The St. Johns herald., 1891-10-15
WORK FOR WOMEN.
Wages Paid in Chicago for so-CalIed Un L. skilled Female Labor.


 S skilled FcmaIe Labor.
 Investigation proves that unskilled fe- male labor in Chicago is not poorly paid. says the Netcs of that city. The humblesi work performed by women for hire receives a fair compensation in each and every in- stance, and there is plenty of work to do. Under the head of unskilled female labor are laundry girls, washerwoE1en, unprofession- al nurses, scrubwonen, chambermaidS: waitresses and domesticS.
 There are perhaps 2, 2,00owomen Tn Chicago working in laundries. They work nine hours each day and receive as compensation not less than 8 a week. Since the intro duction of steam laundry machinery their labor is comparatively light, the only hard ship endured being the heat in the summer. There is no apprenticeship except one week at the beginning of the employment, and any girl can earn full salary at the end of the frst week. There arc, however, small girls who perform light work, such as dampening linen by sprinkling water on it, and they do not receive more than S4 for a weeks service.
 Washerwomen who go out by the day to wash for private families receive g for days work and in many instances are given thelr meals. Those who take in washing at their homes are generally widows or de- deserted wives who have small children that need their attention. They fix their own prices by the piece, and charge the same as steam laundrIes. Inquiry at sev- eral female employment agencies showed demand for this kind of service that coulG aot be supplied.
 Unprofessional nurses are paid go month as minimum salary, and this in dudes board and room. They are neat and idy girls, who have intelligence enough to make themselves useful around a sick room, and many arc often paid $50 month for their services. If they are careful and ieliable, physicians will recommend them, nd they need never want for employment. [ At twelve o'clock. every night the scrub women in the big hotels begin their work. They get down on their hands and knees and with soap, water and stiff brush scrub the marble floors, wiping them dry with a cloth as they go along. These women are mostly Poles and Bohemians Their pay ranges from SIP to Is month, which includes board and room. There is ar army of these women employed 10 scrub the downtown office buildings, and they receive, in most instances, g day.
 The white-capped chambermaid, who al ways looks so neat in her plan calico dress, receives an income of 8 week, including board and room. She needs no previous experience If she is intelligent and is capable of executing the orders of the house. keeper.
 The waiter girls Tn restaurants, boarding houses and hotels get not less than S3 a week, which always includes board and, ex- cept in restaurants, room. Many of them receive S4 and S5 week, while the kitchen girls and dish-washers get 4 . week with board.
 There has never been time in Chicago when girls were not Tn demand at good wages to do general housework. There seems always to be scarcity of this lnnd of domestic service, although the lowest wages paid are ;2.50 week and in many cases t5 is offered without securing help. A very estimable woman who keeps female employment cfsce on Washington boulevard Kaid
 "Ican offer Q good explanation for the scarcity of domestic servants, Girls refuse to work where they are misused. Even the worm will turn If trampled upon, and in my opinion the mistress of the house is often to blame for the dissatisfaction of servants. Their poodle dog is pettcd while ssensitiye girl has her life made miserable The fault is not in :he girls, but in those who hire thcIn'i .-