Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-01
WOMEN WHO WORK.
Interesting Statistics Of the Condition
of Working Women I'm this Country.

of Working Women I'm this Country.
In his report on working women in the
great cities Carroll D. Wright the commits
sioner of the department of labor, states that
the class whose condition was investigated are
those women who earn their living in the occu-
pations calling for manual labor. Those women
who work in great city shops, upon light man
ual or mechanical labor, and in stores are the
the ones that we recognize under the popular
term working women"
This study comprehends three hundred and
forty-two distinct industries and relates to
twenty-five different cities, which may be con-
sidered thoroughly representative, as far as the
locality is concerned. The total number of wo-
men who have been individually interviewed is
17,427, being from to per cent of the whole
number OF women engaged in the class of work
WOMEN AS AGENTS.
The facts which enter into this report have,
in the main, been collected by women agents
Of the department. The result of the work
of the agents, says the commissioner, must
bear testimony to the efficiency of the women
employed by the department and to the fact
that they are capable of taking up difficult
and laborious work. They have stood on an
equality in all respects with the male force
OF the department., and have been COM
pensated equally with them. The report shows
that the workingwomen in the great cities are
practically girls. The average age in all the
cities comprehended is twenty-five years and
seven months. The highest average age is found
In Charleston, s. C.,-twenty-five years and
one month. The lowest average is in st.
Paul-twenty-one years and five months. OF
the whole number 14.120 are native-born. In
the foreign born Ireland is most largely rep
resented. and Germany is next, having US. OF
the native-born IL, 9O4 had foreign-born fathers,
and IL, 400 foreign-born mothers.
THE MAJORITY SINGLE.
A great majority of the women compre-
hended in the report are single, the number
being 1887; only 745 are married, and 1,O38
widowed. The working women. then, says the
report are, as a rule, single women fighting
their industrial fight alone. They are not only
supporting themselves, but are giving their
earnings largely to the support of others at
home. Concerning education, church attend
ance, home and shop conditions, the report
shows that of the 1881 women who reported
the facts relating to these conditions lO,546
were educated in American public schools,
5.375 in other schools; 1854 attended Protest
ant churches, 1859 the Roman Catholic, and
967 the Hebrew. while a very large percent
age. comprehending 2,309, do not attend church
at all
EARNINGS AND LOSS OF TIME.
that of the 10, s22 who reported 1913 earn less
than 800 per annum, and that this class lost
an average of S6.5 days for the year covered
The largest number earn $500 and under $3.50
per annum losing 1913 days; 2,377 earn from
$3.50 to 1900, losing 31.5 days. As earnings in
crease the lost time decreases as, for in
stance, 1893 earn from $3.50 to $500 a year. and
this class lost but 1873 days. These earnings
are actual earnings, and are not statements de-
rived from computations based on the rates of
wages The average weekly earnings by cities
is given as follows: Atlanta, S4.05: Baltimore
94.lS; Boston, IS Ga Brooklyn, 1916; Buffalo
S4.27; Charleston, S4.22; Chicago, 1914; Gin
cinnati. s4.50: Cleveland, S463; Indianapolis
S4.67; Louisville. Ky, S4.5l: Newark. So 10:
New Orleans s4.31; New York, S5.S5; Phiadel-
phia. 1914; Providence, S5.5l Richmond. 30 SO;
st. Louis, S5.l9 st. Paul, S6.02 San Francisco
s6.9l; San Jose, S61l; Savannah, S4.99; all
cities, 1924.
THEIR CONDITION IMPROVING.
The commissioner concludes that the work
ing women Of this country are as honest and as
virtuous as any other class of citizens.
The report names three hundred and forty
two industries in which women are employed
For an increase of wages women must depend
upon industrial and economic conditions, and
not upon legislative enactment or even upon
concerted actions of persons charitably and be-
nevoientiy disposed. The social standing of
working women Is becoming better and better.