The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-22
WORK FOR GIRLS.
They Are Being Employed
as WOOl=SOrtea.s.
An Effort on the Part of Depot Pro-
prietOrS to Gust Chinese
WOrkmen.

Girls instead of Chinese have been en-
poyed to sort wool in the establishment Of
the California Wool Depot 422-432 Town
send street and 125-l35 Bluxome street.
The girls are strangers to the work of sort
ing wool. but the men employed quit on
account Of a reduction aud the proprietor
did not want to hire Chinese.
The innovation was introduced by f. S.
Moody. proprietor of the wool depot, and If
the plan proves successful other wool men
will follow suit. 1t IS cheaper to have the
wool graded by Chinese than by white men
and the depotS employing the former had
great advantage over their competitors,
particularly in large sales.
Up TO last Saturday night the entire force
In the wool depot were males. all of whom
were aware of the fact that Chinese COM
petition was crowding the wool business
pretty closely, but they were not inclined to
favor a reduction in their salaries. Before
DISPLAYING his male help and employing
girls Mir. Moody consulted with his men
and explained the situation, according TO
the statement made by Foreman Green.
The sorters were informed that slight
reduction in price would be made on the 100
pounds picked, commencing on Monday of
this week. Whether the workmen expected
a reduction is not known, but they refused
TO submit to it and left their work The
question Of securing the assistance OK other
persons to grade the wool then presented
itself, and the plan of employing girls in
preference to Chinese was adopted by Mr..
Moody.
Girls are now working as graders. They
are amateurs at the business, but their
nmble fingers will sOen become accustomed
to ths work and the belief is strong that
they Will soon weed out all of the Chinese
in the business If they are given an oppor-
fUUity nv tna nrOnriafOrs " n MI
the Mong olans
AS soon as the news became known that
girls were wanted TO sort wool there was a
host of applicants for positions, and there
was ample opportunity to select fairly and
impartialiy. All of the girls who applied
could not be employed, but those who did
not 60 TO work at once will have an opp0r-
tunity to do so in a very short time, as the
busy season will soon be reached.
In conversation with Foreman Green be
said: Competition has brought about this
change. | have always had force of men
employed and know as yet very little about
the new help. 1t would not be fair TO say
that girls cannot do this work. From what
L have already seen | think that they can.
and will prove in very short time that
their hands can grade wool.
The force at the present time Is not
large, but 1t will be shortly increased. OF
course / notice the loss of the men when it
comes to the work Of ballng and trucking the
wool to different parts of the warehouse,
and Ii will require the employment of
assistants to the girls to DO this work
However. it is not difficult matter While
l would much prefer the men to do this
work / am better pleased that the girls have
been given the opportunity to 20 TO work
instead of Chinese" q
Some of the girls employed tried their
hands at grading the wool for the first time
Friday, and others only went to work the
day before. A few have been employed
since last Tuesday. The girls appear to
sort quite rapidly. but according to Fore
man Green they have not yet had fair
chance, and in few weeks very marked
change VIII be observed. Not single girl
can be said to be steadily employed at the
present time They are working 10 demon
strate their fitness for the task.
AS matter of fact the girls are receiving
less wages than the men did. but had they
not been employed Cinnamon would GER
tainly have been substituted.