The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-15

treatment was found to be In marked
contrast to that shown by heads of
establishments professedly in sympa-.
thy for social and civic betterment.
But thirty girls are employed in ST.
Paul breweries, working at labelling
and wrapping bottles. Ten hours con-
stitute days work, with $3.50 aver
age wage and privileges of a rest for a
luncheon during the forenoon and a
draught of beer free. Girls receive so
cents week more than boys employed
on the same class of work.
Four hundred girls are employed in
St. Paul boot and shoe factories. In
adequate ventilation, the evil odors
rising from the feathers are cited and
the habit of eating MONDAY lunches in
this atmosphere is condemned. In
stances were found, the report says.
where employers showed a disposition
to do only what the law required for
the health and morals of their female
employees. Wages run from 81 to SIS per
week, ten hours per day.
bad system of fines was found in
same shops. Piece work, with skilled
operatives, paid as high as So per week.
An employees protective association in
one factory guards against poverty in
cases of illness, and one employer,
where the employee is receiving less
than SIS per week, pays the weekly sum
necessary to carry the insurance. I'm
provements in sanitary conditions are
suggested.
Women Who Make Cigars
Two hundred women are found en-
pleyed in cigar factories, averaging ST
per week. Time workers do not re-
ceive over SIS. Facilities for the com,
fort and health of employees are good.
Women of Slavonic birth or descent
predominant in the trade. Conditions
in which they work induce sallow
ports of i'll health, there is absence of
robustness and freshness among
them. A bright, quick girl earns $12
in six days of nine hours, with a half
holiday on Saturday.
Invidious comparisons are drawn in
the report between the designers of the
evening gown and the "dreSSnlaker'
who commands salary of s. per week
after serving a six months apprentice
ship without pay. Specialization is
condemned for the apprentice, and the
suggestion is made that So per week,
with only forty weeks of the year when
employment can be found presents
serious problem of life to the dress
maker.
There are 800 employees in the fiber
ware factories of st. Paul, earning
erS often earn less than 81 per week,
with ten hours labor. A majority of
the girls are of Polish or Austrian
birth or descent and take kindly to the
works Toilet facilities are sufficient.
In one factory colored woman is in
charge of the toilet room constantly.
Extensive employment Of girls under
sixteen was found, but when mother
appeared with a school permit and
with tears begged chance of employ
ment for her fourteen or fifteen year
ent believed he was justified in giving
the girl employment, since poverty was
often the lot of the family.
Four hundred garment workers find
employment in the city. Of the total
Is per cent are foreign born. Piece
workers receive from SO to $12 per
week, with an average of $3.50. Time
workers receive from So to Sc, with an
average of $3.50. The workers are with
out organization. One girl left domes-
tic service, with $50 per month, board
and lodging, two afternoons and two
evenings free weekly, to accept work
as garment worker at Sc per week.
She declared she would never return
to domestic service.
In wholesale groceries, 800 women
are employed. One house paid $40 per
month uniform wages and gave its girls
fine accommodations and dining room
and kitchen range. Some employers
carry insurance available for employees
in case of sickness. The average wage
is $4.75 per week, and unless the girl
employe lives at home, she has seri-
Gus problem of existence before her.
More women work on furs than in
any other st. Paul industry. Over $50
are employed, and new buildings give
them pleasant surroundings. An aver
age of $6 per week was found to be the
salary of those on piece work, with a
maximum of $14 and minimum of 81.
Mutual benefit insurance is carried by
the employees and a furriers' union has
recently been organized.
Five hundred women work in ST
Paul laundries at an average of 81 per
day. The average wage per hour is
1914 cents, with $3.50 per week the
average of the female laundry employee
In millinery the wages for employees
run from SO to $40 per week, while the
average is from 81 to So. Apprentices
receive So per week.