=336. Bonnet Wire.= At a bonnet-wire factory, I was told but little of the work could be done by women; but, if my eyesight did not deceive me, it could all be done by women. Covering the wire was done on a steam-power machine, which only required attention. The spooling is done by females, and also tying it up, when covered, into bunches of twenty yards each. A manufacturer of bonnet wire writes: "We employ some girls, and pay from $3 to $3.50 per week, of twelve hours a day. Females cannot do all parts of the work. It requires from one to four weeks to learn, and they receive while learning enough to pay their board. The business is best nine months of the year, during fall, winter, and spring. We prefer girls to boys, for such work as they can do. Board, from $1.50 to $2."
=337. Children's Clothes.= Quite a number of stores are devoted to the sale of children's clothes in large cities. A handsome profit is generally made by the merchant. At Mrs. C.'s, between three hundred and four hundred females find employment in making up children's clothing of all kinds (mostly infants'); also under-garments for ladies. A large assortment is constantly kept on hand, and they are ever busy filling orders; giving employment about nine months in the year to all, and to some the year round. The work is mostly done by hand, and to sew neatly is the only requirement. The work is all cut in the establishment and given out, being piecework. The sewers earn from $3 to $6 per week; cutters, the last-mentioned sum. Aside from these, a few girls are employed in the establishment, who wait upon customers, and sew when they have leisure.