Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-09
An Expert woman Tailor.

mn hAVCEN OHuhh halhUEs
It's not SO long ago that the papers cele-
brated the long life and good work of a
woman cobbler and shoemaker in old
Greenwich village, in New York. who had
"a and mended shoes for three gener-
ations Of women since she hired her little
workroom. Now It is the turn OF the
woman tailor who works only for men.
The New York Sun discovered her. She
lives in Chicago, and her name is Flor
ence N. HILL. According to her story
truthfully set forth by the Sun, when she
was a girl she was fond Of sewing, which
was taught her by her grandmother who
had In the old custom made all the cloth
ing for her family, but had always preferred
to make mems garments and taught her
granddaughter to do the same. When Miss
HIS father died and she was. obliged to
earn her living, she went out sewing, but
always gave mems and boys clothing the
preference and at the end of six years had
such a trade that she was able TO choose
and go gave up sewing for women. A pa
tron moved to Chicago and sent for Miss
Hill to make suits for her boys. Once
in the city Miss Hin decided to take some
lessons in her trade and spent three days
in a first class shop pressing. She says:
He worked me like a horse and never even
offered me a chair to sit on nor a penny OF
wages but she had what she lacked
skill. Although she went back TO her old
home in three years she and her mother
Rad gone to Chicago to remain, and has
prospered from that day. She took on one
helper and then another, until now in the
busy season she sometimes has fifty
women at work.
During her eight years in the city her
business has constantly increased. She EN-
ploys woman rather than men, because be
sides their work being Just as satisfac-
tory they never use either tobacco
or whisky, and many men do. Then, she
prefers women every way; she under
stands them better. She having done tail
oring herself knows just how much OF
a tax IT Is on strength and endurance.
She has never had her women work
lorGer than eight hours a day. end out
Of that 'an hour for dinner and reerea-
ton periods Of twenty minutes each, morn
ing and afternoon has been the rule. She
has no fines. When the worker is a little
late IL she has a good excuse 1t is accepted
il she proves 70 be a liar she is pres
emily dropped. Unlike the shop man in
New York who prefers men because you
can drive men ard make them work all
night" Miss Hin is both too humane and
sagaciOus. to drive her help. She knows,
as all reasonable en- ployes do. that g
few minutes rest now and then, a chance
to get a few mOuthfuls Of air. Is bet
ter economy both for the employer anC
employe. Miss Hill says there are but TIVE
points in which she claims TO differ from
other tailors. Il keep my engagements 4
the minute, and a customer can, II h,
prefers, furnish his own goods. I impor
goods. go 20 London twice a year, bu
II a customer wants a suit made from hi
own material all right and good. Tha
in part OF my business and l guarantee Z
satisfy him" Her closing words are;
when I came to Chicago eight years az
I owned one sewing machine, the furnitur
for two rooms and 300 odd dollars in banI
Today 1 own my shop and work-rO0ms 4
the heart OF the city. a good working eapI
tai In bank. besides having enough IN
vested 10 keep me in comfort the balane
OF my days II I should decide ~ step dow
and out I began by working hard. an
new my business Keeps me Up to the notch