy to occur. You see there are so
many schools for telegraphy nowadays
that this avenue of income like nearly
every other is choked up by girls and women
compelled to seek a livelihood. Owing to
this fact the school at the Cooper Union
has made a condition that only such ap-
plicants for course in this branch OF
study will be received as have positive
assurance of place waiting for them as
soon as they are competent to fill it.
graduated from the Cooper Union after
the regular term of study, which is OF
about six months duration, and my name
was placed on record at the main office OF
the Western Union. A girl may reckon
on its being about year before she will
be likely to receive an appointment; when
she does she will get probably compensa.
tion of not less than $35."
"What is about the average salary paid
young ladies?"
"Well, think it is safe to place it al
about $50 a month. have heard of very
exceptional cases where woman received
$50, and have known others where S125
was the salary for the same period, but
the figure give is a fair average
"Do we have to work very long hours
Why, not longer than from A. NJ. to p
NJ. We have comfortable quarters, as you
see, and | think our lot in life is not
most unhappy one"
Death of n Mean Hoosier.
Only few months ago, when he real
lied that death was slowly but surely fas
tening his icy grip upon him, and that he
could not live very long, he stated that ht
| Al Ill L