Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-06
FIELDS FOR THE FAIR.
Wages Paid to Many Women That
Enable Them to be Independent.
WHAT A GOOD MODISTE CAN EARN.
Sewing Girls Who Receive from $6 to Sis
a Week in Pittsburg.
GOOD DRAPERs PAID EVEN BETTER

A forewoman in a large Fifth avenue
dressmaking establishment came tripping
out of a cable car yesterday morning, with
independence written on every feature of
her pretty face. She has right to be inde-
pendent For her services she receives S25
a week. Her business hours are from s A.
M, to P. M, with an hour for luncheon.
Her duties are manifold. She is the engi-
neer whose watchful eye and practical hand
direct the vast array of human machinery
| that turns out the bewilderingly beautiful
toilets that delight the wearers, dazzle the
beholders and razzle-dazzle the pocket
books of the unfortunate who fsots the bill.
| It is her mission to distribute the milk Of
human kindness and encouragement to the
poor little discouraged mortal whose haste
has made waste. and whose work must be
undone and done more neatly; to pour oil
upon the troubled waters resulting from
| some especially perverse skirt that will not
hang properly, by assisting the skirt
maker, with her experience, to conquer the
provoking garment; to give word of ad-
vice to the sleevemaker regarding peculiar
kink that will insure a more perfect fit of
the often misftting sleeves; to reprimand
when such is necessary, whom and how
it may seem best; to lay out the work for
each particular girl or woman employed in
the rooms, and to see that each particular
portion is properly executed and finished.
No easy position, when the list of duties is
completed that require the attention of the
forewoman in the workrooms. not to men,
tion the cutting and fitting that often fall to
her lot when a special person for that pur-
pose is not employed. Yet she is cheerful,
happy, independent and hopeful.
independent" she asked. "Of course
am. Why shouldn't be? 1 am compe-
tent and capable to earn my living in any
city or town in the United States; for, rain
or sunshine, feast or famine, women will
have dresses, and they will pay for them,
too. Consequently, am not beholden to
any employer for a position. I know I am
worth all am paid.
NOT ANXIOUS TO MARRY.
"Neither am I willing nor anxious to
marry. 1 am not compelled to marry for a
home, as so many girls are, thereby enduring
a life of wretchedness with some man the
whole nature revolts against; nor am I
willing to marry a man who cannot support
me in the same comfortable manner in which
can support myself. Indeed, when girl
attains the proficiency in any trade or pro-
fession that enables her to command q sal
ary of $110 a month or more, it is with con-
siderable carefulness and much deliberation
she decides upon merging her identity into
that of another. And really, it is seldom
she marries unless she takes pity upon some
poor, incompetent man, and concludes she
can afford to take care of him.
"My hopefulness consists in the fact that,
sooner or later, I intend having an estab-
lishment of my own, and that is where the
money is made.
"tA garment or piece of trimming is
worth just what you can get for it, is what
he head of a manufacturing department in
one of the large Eastern establishments is
fond of saying, and it is the rule
by which their fine special trade is
governed. Te become an independent
modiste is the ambition of every
energetic seamstress, and visions of endless
wealth and annual trips to Europe for the
purpose of purchasing rare and exquisite
fabrics for exclusive customers frequently
blind our eyes to the rocky pathway we are
climbing, toward that pinnacle OF our hopes.
The big money is made by the modistes, of
course and several of them here in the city
are in a financial condition now that would
enable them to retire from business, if they
wished to. Some who work on salaries,
however, are in anything but a destitute
condition. One lady with whom am
personally acquainted. in the city
of Chicago, is receiving $1,000 q year
as forewoman of an immense manu-
featuring business, beside six weeks in
Europe every fall. Such is an exceptional
case, though, and while there is one woman
competent to command such a salary from
having first established paving trade of
her own, there are thousands of poor, weary
little seamstresses stitching their lives away
at 81 day, and others who have reached
the height of their ambition and opened an
establishment of their own find it difficult
to discover a remainder Saturday night |
after the girls have been paid.
WAGES OF SOME OTHERS.
"Sleeve-makers command from S6 to SS a |
week, shirt-makers from So to $12, waist |
trimmers from $15 to S1S, while good |
draper may demand any sum, and is sure Of |
receiving it. Drapers, like poets, are born,
not made, and person without talent in |
that direction will never accomplish much |
in draping, though they may become experts |
in other branches of the work"
A prosperous little modiste, when inter- |
viewed, gave substantially the information |
previously given by the forewoman. Re- |
garding the possibilities of attaining wealth |
in the business, she said: SIT is just like |
any other business, we must take our |
chances. We have one advantage over |
other vocations. though. There is never a |
dull time in our trade, or an off year,
rather. The months of August and Jsnu- |
ary are quiet ones, but we need them in |
order to prepare for the rush that succeeds |
the lull.
.'Is the business hard one to conduct"
"No, do not consider it So The most |
difficult part is not in satisfying the custo- |
mers, but getting along amicably with the |
girls and women employed in the work |
rooms. There is no doubt it is a great field |
for women, but men are encroaching rapidly, |
however. We women should not complain, |
for we are entering all their professions and |
trades, and in self-defense they may have to |
become dressmakers, and perhaps IN time |
they will care for the house and babies. |
Who knows?"