Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-19
THE HOURS OF LABOR.
Treatment of Women and Children
in Massachusetts, Factories.

A hearing before the Joint Committee
of the Legislature upon the hours of labor
was held at ten o'clock this forenoon in
the Green Room at the State House.
Miss Kershaw, an operative in the car
pet mills at Lowell, was the first person
called by the committee. She testified
generally as to the condition of the OPP
eratives in the mill in which she worked
and in their boarding.houses. She knew
of sixty, and in some cases seventy five
persons boarding in one house
Among the two hundred and sixty op-
eratives in the room in which sha worked,
there were only fifteen or twenty who
could write their names. She knew of
instances where operatives were dis
charged for acting in favor of a ten hour
law, and many are prevented from doing
so through fear. She worked by the
piece, but favored a reduction of the
time, the price continuing the same The
operatives generally are in favor Of it.
Out of the two hundred and sixty persons
in the room in which she works she OBJ
tained the names of two hundred and
fifty-four to a petition for ten hour law.
She thought as much work would be
turned out in ten hours as in the present
time. The people Of Lowell generally
appear to be in favor of a ten hour law.
She favored ten hour law for the rea
son that she believed it would improve
the social, moral and physical condi-
ton of the operatives. She believed that
as much work could be done in ten hours
as now in eleven and more, and for that
reason ten hour law would be no in
justice to corporations
Mrs. NJ. E. Burdick had worked in cot
ton mills at intervals for eighteen years
at present weaver in the Pemberton
Mills at Lawrence. She had left work
at various times on account of her health,
which was impaired, her physician said,
by confinement in factories. Cotton
mills are considered more unhealthy
than wool. During the past eighteen
months she had lost about ten weeks on
account of i'll health The operatives in
the same room with her had generally
lost more time than herself on account
of sickness. Those who leave from sick
ness do so from general debility and
breaking down. She did not know of
single operative who had worked year
without being sick.
in the boarding houses generally six
girls occupy one room, measuring twenty
or twenty-five feet square. She believed
she could do as much work in ten hours
as in eleven. The latest hour in the day
is very tiresome, and the girls generally
are so tired that they don't care whether
they work or not. More breaks, snRrls,
etc., occur in that hour than in any
other, although the operatives are work
ing by the piece. One cause of sickness,
especially lung diseases, arises in the ne
cessity eff drawing the thread from the
shuttle after 1t is put in the loom, by
sucking it out by applying the mouth to
the opening of the shuttle. A consider
able amount of dust is drawn in upon
the lungs at that time. The thread can
be drawn out in no other way. All the
operators in her room signed petition
for ten hour law. The pay for weaving
a cut of about forty-hve yards is thirty
four cents. The average monthly pay
of good weaver is about S2S. running
from four to six looms.
Among the forty-ive operatives in
her room, about one-half cannot write.
lutl art Aul Nhe uiocN lhAh bASAAASAef /
A large number of Canadian French are |
coming in as French operatives now.
There are many children of eight and |
nine years of 0go working in the mills at
Lowell.
Miss Emma Witcher, weaver in the |
Hamilton Corporation Cotton Mills, in |
Lowell, commenced work in the mills /
two years ago, but was compelled 10
leave fonr months afterwards on account |
Of sickness. Has worked about a year
in all. OF FIVE who came with her from /
Canada aud commenced work in the mill, |
four have left on account Of sickness, I
chiefly general disability.
The operatives generally are so tired /
after work at night, that they don't care /
to GO out and take the fresh air, which /
they need. Operatives could work ten /
hours and keep their health