Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-01
GIRLS DIVIDED INFO TWO
FACTIONS
Dainty Maids with Hot Bricks Under
Their Feet Tiptilt Pretty Noses
at the Fresh Air Con.
tngent g.. ~

A war, the like Of which has not been
recorded since the days when Amazons
tucked up their skirts and went to
battle, is impending at the county court
house. and it seems only question OF
a few hours until hostilities begin.
Thus far the war has simply been
confined to words and telegraphic COM
munications of nature too studied and
explicit to bear misinterpretation. The
lower floor of the old detention home,
which has recently been converted into
the copying department Of the re-
corder's office, will be the chosen battle
ground.
All this because about half the girls
employed in the copying department
want the windows of the great hall LETT
open for the sake of ventilation and the
other half want the windows closed.
The copying department is the most
interesting of all the departments at
the court house. Chiefly is that true
because there are more pretty girls in
that department than in any other one
section Of the country.
Scene of Conflict
Formerly the young women were sta
toned on the lower floor of the court
house building, but the conditions be-
came SO crowded that it was decided to
move the copying department to the old
detention home, and there the trouble
began. 97-s NaAI&Ii
The lower floor of the detention home
was oVerhauled and all the partitions
cut out, and the entire floor converted
into a hall. In that hall there are 125
girls employed as copyists and ten
others as comparers. Their duty Is TO
copy every public document into the
big books of the recorders department,
and generally the fair young persons
are very busy. But they find little
time to talk over their alleged griev-
ances, and that has caused the present
trouble.
Yesterday a party Of the young
women held an indignation meeting at
one of the cafeterias. They called the
other division names such as "old cats"
and 'antediluviated hens and other pet
names. At another table in the same
cafeteria a strong representation from
the other faction called their enemies
even harder names, referring to them
as "mean things" "1irts" and "cold
feet artists"
Then both parties after eating lunch
adjourned to the battlefield, smiled
sweetly at one another and went to
work. That was one Of the preliminary
skirmishes.
Wear Out Window Cords
Yesterday morning when the fair
ones began to assemble for the daily
work the windows were all open in the
hall of copyists and fresh breeze was
blowing about. "Fine," breathed the
athletic contingent, tossing their heads
in defiance and swallowing great bum
dies of ozone.
"Wretched," snapped the other con-
tingent, and one had the temerity to
go over and begin to bang down the
windows. The windows were later
raised again and then closed BY that
time some of the fresh air sustainers
were almost hysterical with laughter.
while the other contingent were wearing
shawls, many of antiquated pattern,
and coughing and sneezing.
The arrival of Superintendent Flani-
gan put an end to hostilities for the
time. Flanagan has rather awkward
position, and he performs his duties re-
markably WELL His position is the only
one in the court house which prospec-
tive Office seekers do not attempt to
grab at the election times. He has to
direct the work of the 1876 young women,
and so distribute the work among them
that there will be no petty jealousies.
His position is such a delicate one that
he is never interfered with by any
superiors, because he knows just a
little bit better the ways of the FEM
mime oddity than the officeholders at
the court house could. He cannot play
favorites and get away with his life,
and the present impending crisis Is not
bothering him any.
Pretty Noses TiptiIted
"Know anything about battle about
to be fought here?" said Flanagan yes
terday with a smile that would have