The herald., 1893-05-12
SHAMEFUL If TRUE.
NE Womau's Christian Tomporance union
Charged with Maintaining n Sweat ehop. =

NE womanss Christian Temporance Union
Charged With Maintaining q Sweat Shop.
Before the Woman's temple was erect
ID the Offices OF the organization we
located IN the Mercantile building,
and i08 La Sale street. Every one
erasnped for space, but a change
promised when the temple was CO
pleted. Finally the last stone had been
laid, and tho grand edifice to woman's la
bors was complete. Ali the offices were
at once given quarters in the structure
and many of the departments. But no
one thought Of granting tho poor victims
who are dying by inches in the sweater
shop new lease Of life by change a.
quarters, and to this day there has be
no step taken looking toward succor
them In the basement Of the old M
camille building among coils of stea
pipe and huge crates Of worthless paper
Is filthy little room about 10 by 10 feet
The calling Is hardly as many feet TO.
moved from the foul smelling floor, and
the place Is indeed a veritablo deathtrap,
yet hero is'where this modern reform"
institution quarters its bindery girls and
expects them to do full duty.
Strong in the belief that the members
Of the temperance union were we'll able
TO care for every outside sweater shop
that might nnaterialiEe, reporter for
The Dispatch determined to look into
that den to whsch personal interests 10
strained the ladies OF Mrs. Carse's insti-
tuition from drawing public attention
Going down a loose board stairway into
the basement Of the Mercantile building,
the reporter found himself In long
narrow hallway. To tho left yas a
saloon and to the right a. small hole In
the wall which led to stnffy pressroom
Passing through this apartment The Wis.,
itor at last found himself fairly In the
pest hole.
And 1t was q. sight indeed. Crowded
closely around half dozen WORKOUT in
candescent globes were 10 girls, whose
punched features told only too plainly Of
the want of fresh air. Not o CLEAN Of
daylight ever reaches tho little hole
though there are three windows opening
ON the alley. These, however, are below
the level Of the ground and serve only
one purpose admitting OF q current
Of foul air from the filthy passage.
Overhead are strung great masses OF
steam pipes. which, when in fun blast,
mako the place 10 warm that the girls
have frequently found 1t necessary to
steal TO the street entrance for breath
Of fresh air to prevent fainting spell.
On tho other hand, the flooring is OF CO.
ment, and it Is said that during the chill
~ weather this was absolutely too cold
TO stand upon.
AS the reporter stood taking in the re.
ally disgusting surroundings there was u
shrin scream, and then piping voice ex-
exclaimed, "For tho Lords sake, girls,
there's another ratr Then there was q
lively scrambling on top Of chairs and
tables until the foreman told the fright
ened girls that the rodent had gone. One
of the workers was asked IL this was a
common occurrence, and sbe replied;
ooh, yes. They run over our hands
when we arc working"
The foul smelling den has made 1t i'm
possible for girl to work there any
length of time without becoming Ill.
Whenever an e1nployeeis taken III the
only notice these rcformers and charita-
bic workers take Of II is TO shut of her
pay There arc strange stories told by
ex-employees OF tho place about tho pc
culiar methods employed by the women
running The Union Signal to get their
work dome at the lowest rate possible.
Whom the reporter wasieaving, four of
the girls followed him into the corridor,
and taking his mission for granted
begged that something be done to allevi;
ate the suiferings of tho poor girls who
eke out prccarious existence as binders
for the reformers In the Womans Chris
tian Temperance union