The San Francisco call., 1898-08-07

of the city and also to induce the .Ameri- can people to patronize the worthy and | industrious women of their own race in stead of taking and wearing clothing made in the denS Of Chinatown.
 | The scheme of the operation of such a company was suggested to number of | pany was the result. Allen, who at its | formation was made its manager, be- came an enthusiast in the cauje. He, ! after 0 few days, elaborated, as he | thought, on the original scheme. He sug- l gested to the Labor Commissioner that | the women who were employed at the factory should receive 70 per cent of the proceeds of their labors and that the re- maining 30 per cent should be divided among the few who directed its opera ary. Fitzgerald declined to have any thing to do with any company that would operate for the cause of deserving labor
 To raise funds to equip the factory 1t was agreed that stock should be issued and sold. It was understood that no dividends should ever be declared on the stock, but that its sale was equivalent to charitable donation to the company. The holders of the stock, however, would of the factory. Allen, the manager, be- came an enthusiast in the disposal of the stock. For several days he was kept busy disposing of 1t to the charitably dis Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald came to the ears of the ladies of the board of man agers. No time was then lost in asking Allen for a statement of the finances of the company. That Allen neglected to give.
 A few days after the company was or ganized the board of managers, energetic in their work, decided to have the fac tory in working order with as little de- lay as possible, and they rented a suit able building at Eighth and Folsom sary sewing machines as soon as they were in possession. A sewing machine company gave the ladies all the credit on the machines they desired. Allen, as manager, objected to so much haste, de- claring that the ladies should devote their time in disposing of the stock and accommodating large fund, which he, as manager, would have the privilege Of handling. There was friction with the manager over that, and Allen was asked for all the books and other records of the claimed that the board of managers had no right to interfere In his methods. of conducting the business, and for few days IL looked as if the company would have a hard time in adjusting its affairs. Finally Allen was prevailed upon to com ply with the request of the ladies Of the managing board, and he promised to hand over the books and other records he held, along with his resignation from an un- salaried position, by l o'clock yesterday, when the board of managers would meet. He did not keep his promise, and at the meeting the position was declared va cant.
 Without Aliens interference the work of putting the factory in shape TOT opera tion went along at a rapid rate. A Grand Army veteran named c. D. Blackburn was put in as overseer by Allen at the factory, but at the first sign of storm between the manager and the directorate Blackburn sided with the ladies, declar- ing that they were right. He Is carrying on the work faithfully, devotng. all his time to it and remaining in the building at night, taking upon himself the duties of a watchman as well as his other la bors and asking no questions II ne Will ever get any remuneration for his work or not.
 With Allen gone from the management and the factory operated on the lines that the women employed there shai! re- ceive the full benefit that Is derived rom their labor, the company has the full tn- dorsement of the Labor Commissionef and the Mayor. The factory will, in addl- tion to the work that will be done with in its walls, serve as depot Tor sewing work or any kind of work that women can do. A record of all the women de- serving of labor and who can taithfuliy be kept and 1t Is hoped that much sew ing can be secured that women can take to their homes and perform, handling II all through the agency of the factory ana receiving full and reasonable remunerd- tion for what they have done.
 Twenty-eight machines are now set III place and if the work can be secured 10 keep more in operation they Will De sup piled Tables have been arranged for the operation of fifty-two machines. An electric motor has been put in place to give power to run the machines and 1t Is expected to have them in operation on Monday next. Mayor Phelan will be asked to start the machinery in motion.
 It is hoped to secure much if not all the work of manufacturing the clothing for the soldiers that Is now being made in sweatshops or in the dens of the Chinese, where the contractors are making all the profit and paying those who perform the labor starvation wages.