Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-05-30

provisions are, that none under the
lge Of twenty-one shall be compelled
% work between the hours Of seven in
he evening and six next morning.
and that those under eighteen shall be
usually only 10 hours each
day, and only s hours every Satur-
day. The hours may be varied in
and termination to suit
the convenience Of the employer; but
the number Of hours are not to be va
ried. Children under the age Of nine
years are not to be employed at all;
nor are any children to be detained on
Sunday in cleansing the Machinery.
The walls of the working rooms are
required to be white washed once a
year, and in all factories to be hereaf-
ter erected, 4he walls of all such rooms
are to be at least ten feet in height.
The time of labsr is to be regulated by
set by the nearest public
clock. The machinery is TO be fenced
or boxed off, so as to prevent accidents;
and if any fatal accidents occur in con-
sequence of the neglect of this precau-
ton, they are to be imputed as "man-
to the owners ofthe factory,
who are 70 deposit a pecuniary COM
pensation for the sufferer where the
injury is serious without being fatal.
1t is proposed that the act shall take
effect on the LIST of July.
In connection with this subject, we
have extracted the following pretty
and pathetic stanzas from The True
Sun, (London paper) of the 9th of
April.
THE FACTORY GIRL's LAST DAY.
"Four or five months back there was
a girl of poor mans that | was cal
led to visit; it was poorly; it had at.
tended mill, and | was obliged to
relieve the father in the course of my
office (that Of assistant overseer of the
poor in consequence of the bad health
of the child; by-and-by it went back to
its work again; and one day he came
to me with tears in his eyes. | said,
''What is the matter, Thomas?" He
said, "My little girl is dead" | said,
''When did she die?"--IIe said, "In the
night; and what breaks my heart is
this, she went to the mill in the morn
ing, she went not able to do her work,
and little boy said he would assist
her if she would give him a half. penny
on Saturday; ] said | would give him
a penny but at night when the child
went home, perhaps about a quarter
of mile, it fell down several times on
the road through exhaustion, till at
length 1t reached its fathers door with
difficulty, and it never spoke audibly
afterwards; it died in the night. judg-
ed she might be 10 years old" Nm
utes Of EUidence before a Committee of
the House Of Commons, page 30.
Twas on winter morning,
The weather wet and wild,
Three hours bctorr the dawning
The father TOnsed his child;
Her daily norsel bringing,
The darksomc room be paced
And cried, "The bell is ringing,
My hapless darling, haste!''
"Father, I'm up, but weary
| scarce can reach the door,
And long the way and dreary,
u carry me once more,
10 help US we've no mother
You've no employment nigh,
Ihey killed my little brother,
Like him I'll work-and die?"
Her wasted form seem'd nothing,
The load icaS at has heart;
The sufferer he kept soothing
IN at the null they part.
lhe overiookcr met her,
As TO her frame she crept
And with his thong lac beat her,
And cursed her as she wept.
Alas! what hours of sorrow
Made up her latest day:
Those hours that brought no morrow.
Too slowly passed away;
1t seem'd, as she grew weaker,
The threads the oftener broke,
The rapid wheels ran quicker,
And heavier fell the stroke.
The sun had long descended,
But night brought repose:
her day began and ended,
As cruel tyrants chose.
AT length TIA little neighbour
-, Her haltpenny she paid,
10 take her last hours labour,
While by her frame she laid
AT last, the engine ceasing,
The captlycs homeward ushd;
one thought her strength increasing
Twas hope her spirits hush'd
She left, but oft she tarried,
She fell and rose no more,
I'M by her comrades carried
She reach'd her fathers door.
All night, with tortur'd feeling,
Tie watched his spcechless child;
And close beside he kneeling
She knew him not nor smiPd.
Again the Factory's ringing
Her last perceptions tried;
When from her straw bed springinq.
us timer she shriek'd and died,
That night chariot pass'd her.
While on the ground she Law:
The daughters of her master
An evening visit pay
Iheir tender hearts were signing
As Negro wrongs were told:
'Iphne the tuhite siaUe lcas dung.
no 49, Al -