Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1889 — WORKINGWOMEN'S PAY OMEN’S PAY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WORKINGWOMEN'S PAY OMEN’S PAY.

CONDITION OF FEMALE TOILERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. Honesty and Virtue to Bo Found Where Wage* Are Very Meager —Arrangement* Being Made for the Inaugural Ceremonies [Washington (D. C.) special.]

INDUSTRIES in twenty - two cities have been investigated by Carroll D. Wright. Commissioner of the Department of Labor, and his report, relating entirely to workingwomen in great cities, has been 6ubL; - mitted to the State Department. Tho report shows that the '<*•*> workingwomen in tho

great cities aro practically girls. Tho average age in all cities comprehended is 22 years and 7 months, The highest average age is found in Charleston, 8. C. —25 years and 1 month; the lowest in St. Paul—2l years and 5 months. It is found, however r that the concentration is greatest at the age of 18, there being of the whole number interviewed 1,569 of that a.e. Of the whole number 14,120 are native born, In the foreign corn Ireland is most largely represented, and Germany is next, having 775. Of the native born 12,904 had foreign born fathers and 12,406 foreign born mothers. A great majority of the women comprehended in the report are single, the number being 15,387. Only 745 are married and 1,038 widowed. “The working-women.” says the report, “are as a rule single women. fighting their industrial light alone. They aro not only supporting themselves but are giving their earnings largely to the support of others at home. Of the whole number under consideration 9,813 not only work at their regular occupations but assist

in the housework at home, the total number living at homo being 14,918—that is to say, a very large proportion of the workingwomen in the groat cities tire under home influences. More than half of the whole 8,754 givo their earnings to homo life, 4.267 pay board at their own homes, and only 701 receive board at the hands of thoir families. The average number of persons in tho families of the workingwomen is 5.25. each of which has on an average 2.48 workers." The report shows that of the 17,426 who reported their health conditions at tho time they commenced work, 16,360 were in good health, 883 were in fair health, and 183 in bad health. Tho changes in health condition is illustrated by the fact that 14,554 are now in good health, 2,345 are in fair health, and 489 are in bad health. The tables upon earnings and lost time show that of the 13,822 who reported 373 earn less than SIOO per annum, and that this class lost an average of 86.5 days for the years covered. The largest number earn S2OO and under $250 per annum, losing 37.8 dtjys; 2,377 earn Irom $250 to S3OO, losing 31.5 days. As earnings increase ihe lost time decreases, as, for instance, 398 earn from $450 to SSOO a year, and this class lost but 18.8 days. These earnings are actual earnings, and are not statements derived from computations based on the rates of wages. The average weekly earnings by cities is given as follows: Atlanta. $4.05; Baltimore, $4.18; Boston, $5.64; Brooklyn, $5.76; Buffalo, $4.27; Charleston,s4.22; Chicago, $5.74; Cincinnati,s4.so; Cleveland, $4.63; Indianapolis. $4.67; Louisville, $4.51; Newark, $5.10; New Orleans, $4.31; New York, $5.85: Philadelphia. $5.34; Providence, $5.51; Richmond, $3.93; St. Louis, $5.19; St. Paul, $6.02; Han Francisco, $6.91; San Jose. $6.11; Savannah, $4.99. All other cities, $5.24. Upon the subject of “character of thi working-women” the Commissioner saysi “From all that can be learned one need ucR hesitate in asserting that the workingwomen of this country are as honest and an virtuous as tiny other class of our citizens, The social standing of working-women is becoming better and better. The honest working-woman engaged in honest labor is entitled to'the respect of all honest-minded people. She should be welcomed in tho churches of the cities, and should be drawn into the best associations, where social and moral surroundings would aid her in cultivating her own self-respect. At least it should not be possible to class her as the forgotten woman, for her struggle is too heroic, her hardships too painful, her lot too dreary for Christian people to thoughtlessly pass her by.”

THE INAUGURAL, Gen. Beaver Will Divide tlie Procession Into Five Divisions. [Washington (D, C.) telegram.]

HE arrangements for the Presidential in- , augural are rapidly being perfected. Gen. Reaver, the Grand Marshal of the parade, has decided to divide the inaugural proces'sion into live divisions. The first division will consist of the United States Army Corps and National Guard of the District of Columbia, comprising about 503 men. Tho Pennsylvania National Guard,

about 8,003 strong, will comprise the second division and be under the command of Major General Hartranft. The third division will comprise all the remaining military organizations, about 8.000 men. In the fourth division will be the veterans of the Grand Army of the liepublic and camps of the Sons of Veterans under command of Gen. William Warner, of Missouri, Com-mander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic. The fifth will comprise all civil organizations, including the political clubs, social societies and citizens’ delegations, to bo under the command of Colonel M. M. Parker. Company F, Fifth Regiment, National Guard of Illinois, Capt. F. H. Wiedey commanding, has informed the committee of its intention to take part in the inaugural parade, i

AFTER A WEEK OF TOIL.