The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-12
THE SERVANT PROBLEM.
No One Has Yet Found a Solution
Of the Difficulty.

of late years, and esnec;aliv in
aud the South, is that of SER
wants. Since the war the matter has be.
come serious one in many seotions. es
pecially SO in Virginia. Colored labor
mas oeen LOT SO many years the only labor
available that now when It is not always
to De had people are confronted with
proDienls enat some OF them are at a loss
to find fitting solution for. With the
progress of education among the colored
people i'll the last few years has come the
desire to move about and0to find newer
and more lucrative fields of labor. Con-
sequently the exodus has been great in
all directions-the men going West,
mostly to the mines and railroads, and
the women co the North, attracted there
by the alluring argument of employment
agencies and labor hunters. Taken alto.
gether the women arc the worst missed.
Trained in their childhood in all that per.
tanned to the education of good servants
they have gradually departed for the
larger cities, leaving dismay auong many
.housekeepers, until now that it is almost
impossible to fill their places. 1t is not
remarkable that they should want to go,
but it is really remarkable how many of
them are disappointed and want to come
back. 1t is a fact that wages are better,
but the work is double and living high.
Many OF them would gladly give up if
they could, while there are others who
for the sake of being city ladies would
sooner starve than sstote another bucket
Of water from the spring;n yet they, sim
gle handed, do all the washing, all the
cooking ana often all the housework A
respectable colored man of the old school,
If the term may be used, said Yesterday
that his wife had to go and leave him.
She thought she was going to do big
things, but she had enough of it now and
wanted to come home. She had allowed
herself to be persuaded to go North. it
had taken four months wages to pay her
way to her new home and now that she
wanted, after staying two months, to
come back she would have to work six
months longer TO get money enough to
buy her a ticket. He had already sent
her ten dollars, which means a great deal
nova days. This is only one instance of
the many who would come back IL they
could. Yet argument does not accom-
plish anything, and worst of all, the
most of those servants who do not find
their way back are found to have been
entirely spoiled. 1t is easy to see why
white servants have never been more gem
orally employed in the South. The prin-
cipal reason is that there IS nothing for
them to do or nowhere to go when not
working. Unlike the colored people, they
are too few to be company for themselves,
and they are rarely contented. We miss
our old servants. Many of us were raised
with them and, in many Gases, by them.
We hate to see them pack up their few
belongings and go away from us, not only
on account of our personal Inconvenience,
but because we feel that they are mis-
taken and are going to be unhappy.
There are many who may scott at this,
1,trf h L. -. All
echo the sentiment
1t is with regret that we find ourselves
compelled to bring up again that sewer
opening ut the corner of Seventh avenue
and Jefferson street S. w. 1t was thought
that the work done upon it would an
swer, but it has become offensive again,
possibly as much SO as ever. Attention
having been given 1t once, we hope that
it will not be difficult to have it directed
towards it again. Something will have
to be done about it. 1t is important
enough not to need emphasis
man riding an old time century Col
umba bicycle, one OF the first pneumatic
tired machines that arrived in Roanoke,
came unsteadily down Church avenue not
so very long ago. He was just beginning
TO ride and was not altogether respons;.
BILE for his location Mt times. AS he near
ed the First Presbyterian Church the
Century made II bolt and. although there
was brake on it as big as a "Scotch on
wagon" he failed to take ''time by the
forelock," and, as is usual in such cases,
found himself being gathered off the
fence opposite DR.. Luck's Office by SYM
pathiZing friends. When asked why he
did not use the brake he said: sob that's
only to be used in cases of emergency"
Can this not be applied to the offices of
those who should look after some of our
very dsagreeable back alleys: We have
health regulations. Are they to be en-.
forced only in leases of emergency; or
are we to disregard them and finally find
ourselves in uncomfortably close quarters
with an epidemic?
Some time ago we suggested that res
idents on those streets where the dust is
so disagreeable should get up some
scheme by which, all hands working to.
gether, these streets might be sprinkled
This suggestion not having met with en-
thusiastic adoption, another may perhaps
be offered. Why do not some of our en-
terprsing liyerymen canvas these Sec
tiOns of the city in their own interests
They might strike something to their
own advantage and to that of the
residents there as well. 1t ought not to
cost very much to have the street in front
of the door sprinkled TWO or three times
a day, aud that would be partially, at
least, repaid by the saving in labor to
housekeepers, convenience, and the dam
age to property which must he the result
Of the flying dust. 'TRAMP.n
a PROGRESSIVE TOWN.
Charlotte, n. c., Observer: In 1889,
the population OF Charlotte was not quite
10000. 1t had no street cars, no water
works, no sewerage, no postoflice build
ing, no park, no electric lights, no pants
factory. 1t was good stout country