Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-15
OUR WORKING GIRLS.
MORE ABOUT THEM AND
THEIR NUMBER.
The Dispatches Estimate OF TO-
900 in Richmond Not Excess
sivc---StcnOgraphers, &c.

revelation to the public in the announce
mont that something like 10000 girls
aud young. women were earning their
own living in Richmond, and created
nrofound surprise by its statements IN
reference to the progress and success
here in the matter of female employ
ment. The subject is one which has
greatly interested the DTsPATcH's read
ers. and is worthy of further research
and studv. TO those who have not given
much thought 10 this matter the figures
printed may appear exceedingly large,
lint to others who are familiar with the
branches OF business and manufactures
in which females are engaged the estl-
mate is considered fair one.
The approylmation-lO, OOO-is, OF
course. intended 10 embrace the girls
working at the cotton-factories IN Man
chester. and also those residing IN Man
chester and vicinity and employed IN
this city.
OPINIONS OF LARGE FEMALE-EMPLoYERs.
Mr.. y. V. Randolph, of the Randolph
Paper. Box Company, who has probably
looked into this matter more closely
tban any one else in Richmond, thinks
the estimate reasonable one. He has
assisted each year in the compilation OF
statistics in this line, and gives facts and
figures which go to show that be knows
whereof he speaks
Mr.. John Pope, of the Allen N Ginter
Branch of the American Tobacco Com
pany, stated yesterday that he had not
given the subject much consideration,
but was inclined to think that there were
hardly 10000 white working girls IN
Richmond. He said. however, that the
American Tobacco Company employed
2,OCO at its Allen & Ginter and L. Whit
lock branches and at the stemmery. In
speaking Of the condition Of these young
ladies MIR. Pope said that many OF them
we're comfortably fixed in life, some
having bank accounts OF $1,000 and up
wards. He asserted that the girls from
the Allen 81 GInter factory alone had on
deposit at one OF the savings banks
amounts aggregating more than 800 900.
In regard to the number Of sales
ladies in Richmond, which the Dis
PATCH said was about one thousand, Mr..
William D. Meyer, of the firm of julius
Meyer X Sons. stated that the estimate
was by no means excessive. In the dry
goods. millinery, hair-works, confection-
cry. and other stores on Broad street
alone in the neighborhood of seven
hundred and fifty could be counted.
THE TYPE-wRITRBs AND sTENoGRAPHERs.
A DISPATCH man called upon Mr..
John b. Culpeper, who has handled the
Remington typewriter in Richmond for
the past ten or twelve years, and asked
for some figures in reference to the
number Of members OF the gentle sex
engaged in stenography and type
writing. He replied that from all
sources of information available to him,
he would Judge That there were about
$50 lady stenographers and typewriter
operators, 300 operators on the type
writer alone, and from $50 to 200 ladies
who did office work OF various kinds, in
Guiding bookkeeping, acting rs cashier,
making ont invoices, &c, making total
Of about $50 in this branch OF service.
Mr.. Cuipeper stated that the average
range Of salaries for lady stenCgrapheTs
was FROM 50 to $40 per week, and for
typewriters alone from $3.50 to SG
per week. Wages Of gentlemen Ste
nographers, he said range from so to
500 per week. Some few professional
stenographers III the city, who also act
as private secretaries, get from 81, 800 to
81, 900 per year. 1t is estimated that
there are now in the employ of business
and professionalism throughout the
United States -. 600 lady stenographers
and from 10000 TO 5000 gentlemen
stenographers and typewriter operators,
and the demand for this kind OF work is
greatly on the increase.
PROGRESS N RECENT YEARS.
Six or seven years ago there were very
few lady stenographers IN Richmond,
but since that time the march of pro-
erosion seems to have taken hold of the
business and professionalism, and now
these operators are found i'll nearly all
well-regulated Offices
There are in the city OF Richmond
some ten or twelve educational inetltu-
tons that teach shorthand and type
writing. and a large number Of young
ladies are daily applying themselves 10
the task OF becoming expert stenograpn-
crs aud machine operators. llrSt-class
and typewriter ope-
rators who are well educated and VINO
have a general idea of business forms
seldom remain long ont Of situation.
There are number of rapid writers
in the city who can take from dictatlon
direct GA the typewriter almost as fast
as they can write III shorthand.
MIR. Culpeper's advice to stenograph-
ers has always been to become thorough
" proficient in the art before starting
out to take positions, as in that way they
will more readily secure remuneratlye
employment.
A REHABILITATION.
\ brief and approximatiye capitula
ton of the number of girls and young
ladies' who are earning IL livelihood IN
the various business houses and institu-
tions, in the professional Offices. aud in
the factories OF all kinds IS as follows
At the Allen Il Ginter, =. Whitlock, and
Kinney Brothers branches of the Ameri-
can Tobacco Company. 2,OOJ; at the
various other cheroot- and tobacco-fac-
tories prize-houses, &C., 5000; at the
bag and paper-box factories, 500.
At the shirt and underwear-factorles,
800 ut the cotton-factories, 500 sales
ladies' in the various stores. 1000 in |
the wholesale drug houses, 100; il the |
book binderies ana printing offices, 800; !
5tenographers, typewriters, accountants,
office assistants, Gc.. $50 sewing ladies, |