The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-08-01

employers; helplessly see the posts Of
trust about and above them filled by
still cheaper imported help from Ger
many and Holland; and come to be
hopeless old men at 40. Clerks in re-
tail establishments, OF whom the greater
number are women, fare better in one
respect. While their wages are even
less than those in offices, a system is in
vogue here which gives them ut least
the necessities OF life. A large number
Of establishments provide food and
dormitories for their stats. A regime
OF the utmost severity exists But EN-
ployers thus secure the advantage Of
absolute surveillance, OF the miserable
truck" system in another form where
all they give is got back with profit,
and the docile, unquestioning labor OF
their prison-kept white slaves, from 8
in the morning until 8 and sometimes
10 o'clock at night.
Looking ut the great army OF more
lowly toilers and house servants, the
study lie certainly not pleasanter one.
There arc large gangs OF girls known as
"cotton piCkers," who may be seen at
the noon hour wandering bareheaded
through the streets, their beggarly gar
ments covered with cotton lint. Those
who are not barefooted wear heavy
clogs without stockings, and they will
kick shins with any rough in Liverpool
for pot ofbeer. Many cargoes Of dam
aged cotton arrive here, II is sold by
auction to q class Of dealers who dry it,
and prepare it second time for the
market. Two or three thousand OF the
hoodlum class OF young women sort or
"pick" this stuff in filthy, noisomepens.
The employmentis not steady, and they
get what the renoYators have mind to
pay; all the way from 4 10 10 shillings
week. These girls and women are
about as respectable as men would be
under like circumstances: drink gal
Ions ofbeer per day while at work,
Clubbing their pennies for Its puf
chase; ferociously, beat those who do
not drink fairs" and live in any man
ner they may, there being absolutely no
effort on the part OF any person or 30
ciety to better their condition.
PLAIN COOKS IN HOUSES,
restaurants and the common grade of
inns will earn eight shillings per week.
A general house servant seceives six
shillings. A housemaid, nurse and
waitress combined, who is regarded as
the highest grade Of house servant, may
receive eight shillings. Charwomen or
scrubwomen receive three shillings per
day and breakfast, that is, ten and bread
and butter, and they may possibly Sc
cure two engagements per week. Wash
erwomen are very glad TO earn alto
gether ten shillings per week, and per-
haps their assistants may get from a
to one and four-peHce day
and "tea" or "three hA'p'worth Of
bitter" which translated means
three cents worth of bitter beer.
Girls in tobacco, confectionery
and stationers' shops will receive from
four to six shillings per week and wait
resses in restaurants, considering the
severity and hours OF their labor, are
the poorest paid OF all. Many of these
girls are required to serve meals in gem
tlcmens chambers and in offices, at all
hours, after the manner OF the Havana
coolie cantineros, and are subject to all
manner Of insult, which they endure
with q logged bravery and CHEEKY in
vulnerability emitting them to be re-
gardod as real heroines i'll any other
land.
There is q very fine cafe at the head
Of Dale street, where nearly thousand
and clerks from the cotton
and neighboring offices lunch
or dine daily. It will rank with our
better class American restaurants. The
entire service.is by women. There are
from twenty-five to thirty Us Comely,
clearly, bright, well educated and
respectable young women
here as could be found!at any aristo-
cratic levee in New York or London.
Having often been served at the place,
at the same table and by the same
waitress, asked her the amount OF
wages per week she was paid.
"Six shillings," she replied cheerily.
Cannot you find service at better
wages in Liverpool" inquired.
ooh, no, sir; that is very good pay
here"
"Do you get any tips besides2'
Every seldom, sir, Only occasionally
from strangers. The clerks who come
here can't afford it. And the masters
never do that in Liverpool"
"And this six shillings per week is all
YOU do earn, or can earn, after good
and while using the best
years Of your life?"
"Oh, but you must remember, SIR
md this triumphantly-"we get our
own food besides. And very good food
It is, sirw
There was no use of continuing the
Here was the absolute
limit OF a handsome, capable, well edu
,ated and respectable woman's posi-
Dilities and aspirations, because Of her
own absolute knowledge In the matter,
in this second city Of Britain.
GAN, nut MONEY
has twice tho purchasing power in
Great Britain than it has in America"
some one remarks.
There never was a cruelcr political or
other falsehood coined. absolutely
true that there is not human need, I |
10 not say aluxury, which cannot DO as
cheaply or .lpore cheaply purchased in
America than in England, barring the
one item Of a habitation. The burning
fact is thatthe lowly OF this country are
forced,to live twice or thrice as mea-
gerly as our own toiles, Here capital
has with devilish ingenuity, as it may
do with us in time II immigration be
not soon &bolesomelg restricted, asccr-
tanned to afarthing on how little human
beings who labor may be made to exist;
and Britons who "never, never will be
alaYes,n are Slaves OF the most hopeless |