not being observed in summer; and in the majority of houses that stock must be arranged after six P.M., the time varying, according to season, from fifteen minutes to five hours, and this without supper or extra pay; thus compelling women and children to go long distances late at night, and rendering them liable to insult and immoral influences.

“Excessive fines are imposed in many stores,—­fines varying from ten to thirty cents for ten minutes’ tardiness in the morning or lunch hour, and for all mistakes.  Cases are known of girls who have been fined a full week’s pay at the end of the week.  In one store the fines amounted to $3,000 in a year, and the sum was divided between the superintendent and timekeeper; and the superintendent was heard to charge the timekeeper with not being strict enough in his duties.

“Bad sanitary conditions, bad ventilation and toilet arrangements are common, and the sanitary laws are not observed.  Children under age are employed at work far beyond their strength, often far into the night.  The average wages do not exceed $4.50; and in one of our largest stores the average wage is $2.40, in another $2.90.  The tendency in all stores is to secure the cheapest help; for this reason school-girls just graduated are much sought for, as they, having homes, can afford to work for less.  But a large proportion of the saleswomen either pay board or help support a family; and how can this be done on $4.50 per week?  The cheapest board in dark stuffy attics or tenement houses is $3.00, fuel and washing extra; and no woman can pay doctor’s bills and maintain a respectable appearance on what remains.  How then does she live?  There are two ways of answering:  The story of a woman who worked in one of our large houses is one way.  This woman earned $3.00 per week; she paid $1.50 for her room; her breakfast consisted of a cup of coffee; she had no lunch; she had but one meal a day.  Many saleswomen must be in this condition.  The other answer is that given by more than one employer, who when saleswomen complain of the low wages offered, reply:  ’Oh, well, get yourself a gentleman friend; most of our girls have them.’  Not long since a member of our society received a letter from a salesman in a certain house which read thus:  ’In the name of God cannot something be done for the saleswomen?  I am a salesman in——­, and I have walked in disguise at night upon certain streets to be accosted by girls in my own department,—­girls whose salaries are so low it was impossible to live upon them.”  A painter told us that in working in the houses of ill-repute in the vicinity of Twenty-third Street, he was astonished at the number of women whom he recognized as saleswomen in different stores who frequented these houses.  But what are they to do?  They are women without trade or profession, thrown upon their own resources, obliged to make a good appearance, and unable to do so and yet have sufficient food.