New Song of the
Shirt is Heard in the Land
X
TMHY WORK IN WELL-LKHITBD, WELL-AIRED ROOMS AND EVRN AS MUCH AS FIFTEEN DOLLARS WEEKLY l'holo lo, Tlio lice by Hostwick.
N ARMY of nlmblo-flngered ami 11,1 Knrmeuts are taken to the pattern "witt-runnlng machines driven by electric- made and free from defects. The soft shirts lowance, of course, for the dllforcncu lu the
bright-eyed Omaha girls manu-
rooin. where the cloth Is laid out at full Ity they fashion garments quickly and aro cut In bundles nnd boxes, while tho garments. Thcro Is tho same hiiIhIIvIkIiiii
facturu ovory year millions of , , . on laB'eB, rom nuy to iau layers in neauy. Each operative Is employed on but shirts of other fabrics which aro to be of tho work throughout nnd the same gen
ii li I r t s , shirtwaists, l" unu iv young man wuu a yara- one class o: worK. as a remit she be- laundered go to tho finishing department. ral conditions.
miLK mm uuuik iimrKs oui mo pauerni on comes expert at ner own Dranch or the Uy a secret process they nro laundered, then All tho operatives ure paid by tho dozen
tho top piece nnd the pile Is ready for the work. Some have nothing to do but sew ou taken by the Ironcrs, who put them through Pieces. Tho more export earn from $12 to
cutter. Tho old-fashioned implement buttons, part of them make only button- specially designed machinery. At the end $15 weekly, tho others from $10 down to
known as n pnlr of scissors is not used In holes and others devote their attention en- of the process each garment Is nicely pol- $6. Somo who begun learning tho trade six
the up-to-dato factory. Instead, a large tirely to sleeves. Ished and put up ready to placo on bale. months ago in onu of tho factories Just
band saw follows the white marks of the The yoke U flrst Inserted the fronts and Some of the operatives do very fine work, started then, and having nut the slightest
previous knowledgo of tho business, nio now
women's skirts nnd
wrappers, overalls, duck coats, pants
and shoeo. Their products are made
In four factories and may bu found every
where In tho west and northwest, from tho
Missouri valley to Ilrltlsh Columbia. The
ma 1 a Industry Is tho manufacture of men's
apparel, particularly shirts nnd overalls
The factories nro lnrge nnd well-lighted,
with ample vontllatlon, saultnry nnd Ore
vHcapo appliances. It Is a pleasure to
work, If one must labor, whero frcMh nlr
nnd sunlight abound. Cheerful surround
Ingu make cheerful workers, and that
means more and better work.
One shirt and overall factory may be
taken as n typo of tho others. Tho gen
era! conditions surrounding the work of
tho girls aro much tho same In all of them
Every labor-saving device Is used, for noth
ing Is done by hand that can bu done by
machln ry. Each machine, with tho excep
tion of a few that are too dnngerous for
Klrls to use, has its girl operative Each
factory employs from 200 to 500 of them,
and many have been In tho work so long
that they have almost forfeited the right to
bo called girls. Hut they nro faithful, nt
tentlvo to duties nnd have no walking dele
gates. This miniature army of breadwinners
marches to work every morning of a work
ing day nt 7.30 o'clock. Thoy aro particu
lar to bo on time, fur there Is a tolltale
clock at tho entrance, and ilns are uot
pleasant to pay. A round of work until 12,
an hour for lunch, another stretch of labor
aud tho day Is done. Somo are able to
leave as enrly as 5, others must stay until
5 15, but none later.
IIim a Shirt U .Miule.
Tho manufacture of shirts is, perhaps, the
most Interesting part of the work In any pattern thro
earning $12 weekly, with tho opportunity of
making still moro ns their uxpertness In
creases. There Is a constant nnd ever-ln-creaslng
demand for operatives who can do
good work.
That tho girls do not find their work too
Irksome Is attested by their happy, smiling
faces.
(tirln ii h Mini-iiiiikcm.
In the manufacture of shoes tho girls
And employment also. Most of them learn
rapidly nnd command good pay for tho kind
of work they do. Tho various machine
are as nearly automatic as human Ingenuity
can mako them and though each requires an
attendant, there is but llttlo actual manual
labor to bo dono by the operative
Tho various parts of tho shoes, such as
uppers, Insoles, soles and heels, come to the
factory readymado aud tho work remaining
to bo dono Is In the assembling and finish
ing. Tho uppers are lined with cloth, then
welted to the Insoles by a machine. The
outside soles are put on and go through
several finishing processes. The shoe goos
from the welting machlno to the heeler, a
marvelous little machine which drives in
tho nails accurately and substantially by
the dozens every minute. There yet re
main a few small dotalls to be finished on
various machines, the insertion of eyelets,
for instance, all of which is accomplished in
a manner calculated to make uu old-tlmo
shoemaker throw up his hands in despair.
The girls Who Otlce leam thn Irnrln thnr.
oughly seem well satisfied and nro not aux-
LININQ THE VAMI'S AND UPPERS FOR SHOES Photo for The Ilee by Bostwick
. . wiu iuick duo as one mar uuurs dul on next ana mp sippvph mnr e rnr tnirrtnpu lit.i.. ui t .. ,.u ..
ractory. interesting because a shirt, though cut a single piece of paper. This work Is and set, The embryo garment is then side- doesn t look a day over 1 sews on 3 500 it U.tT.k Unce.rtalnly- 0no-
simple In appearance, passes through more done by young men. but from that point seamed and hemmed, the buttonholes are buttons every day and does It easily The nL i . .. El employes has been
hands and processes than any other product forward tho making and finishing of the made and buttons put on and the shirt is operatives on the buttouholo machines "hocmaklng business for
of these factories. The way mother usrd shirt la entirely In the hands of the girl complete as far as the actual making Is make over 3.000 dally and then do not have Lh7 yar8 r mor0, Sbe conimcnc,-,J
to make shirts was all right In Its dny, but operatives. concerned. It seemi quite simple and eav to overwork themsplv. a 1 "J L.1 hon.a youn? woman ' 2.50 per week,
ntnlnlno lh. -!,,. hilt onnh .Kl.l .1... Ii . . .. . ... .. .. . """i" UO TeCCl'
ves good wages and
qo Ohio
lived many
ll nrnnortv
has Its beginning In the pattern department, makes requisition to suit her needs, taking are sent down another chute this time to The work of rmklmr thn nth-r t tl .1." ,nea' rcntal "Very month, and
wuauy locnus! on mo top noor or tno rac- a bundle at a time containing a certain the Inspection room There each is care- garments which shirt ami nVorin 7,7.7 . .Z 1 ,uos'uieiy independent, as
tory The big bale., of fabrics to be made number of dozen pieces. Then with their fully examined to see that It Is properly ur n,nv ih- .,.. " '?,' lmS. ':1Is"""lnntely turned down every
' ---I ..n.niiis hi- iJiuyuoiii oi mnrringo Hlie eve
i'er received.
n
131 l fewslllllllllllllllllHllllBLQuL ikABMiili9
aiMlS ASSEMllLINO SHOE HEELS Photo for The Uoe by nostwlck.
WHERE SHIRTS ARE MADE DY MILUONS-Photo for Tb llee by Hostw
ick