New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-15
TO AID OF SCRUBWOMEN
Brooklyn Association Helps to
Get Them More Pay.
CARFARE A BIG ITEM
Many Office Building Workers
Walk in Order to Save
Dollar a Week.

Manhattan as Brooklyn's Broadway and
Fifth avenue are from the streets they were
named after Within walking distance of
South and Hamilton ferries many of the
streets are typical water 'front.' neighbor-
hoods. full Of people who earn small and
irregular incomes as longshoremen, sailors
and other poorly paid workers including
scrubwomen.
Here are to he found many Of that army
OF workers who clean New York's down
town skyscrapers. The Riverside district
IS not far away, and the East River be-
tween makes all the difference between i'm
possible rent and a tenement with price
that can be met-sometimes. 1t is in behalf
of these scrubwomen that the Riverside
Improvement Association is calling on the
owners and managers Of the Office buildings
in lower Manhattan.
Several years ago. when the price Of food
was not quite so high and rent was cheaper
the ferry fare from Brooklyn to New York
was Only 1 cent from . TO morning
and evening and cents at other times.
Only few OF those persons who reached
the ticket window five minutes before five
would walt until the time for the l-cent
fare.
Times have been hard for the scrub
women. They felt the added cost of life in
general Just as the rest of the world felt
IT, but they felt the added ferry fare more
than any other class. because the scrub
woman has her day divided into two ses-
sions, and that necessitates two round
trips. only once does she get the benefit
Of the cheaper fare. From o'clock to T.
morning and evening, it is now cents
and the rest of the day the trip costs a
nickel. Eighteen cents day, 81 0S a week.
is large proportion to pay in carfare out
Of a weekly wage of S.
The Riverside Improvement Association
which has taken root in the Willow Place
Chapel house. settlement in one Of the
forlorn streets of this district, began TO
study the problem as long ago as last fall
The first step was to ask special rates for
the women from the ferry companies
These declined to do anything about IT,
and since expenses could not be cut down
the association resolved TO see what could
he done in the way of increasing wages.
This effort met with unexpected success.
Head of Campaign Talks.
?. r. Brooke. head worker of the Willow
Place Chapel House, told Tribune repre-
sents tive something about the campaign.
we wanted to avoid forcing any issue
with the employers" said Mr.. Brooke. 1--WE
knew we could get much further by pre-
sentins our case in a friendly manner. We
have found I'm most cases a feeling Of CO.
operation and sympathy toward these wom-
On. Every time the owner was reached we
got some result. but in some cases the peo-
pie TO whom We appealed We're merely
agents. who acted as buffers and never took
the question UP with the owners. That is
why we want to get publicity now.
TN visiting through this district found
good many Of these women were widows
and had children to support. a great many
Of the women walk 10 the Bridge instead
Of using the ferry because on the Bridge
cars they can get a return trip for five
cents and some Of them have not any more
than that to spend.
IF you would sec some Of those women
walking over the Bridge during the winter
you would appreciate the amount OF hard
ship involved when the weather is bad.
IN our investigation We took several
different blocks. and found one hundred
anu HilN Nbilfll fiHHibNfU III dBbul MY
buildings Some of them worked I'm build
ings that paid well, and by well l mean Sc
week. There was one building whose
agent made a canvass TO find out the pre-
vailing rates when the building opened
and then paid his scrubbers a little more
than tho highest He paid s.. Since we
took up the matter he has raised the rate
TO s.. The lowest rate found I'm the build
ings we visited was SIS a month. paid in
two instruments. Some of these have re-
Gently raised to $40.
NOW, 1t is a fact that a good many Of
these women are kind Of worthless lot
] talked with good many who work in
the buildings paying the lowest rates, and
not only do they lack all sense of loyalty
but they seem to consider It a virtue 10
give as little service for the money as
possible. one Of these buildings has felt
the improvement in the work since they
Increased the pay.
You might go and see Mrs. Toner. Mrs.
Toner is blind. and when we found them
the woman was earning s. week, and her
wages, or what was left after deducting
ferry fare. was the support Of family Of
four children. The man has a newsstand
now and is doing well. but the woman had
to give up her work"
Recounts scrubbers' Hard Lot.
Up one fight of worn and crooked wood
en- stairs In a dismal looking tenement
Mrs. Toner was found. The view from her
window consisted of clothesllnes, and be-
yond them more clotheslines. Nor was the
interior designed TO please the eye.
This lady" said Mrs. Toner. indicating
caller whom she was entertaining, also
scrubs She does all the sweeping, busting
and washing in twenty-five offices, besides
spittoons. basins and faucets 20 polish. ana
she gets s. a week.
Yes" said the visiting Office cleaner,
and n went over on the quarter after .
boat In the morning I'd get out at half
past s, see? II I'd miss that boat I'd have
TO do me time till o'clock. see? And In
the evening again from till 1850
Some buildings" said Mrs. Toner, pay
- 70 or SC, but lots Of those women where
was can't work no place else. They just
stick where they're used to 1t. Where !
worked they give everybody vacation
that's been there a year Most Of em do
that. l was one place nine months. and l
only left last week because was sick, but
don't get no vacation. thought might
get three days, but no. ! got no three
Gays, and for the forelady amt got much
use
They have women on their knees from
o'clock 'n the morning till s:45, and they
are old women, and God knows by that
Time they amt able to wiring out rag
rhey ought 10 get a pension. / know one
woman over seyenty-four years Old ana
had been In the same building twenty-three
years. She was making s. so, when she