The Red Cloud chief., 1893-10-27
UNCLE SANS MAILBAGS.
When Worn Out, They Just Begin to BE
Really Of Service.

when Worn Out, They Just Begin to BE
Really Of Service.
To see the government economically
administered, 60 where they mend mail
bags. When q mailbag Is worn out, IL
Is considered a. Just ft for service. A
new mailbag is stiff, unyielding. When
It has knocked about the world, had the
starch taken out Of It and its weak
places discovered, IL grows pliable, gives
when IL can't force its way and is now
prepared TO DO business successfully.
Like q human being, the mailbag has
had its experience. The most active
mailbags now in the service have scarce
ly n hands breadth OF the original fabric.
The ordinary jute mailbag is mended
by women. This Is one Of the now few
branches Of the public service outside Of
the civil service rules. The women who
mend mailbags are appointed by con-
gressmen or public officers in the old
way. A more democratic gathering can.
not he found In Washington. II Is dirty
II not difficult work. In the numbers Of
women clad In their worst clothes, their
heads hidden In paper fools caps with
long curtains, their hands guarded by
leather bands and at work on sewing 20
rude that It seems like q ~travesty on the
gentle art Of the needle, IL Is difficult to
detect from another the delicately
nurtured woman, the sturdy foreigner
and the negro. They are all there work
ing in perfect amity.
Each ~oc,op cite IN n 1nxv cho{r Che
has exchanged her street dress for her
working clothes In the commodious
dressing room. She receives every morn.
ing q mailbag holding 10 bags. Five
Of these are comparatively good; FIVE
are more or less bad. 1t Is q mild sort
Of lottery, which these women expert
ence twice or three times q day, and the
element Of chance is not the less excit-
ing though 1t lie in the depths Of q dirty
mailbag.
Bad or good the women are paid 81
cents q bag. For the woman who can.
not earn at least t1.07 q day there 10 nc
place in this room. They earn on an
average about $1.SO q day, and some
women exceed this amount. Each wo-
man works with . dsrning needle and
Irvine thread. Her first requirement is
the sailors stitch. With this she can
patch, darn or embroider. When she
has finished the bags, they are carried to
q central table, where on q bulletin
board her name is scheduled. There hel
work is examined by one Of three mer
and checked off accordingly.
Not all Jew. Some string the bags al
the neck and put on the tags and locks
One Of these is q blind negress. She hai
not seen since a child, but she work.
rapidly and deftly while she tells with
pride how she can embroider and sew
ut home.
These women from such varied walkl
in life work together in perfect accord
When to the foreman the dusty air and
unsightly work seem to have depressed
the workers, he suggests to some one
generally a colored woman, to start W
some music. The wave Of sound gath
ers until the whole room has joined in
II is usually . hymn, for hymns CONF
most easily to women's lips.
The government is Q kind taskmaster
The room is finely lighted and venti
lated. The Mushrooms are abundant,
and finely equipped with marble mount
ed stationary stands. At noon a tea ant
coffee bureau is opened, and the worker,
have all the tea and coffee they desire a
the expense Of their country. Washing
ton working hours are easy. Vacation
Of q month are given, and certain sicl
leaves are provided or. The sweat
shops Of the government, where the new
mailbags are made by contract. are il
this city.-New York Sun.