The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-30
IAWeII.

various parts of our State, to the condition OF
the operatives in the Lowell Factories, we pre-
sent the following statements to our readers
All will be interested in them, and ali can rely
upon them. They are taken from work en-
titled Lowell as il was and as il is" written
by a gentleman who has the best opportunities
Of acquiring information and whose character
affords the strongest guaranty for the accuracy
Of his statements.
/. THE HOgRs or LABoR-The result Of the
whole is, as We before stated, that the average
number of per diem hours is less than ten ane
a half. In the above estimate, the absences Of
the girls from the mills, when they put their
work In the care Of those who may be disposed
mutually 20 relieve one another, are not taken
into the account No computation Of the ex-
tent Of such absences can be made. II is well
known, however, To be considerable, and would
still further reduce the average named.
In connection with this general topic, one or
two other points remain 10 be considered. 1t
happens occasionally, in the various processes
Of the manufacture, that one portion Of the
work runs ahead Of another; requiring. for an
equalisatien, The running OF some extra hours.
Thi. takes place only in the winter season,
when the lamps, never in the whole mill. but
only in one or two Of its rooms are kept burn
ing ill niue or ten O'Clock. BY no Corporation
is this done, but as a rare exception to the gen
rules Of the mill, while in most mills IL 10 not
oone at all. Thus, during the past winter,
when the temptations TO extra work, through
great profits, were as strong as ever. in the ma
lOrity Of the mills, the wheels were not run,
in any instance, after hsf-past seven O'Clock
Ii occasionally happens, again, that some am
bilious girls, finding their health and strength
sufficient, and stimulated by the hope Of greater
gain, undertake extra work. In relation, how
ever, TO beth Of these cases Of extry. hours and
extra work, the labor performed is always vol
untsry. No girl is required u undertake it,
The young woman, who ~ able, is generally
willing to engage 10 IL, as she draws the pay, 10
the extent Of the extra work, Of two girls,
while she iRcurs the expense Of the board Of
butone.
Having noticed the occasions Of voluntary
extra wors il is but just TO allude to an ext
gsney, which occurs every season, when work
y gasPended. Eighteen Of the twenty-seyen
Cotton mills In the city are situated on the river
eide, and once or twice in each year are obliged
20 suspend parts Of their works, sometimes for
days together, iBcOnseQaence Of back wateT.-
In such eases, the pay Of the board OF the girls
Is eOatipued, though they render no work.
, Tss. RsaE o. W.c-s.-While the average
pay Of all female operatives Is, at the present
time, sboat one dollar and ninety-three cents
per week, beside board, instances are not IN
common Of their earning three and four dollars
per week. On the June pay roll Of Fifty girls,
the antbOr counted mp the names of twenty
four who received four dollars and seventy-five
cents per week, beside board; and this without
either extra h0ars or extra work. This, how
ever, is given as an unusual case.
3. HEn.TH.-TThe author makes comparison
between Lowell and three other cities, COM
monty regarded as healthy cities, and The fol-
lowing Is the result:
Dividing the average populstion by she ave-
rage Of deaths, we have the following results:
Deaths TO the population in Providence, one In
forty-one; in Salem, one in ffty-four; in Wor-
cester, one in fifty-two; in Lowell one in fifty
seyen-being an advantage in comparison with
the other places, Of fifteen, three, and i've per
cent. in favor Of the latter city.
DIR. Bartlett, who for more than tweIv. years
was a resident and practising physician in
Lowell, and who is widely known as an emil
nent lecturer and writer in his profession, and
VINO has recently been chosen professor In the
Louisville Medical Institute, bears the follow
ing testimony. The itaIicised sentences were
marked BY DR.. Bartlett himself:
The general and comparative good health Of
The girls employed in the mills here, and their
freedom from disease are the subject of remark
among our most intelligent and experienced
physicians. The manufacturing population Of
AIS city 10 the heaihissf portion Of the population
md there is no reason why this should NOT be |
he case. They are but little exposed to many |
,f the strongest and most prolific causes Of |
disease, and very many OF the circumstances
which surround aud act upon them are of the /
most favorable hygienie character. They are
egular in all their habits They are early ~ in
he morning, and early 10 bed al night. Their
are is plain, substantial and good, and their
abOr s sufficiently active, and sufficiently light
D avoid the evils arising from the two extremes
{ Incidence and eyer-exsrtion. They are but
itle exposed 10 the sudden yicissitudes, and
D the excessive heats and colds Of the seasons,
nd they are very free from anxious and de-
ressing cares,
IN case Of sickness the operatives can obtain
10 best medical treatment aud all the comforts
eeded by the sick al the Lowell Hospital, Of
hch wa have this account:
In 1899, the manufacturing Corporations
lrchssed the spacious and elegant mansion
ouse erected by Kirk Boot, Esq, which, with
Ie necessary alterations, cost twenty thousand 4
pillars The building was sci apart as hospi-
i for sick operatives. It's commodious pSrlors \
I'D chambers were converted into wards, and I
ne Of the most eminent practitioners in Low !
was appointed lis physician, and resides in I
e building. All persons In the employ of the !
operations, who are taken sick, can here have n
e best nursing and medical attendance. The !
.arpes are four dollars a week for men, and !;
rec dollars for women. II the patients are n
lie, they are to pay 10 the superintendent; i'll
Il able the Corporation from which they 90 are :
% onslble, and the patients ere then RESPONSE n
9 10 the Corporation. The number Of pa
'nts averages about hundred and fifty year.
I the entire expenses Of the establishment,
o1t three -foarths are shared by the Corpora d
M. 6
A. moral CONDITIONAL more strictly and \,
,iyersally temperate class Of persons cannot
found, than the Pine thousand operatives Of
Il city; and the fact Is as well known TO all =
hers living here, as II IL Of some honest pride a
,onr themselves. In relation 10 other inn Fl
orsitles, It may be stated, that the suspicion /,
criminal conduct, association with suspected
nons, and general and habitusl light behavior
q eopversation, are regarded Sufficient M
zsons for -dismission, and for which de,in-
ent operatives are discharged.
The utmost care is taksnin regard TO dis :,
arging and employing operatives: b
Any person wishing 10 ieaves mill, is at lib
y 70 do 90, at any time, after giving fort |
Ehfs notice The operative 90 leaving, ~ Of e
% ehsractss, and having worked year, q ! a