Evening star., 1901-12-19
LIFE IN THE .TENEMENTS
METHODS WHICH WOMEN AND CHILL
DREN EMPLOY TO EXIST.
Scanty Incomes Earned by Some Per
sons in Great Citfes-StOries
of Misery.

From the New York Tribune.
Sociologists are fond of investigating the
manner in which the people of the tene-
ments live, the wages they earn and the
amount of comfort they can afford Re
search shows that the average poor family
can usually manage to make both ENDS
meet and even tie in a small bow; but these
calculations are based on the sums that are
earned by the head of the family. What
happens when the husband and father is no
longer there to drive the wolf from the
door makes another and quite different
story.
All through the tenements there are Wo-
men who for one reason or another must
work, and work at home. It may be that
the man Of the house is out of a position
or that he is making too small a sum to
suffice for the needs of the family or that
he has passed beyond the worries OF life al
together. If there are four or five small
children in the home, the mother hesitates
to go out to regular work, and must look
for some occupation which shall keep the
loaf in the cupboard.
Sewing is naturally the chief means OF
earning what may by courtesy be called
living. This does not mean high-class sew
ing, but merely the finishing. White goods
of some kinds are not infrequently made
entirely by women in their own homes,
but, as a rule, 1t is the finishing that occu-
pies those who cannot go to work In shop.
This includes the short bits Of stitching
that cannot be done we'll on a machine, the
sewing on Of buttons and labels and the
like.
One reason why women work at this sort
Of thing Is that they can easily teach their
children to help them. Many a tot of eight
or nine spends the greater part Of the time
not occupied with school in sewing buttons
on trousers. Children even younger can
clip threads and make themselves generally
useful. No woman would keep her little
ones at work of this kind II the sternest
necessity did not drive her to it. and. in
deed even with the children's help the fam
fly can make in this way scanty income
Of 81 or So a week.
How the Children Help.
When the Consumers League was started
Mrs Nathan, the president Of that organi-
cation stated that the following were cur
rent prices for home sewing on the East
Side. Cambria dresses. with lined waists
and some trimming, 31.20 dozen; night
gowns, with yokes, thread furnished and
insertion cut by maker, 81 dozen; silk
waists, 80 cents dozen; womens wrap
pers, 40 cents dozen: coats finished, SO
cents q dozen; knee pants, 90 cents a dozen;
vests, 81 dozen, and trousers, 1211z cents
pair. These prices are the lowest, doubt
less but they are, Of course, accurate, and
| give an idea Of the diff1culty of making
money to buy the needed bread, to say
nothing Of meat and luxuries of that sort.
One Of the commOneSt and most pathetic
sights on the East Side Is that Of some old
woman or mere child making her unsteady
way under a weight of heavy clothing .-fin-
ished" and now on its return journey to
the sweater"
mon occupation. For this the sum of $l.25
q gross is recorded by the Consumers'
League, hut better prices are paid. Even
under the best circumstances twelve hours'