Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-07
DAN CUPID WORKS OVERTIME
Unique DistinctisH Of Corset Factory in
New England,
A CLEARING HOUSE FOR MARRIAGES
Five Hundred of Thousand wOrking
Girls Married within Three
Years-And the Good work
Goes on MerrtIy.

Cupid has been making his headquarters
in big corset factory at South Norwalk
Conn. and, out OF the 1000 girls who work
there, 500 have fallen victims to his ar
rows Every holiday has its batch OF
brides; there were fourteen on Thanks
giving day and Their were seventeen more
on Christmas. One day last spring six took
holiday, and came back with plain gold
rings. year ago the marrying epidemic
seized the cutting room. and ten cutters
Joined the hymeneal procession. The SUI
perintendent himself married one of the
prettiest girls several years ago.
Not one out OF that fourteen married a
man from the factory. Most Of the BRIDE
grooms are from South Norwalk and all
are bred and born Americans, but there II
not a corset-maker among them.
THAT isn't saying anything against our
boys hero, though" protested one pretty
forewoman. It's just because all the eli-
gible men in the factory are already mar
ried. There are not so many men em-
ployed here in the factory anyway, and
there are more than a thousand girls. so
most OF the girls have to find husbands
outside"
Five Hundred Marriages Already.
Out of more than 1000 young, pretty girls
nearly 500 OF them are already married
and all within a few years. Out of the 500
left, at the rate they are going, this quiet
New England town will hold the record for
the country having the prettiest and most
desirable factory girls in the matrimonial
market.
II don't know whether the credit belongs
to our particular type of girls or the par
ticular type of factory" said Mr.. Charles
Dimond, the superintendent I'VE pride
ourselves on both. Nearly every girl em-
I
They are a type of young womanhood SUI
perior to that found in the average factory.
But, then, we do not consider this an ava
erage factory. Ever since It was founded
! in 1880 we have endeavored to maintain q
certain attitude OF personal interest to-
ward our employees. The girls have a feel
| ing of freedom and sympathy with their
work that the city factory girl never exc
periences. Here the girls have their lie
brary, their dining rooms, even private
| baths. They live here In South Eorwalk,
most of them in their own homes, and
really cannot be compared with the for
eign factory worker Of New York They
make good wages, dress we'll and make
wives of whom any man might be proud.
had letter today from a man in Phila-
dephia who would like to find a wife
among them. And I don't blame him."
| No one who had taken a general look at
the 1000 brides, wives and sweethearts. all
| together, could blame him. Up and down
the long, sunny rooms stretched rows upon
| rows of girls, These were not girls OF ''the
long day. type, cramped and stiied in city
| workshops. Above the hum OF the ma
chinery one caught the sound of singing.
Nearly all the girls were between Is and %
and there wasn't single one in the whole
lot who couldn't have worn orange blos-
SONS becomingly.
Eyes, I had four brides from my ROOM"
said one of the forewomen. Two have
come back to work. Those two girls sit
ting opposite each, other right over there
were married on Thanksgiving day. OF
course they come back. Very nearly all
the girls come back. even II they do happen
TO marry. don't know exactly why,
except that the work is pleasant and dainty
and they are used to earning their own
money We lose very few Of our girls
through marriage. After they have worked
here a few years It seems like home, and
they like being with the other girls. 1t Is
rather lonesome for a girl accustomed to
working in a large shop like this to marry
suddenly and leave 1t for home of her
own, where probably, she is alone all day.
think that is why the girls come back
even more than for the sake of the money.
|
thing definite to do Anyway whatever the
reason Is, they do certainly come back
sooner OF later had one girl tell me she
wanted a day of. and when I asked her
what for. she said:
"'Oh, I'm just going to be married; I'll
be back in a day or So"
One little bride Of week lifted her
head from the ribbon she was threading
through lace beading and smiled content
eddy when asked why she had come back
to work. Her wedding ring shope bright
and new on her white. well shaped hand.
She was we'll dressed and more than pretty.
There was a refinement and charm about
her that made one think of Mary Wilkins
Freemans New England factory girls.
Like n Courtship After Marriage.
1T don't know Just why I came back"
she said, laughingiy; IT Just wanted to and
meant to all the time. My husband under
stood So and he has no objection. He
works here in town. too and at noon we
meet and have our lunch together the way
we used to before we were married. It's
much pleasanter than my being alone all
day. When you are accustomed to the
shop and the company OF the girls it's
awfully lonesome to leave 1t all, even to
be married. So came back 1t was more
for the company than the money; but then,
when a girl is used to earning her own
money she doesn't like 10 give II up"
So that is why marriage is such whole
sale success In the South Norwalk corset
factory Romance thrives and multiplies
within its Uncovered walls because It is
able 20 consider matrimony solely from the
personal point Of view OF the girls. I'm
Intentionally. perhaps, this New England
factory, with its library and restaurant
and private baths, has approached very
near the solution OF the Industrial prob
lem so fas women are concerned. II
provides conditions under which girl
can work and retain her health. her culture
and her independence. not only before her
marriage, but after.-New York World.
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