The Washington critic., 1890-01-28
ON A BUSINESS BASIS.
HOW COLONEL WHITFIELD CON-
DUCTS THE REPAIR SHOP.


Have TO Sew Forty Bags a Day--The
Women Endorse the "Critfc's" Arti-
clc of Yesterday.
A group of the workers in the mail
bag repair shop were eagerly discussing
the article in Yesterdays CRITIC de-
scribing the state of affairs in that
branch of the Governments depart
ment Ono had seen THE CRrTIc's ar
ticle and had shown it to the others, and
the demand for CRTIcs from the news
boys went up at once seven hundred
per cent. The women rejoiced, and
yet some were fearful. They were
afraid of being charged with melting
the erp0se. That meant to them sum
mary dismissal. For long time they
have wondered why the evil had not
been written up" but no one had had
the courage to attempt to interest any
newspaper in the matter. Their friends
were aware of the state Of affairs, but
could do nothing. 1t was with great
relief then that they saw that they had
one outspoken friend in the District
MORE DIscovEnIEs.
The more the inquiry into the sub
ject is pushed, the worse things ap-
pear. One lady--for there are intelli-
gent and cultured ladies there-spoke of
one bag of which she knew. which
took an hour and quarter TO mend.
There were between thirty and forty
holes in 1t. Imagine trying to mend
forty such bags in day on penalty of
being discharged. But forty bags or
90" is the Postoflice Department
slogan.
IT am unwilling to believe that Mr..
Wanamaker is fully aware of the con
dition of things" one worker said;
''for he does not drive his workers in
his Philadelphia place like that, not
withstanding the Democratic reports.
, It was learned that the Department
has placed the maximum earnings of
any one person ut 500 month. As was
stated yesterday, each worker is paid
three cents bag for every bag mendcd
over 40 day. Those who mend so
consequently make 60 cents day over
their wages, or, for the 26 working days
of the month, St5.60 above their salary,
magnificent total of $40 60. The De
partment watchmen receive $40 at the
lowest, and their hardest task is wear
ing out the bottoms of their chairs. But
that Is little enough.
One of the fast workers said that she
mended sometimes as many as 80 or 80
day. Under this rule, however, she is
barred from earning over $50. So no
matter how hard she might work, even
If she mended an average of so day,
she would not be paid in full for her
work
This worker was inclined to doubt
the charge that there was favoritism in
the shop. At any rate she declared
that while she could mend more than
the forty she was not favored. Some
days she received very bad bags, and
consequently could not keep up to her
average She, however, said that she
had been working there long time,
was strong and used to the work and
1t was not so hard for her as it was for
some of them there. She said that it
was worse under the present Admins
tratiOn. Formerly they could assist
one another. bat all that was now done
away with. Every worker had to rest
ON her own merits. No fast and willing
one was allowed to lend a compassionate
hand to her companion.
SUMMARY DISMISSAL.
As was stated yesterday, the workers
use stout thread like twine and a
sailors needle, and have to sew what is
known as the sailors stitch, similar to
the well-known embroidery stitch. That
stitch and that alone can be used. One
day the man in charge observed that
one of the workers had not learned the
proper stitch, or at any rate was not
using 1t. No time was wasted in re.
monstrances. The work was taken
from her and she was discharged on
the spot. The act was effectual.
Among the workers is blind woman.
She is expert with the needle and does
her work with the neatness and deft.
ness of the blind. But the rule "forty
bags or go" holds no exception for her.
Yet such storm of indignation would
be aroused if she should prove unfor.
tunate and be told to suffer her penalty
that those in charge would doubtless
hesitate before they carried their threat
into action. What are known as the
stringers have not been referred to be-
fore. Their duty is to run the strings
through the holes at the mouth of the
bags and clasp them in place. 1t is g
tedious and often painful work. For
merly they were paid $45 a month, bu
this has been cut down to $50 and they
must string $50 day. For each ont
over that they receive ceIt a bag
The report is circulating that the De
partment thinks this is too cxorbitan
and will cut down the price to quarter
of a cent q bag.
Evidently some inkling of the condi
tOn of affairs has reached those in con
troll, for now it is said that the "stint
for mending bags is to be reduced Il
thirty-tiv and the salary to $25. Jus
imagine day laborer being told tha
he must drive his pick into the grount
certain number of times a minute
lie is hired on his general reputation
and his employer is satisfied If he keep
faithfully at work The number ol
spadefuls of dirt which he has lifted il
not weighed and measured at the enc
of the day. But these women are no
accorded the consideration given a mar
who does the humblest kind of manua
labor. II is forty bags or CO."
TALK At THE DEPARTMENT.
Yesterdays article was the absorbing
subject of conversation among PostofficO
Department officials to-day as we'll a
citizens generally. The exposition o.
the condition of things was a revelation
to the people at large, who had no ide;
such imposition upon employees of tn
Government was countenanced ii
Washington. The plain, re.facet
statement of facts in the case was ais
in the nature of surprise to officials
who were probably not aware of all tn
hard conditions surrounding the situa
tion of these women employed in tn
repair shop.