The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-30
PROBLEM OF THE DAY.
The Servant Girl Scarcity In
vades the Queen City.
WORK OF THE LABOR BUREAU.
Some OF the Things Commissioners
Grout Has 70 Contend With
Places For the Worthy.

Tasre are some statistics up a. the labor
bureau. in the city han. OF which Mr.
A. II. Grout is commissioner. and which
position adds much 10 his onsrous duties
as secretary of the board OF civil service
commissioners, that are at least convlac-
ing OF the fact that the bureau OF labor
as conducted BY the city, has done a vast
amount or good, and through its instru-
mentality many employers and those IN
search OF places have been brought to-
gether. When Mr.. Herrman's now celA-
bTated schedule OF licenses was promui-
gated the employment agencies down town
set up howl that the city intended 10 tax
them heavily fer conducting legitimate
business, az the same time IL was engaged
in open competition with them, albeit the
city derived no material benefit by SO
doing and simply carried on the labor
bureau In a spirit OF public charity. Tbs
discussion OF that feature OF the bill OF
suggestions found many sympa thizers
with the employment agencies. and when
the matter comes up again before the
council the opportunity viii be offered
for a display OF o-atory that viii prove
at least edtfying. as council discussions
usually are. il not instructing. Some fig
ures as 10 what the city labor bureau has
done within the past few months will
prove Interesting, as they viii exhibit the
number OF persons who have found en-
ployments the Character OF WORK, and, IN
some instances. the wages paid.
During April OF tho present year places
were found for 90 men and al women
Among the places secured for men were
IS for laborers and wood-cutters, ! cabin
boy. ! baker 2 work boys. farm hands,
miners. 2 boarding house men. ! gar
deners knee-bolters, edgerman. fuller.
kuot-sawyers. II shingle bolt cutters /
builder and l bolt cutter.
nI7HAa - q
month. were for 100 for general .sousework.
tailoresses, day workers. l housekeep-
er. companions. 6 dishwashers. 10 nurses
laundress. Mattresses, cooks and 4
chambermaids.
In May i06 situations were found for
men, as follows: Laborers 81, wood-cut-
ters Al, carpenters 8, cooks 3, paper-hang-
ers 8. ioggers s. hotel clerks 2. farm hands
2, dishwashers 5. shinglemill men 3. gar
dener ], machinist J. blacksmith /, waiter
L
During the same month there were
found places for girls for Homework l0i.
chambermaids s, mattresses s, nurse girls
Q. cooks IS. second girls Z. kitchen maid /.
housekeeper l. women for day work 8, in
all l54 places.
June found 14s places for men and Is4
for women Places for the former were
as follows: Thirty-seven laborers, 81 wood
cutters carpenters. cooks 1s lumber
10 farm hands. dishwashers 4 gardeners,
/ for homework. IL teamsters. l black
smith and II berry-pickers.
The women who desired work found
places as general houseworkers los. cham
bermaids 4. mattresses s. nurse girls 9.
cooks Is, second girls g. day work s.
The value of the bureau as an adjunct
to the city's affairs is exhibited in the
growing business, and July came In and
dtd better than any previous month, there
being 2l6 places found for men and 157
for women, and the schedule given is as
follows: Laborers, "a; wood cutters, a:
cooks 1: lumbermen. 81; loggers. IS; farm
hands. 40: dishwashers. 4; single mill
men, 4: gardeners. 4; clerk. l; kitchen
boys. 4: engineer. /; walters. Il; berry
pickers, l. Under the head Of general
homework there were i05 women who
came In for places; chambermaids. S:
Mattresses, 9; nurse girls, I. cooks, Il;
second girls, 5: kitchen maids, 2; house
keepers, !: day workers, Z: Sundresses, :.
The total number OF places found for
persons who really wanted 70 work was
I.lS3. and taking into consideration the
splendid results. the expense OF maintain
ing the bureau is inconsiderable in COM
parlson.
Commissioner Grout. in speaking OF the
work of the labor bureau. said that there
had been more places found for single
than for married men; at least the posi-
lions on the books OF the bureau had been
accepted by a larger proportion or I'M
married men, owing perhaps 20 the fact
that the places in many cases were out
side the city. Most married men. with
families preferred 10 remain in the city
and chance the occasional days work
rather than 10 go away and accept en-
ployment in the logging camps, where the
cost OF board would consume the wages
~s-lx- :. cS-4
for the support Of their families.
The vexatious part OF running char
| liable institution like the ctty's labor
bureau IS the thankiessness on the part
o. many who accept the work OF the de-
partment as their just due.
The servant girl problem is becoming
already IN the West what IL has long
been in the East. one OF a complete re-
versaf according 20 the logical order OF
things in which the employer appears IN
the character OF a s1pPhant and the ser
want as the dictator. There are now
thirty-fosYr positions on the books up at
the city nall for various kinds OF work
for girls. that are going begging. The
annoyance 70 the commissions in bring
ing the warning elements among women
together is generally the result OF mis-
representation on the part OF one or the
other Many girls who ask for PLACES are
entirely Incompetent. and vet are "a par
ticIlar as 10 the little that is expected
81 ehevn az though they brought diplomas
from +hs best schools Of cooking and fam
uy economy. Their knowledge Of house
work e in many instances limited BY their
| observations. and they often feel above
any sort OF work. They would psefer 70
clerk in stores or be stem oEraphers in Of
fees but lark Of opportunity, education
| or influence. coupled with = love for cheap
frary and a tevnerity 20 take the step
that marks A woman as lost. drives them
90 an attempt az honest work, and they
| SRA u1efacei1y. IN some instances, apply
% the downtown exchanges or the city
labor bIreau such IS not true IN sll
cases. but IN soma. while others who are
| ,~apah1s trft unwilling ~ make sacrifices
haEris over the Ittle differences and dc
tate terms.
ore stripe % girl. who ranges IN her
years from Is 10 So asks about how
many evenings during fhe week she has
"oT." and whether sunday afternoons are
her exclusive property. The distance
from The center az the city enters strong
" into her calculations as 10 whether she
VIII sccept place or to-. as her prssencs
on The principal thorouEhfsres f. demand
81 during her spare moments. or the dis
charge - social obligations requires her
attendance 81 dances or the tAeater. II
& x necessary 70 paw ear fare. that item
cuts deeply trio her revenues, which ara
S-.9u.sssf "a, Be from g. 10 $lS per month