Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-05-01
PLUCK AND INDUSTRY.
CAREER or MISS SEYMOUR AND HER
BUSINESS SUCCESS.

Lin. of Work for wonen--ifow the work
Ha. Prc-pered--siofy Of ner Life.
by MI odds the woman whose name IL
now mos. closely connected with tho typo
writer n q means Of enabling girls to OBJ
tain living Is Miss Mary r. Seymour. who
has nearly twenty typcwrlters constantly
employed upon salary. with from I've to
My others on piece work. Miss Seymour
has been In business In New York for
twelve years, aud besides business success
has achieved distinction rs the first woman
notary Whose appointment was recognized
~ valid In this state. aud ~ the successful
editor aud publisher Of The Business Won
ans Journal, n most successful publlca.
tlon. now In Its second year | found Mas
Seymour the other day In one Of her three
Offices, where. amid the clat;cr and tinkle
Of bali dozen typewriicrr. Mia Seymour
told me tho story Of how she came to 20 into
business for herself.
~ began business ~ a stcnographer and
law reporter" abe said, "lftccn years ago.
and practiced that alone before | went Into
typcwriting. started business both In
New York and In Now jersey. My mother
wa. quite philanthropsi. aud | was
brought up 10 10 great deal Of bcnevo-
acquired some executive ability. began
by teaching school first to support myself.
but II was unpleasant work and wanted
10 get out Of II.
sur cor A START.
] had friend who employed an expert
woman stcnographcr Ia New York, and he
advised mo TO take up stcnography. AZ
that time stenographers charged high
prices, ns there were comparatively few
good ones, and she was earning good in-
come. ] went to her when | thought
knew enough for practical work, aud she
dictated 10 me some legal notes. When
brought back the copy she laughed. II
was very much out Of the proper form. but
Il was accurate.
II worked with her for some time Just
for the experience. aud had hopes Of a part
nenhip some day, but We separated be-
cause ! would not work on Sunday. I
went 10 Mr.. Munson, the well known stem.
ographer, for employment, and tried
great many offices In New York. Then
took to reporting lectures for the newspa.
pcrr. which fllled up some Of my time while
waiting for something better.
There was u lawyer In Jersey City who
had been counsel for n relative " mine In
a suit for which he got u $1,000 fee. and
called upon him. lie said he would dictate
70 me New Jersey law paper, aud II was
successful In that could have all the work
OF tile Office.
People outside Of the profession do not
know that writing shorthand and reading
II arr two separate qualifications. The
lawyer dictated the paper IN me, and 1
took II down withon, any difficulty.
went home. OF all the nbstru.e and com.
t.llsat.sl is.st.u.ata L..
Per IL. think. the worst That evening |
attempted to read my notes.
SOME HARD TASKS
Fortunately for my future career my
brother was lawyer called him To tho
rescue. Through his assistance present
Ell to tho lawyer very accurate copy Of
the paper and secured desk there. finally
obtaining NO much work that employed
two young mon To assist me. was fas.
einnted with tho work and often sat up all
night Ia order not 10 break a promise about
delivering my notes.
II remember QUO instance where I
worked two nights and three days. with
three stenographcrs TO help me. without
sleeping ut all, except for little maps. aud
taking but few minutes for meals, In or
der 10 get some papers ready for u certain
time. When first saw tho advertisement
Of tho typewriter thought stenographcrs
were doomed. ! examined the machine,
and after that felt no fear In regard TO IL
competition. saw that II would be val.
liable aid.
"ln 1850 was offered desk room In the
eillee Of Judge Pratt. Of New York. I was
tlmid about facing the publicity OF n large
Office full of men, and DECIDED 10 walt for
orders and work at home. About three
months experience In waiting for work
aud getting little cured me Of my folly aud
satisfied me that business woman must
adapt herself 10 business rules. I then
opened a little Office Of my own on Broad.
way and started the typewrting business
by writing out my own notes on tho ma
chine.
II was the fiut law reporter who made q
practice Of doing this In New York. Short
ly before ] started my oiiioc met young
lady who had been brought up In luxury
md who had been thrown upon her own
Resources, She attempted teaching and
failed. She tried many other things. aud
even went into factory. working for three
dollars week.
now iiER BusiSEas HAS GROWN.
ut was tho knowledge OF this girls ex.
perlcnce that partly Induced me 10 start
~
After buying my typewriter ! sent word TO
this young lady, and she. after prnctlclng
on the machine. was the frat one l en-
ployed In my business. Another girl whom
i employed TO run un crrands bo gan 20
practice on the machine and taught her
also. She WA about fifteen or sixteen
years old at that time, The first Of these
young ladies now earns 5000 year In
large law office. and the second /. consid.
errd Que Of the experts OF New York, aud
IA paid still higher salary.
Gradually my business increased 70 that
found II almost impossible TO carry out
my original Intention, which was 10 do
perfect work. Women have been NO often
accused OF inacenraoy and unbusinesslike
habits that ] meant 10 show something
different. Finally had 10 start a train.
Ing school IN order To get competent Ms
.istants, ! introduced nn employment
bureau branch In my business and con.
Quoted IL on the principle that would get
places only for those who had passed an
Examination and been found competent.
To-day suppose we have In New York
about 700 women earning q living By work
IN offices which formerly fell TO young
men, and there is no pait Of my business
That has afforded me 40 much satisfaction
"a The Instruction department. have had
the pleasure OF seeing young ladies' who
nave come hero with no ideas OF busines.
now occupying positions Of trust Ia some
u The largest firms In this city.
many OF them ARE earning from fifteen
mtwonty dollars week aud one has q
eAlAry OF $500 year. When | began
business all women were considered more
W ie,, UNIT for, down town work. ! ind