, 1881-02-23
Some Account OF Their Number
in This City.
First Annual Report Of the Chicago
Workshop Inspectors.
What the Department 1las Accomplished
During the rast Ycnr.
The Extent and Magnitude Of the Manu-
faoturing Interests.
ages and Nattonatit1es Of Tho Employees, Pflnci'
pal Causes OF Death, E!o., Etc.

The anntlnl report Of tho Factory inspectors
of tho Health Department was completed yes.
tcs11ny. anti. MS WIS anticipated. 1T contnlns,t
Hreat nlnny Interesting fnesa Thnto are FIX In
apccsnrs, nn,l they begun work Mny ]. 1HS0. Under
MI ordinance Which wns 50 general In !ta pro-
vIsans thlt It waa practically Of littlc siao. An
amended nrr1nancG was. thorntosB. pnssed by
the Council by which tho Inspectors wero able
to accomplish something. and whit th0y hnvo
done is stntcd below. They work they had In
haslt wNs entirely now In this country. nn,1 IN Il
great n,cnsrro nbrnatl, for, wh!so En9lautl, Ter
innny, md eomo other continental nations hnvo
facterS iawe, thoy 10 nut cover SO much
ground rs TINT Of Chicago. In Europe onfy
females md children nrp looked utter,
while In this city tho health md safcty
OF all employees aro guarded. The territory
Within tho limits Is divided Into six Districts alid
these ngnjn Into Ms many ne there urn days lsi
tho week, md an Inspector is required tn ",
over tho factories. shops etc., III this snb-dts-
trict and exn,nne them for defects In ventin.
ton. Sewerage, danger from machinery. etc.
When the Inspectors first began operations
they met with
\ GOOD DEAL or OPPOSITION
from employers, who thought they were conn
1nuntstc metlicrs and proteatel against tnktng
their advice. the original ordinance giving tho
Inspector discretionary 1owor ns to whnt
improvements he should order. hut tho
MI ground for cavll. nnl slnce
September tho inspectors hRyo Ind little or no
trouble. An illustration will xivo ap l'1ca Of
how they work. An inspector vista, sny tal1pr-
shop. TEe notes tho number Of eTployGs, tho
size Of tho room, the mems Of ventiatlon. otc.
II he tlnds that tho mir spncp for ehch person is
inadequate, and he cal do 50 readily by REFER
ring 10 tho ordinance. no serves II notice On
the proprietor, wnrtcl nbpnt ,s fnnws:
+" You nrc hereby notifies! 10 tCnttlnte your
Tor nil those who work tEere. IN arcordance with
the ordinance for the regulation and inspection
And thcn iolInws tho psovision in rciatsoi, to
tho pennlty for rnon-conlrlIaLee,-n t!ne nr not
leas than $50 nor more than $a0. Thls noslce In
tho great A1Or!ty OF ehaes 1t Needed, ut!1 when
the Inspector drops around ut tho eN,s nf the
five tnys he usually finds thnt tho work,ncn md
II seldom TINT ho laas 10 resort to tho sum
mons ut n police magistrate to secure obedience.
Tho following tRblu shaws
LITTLE 1MrnovEatESrs EFFECTED:
...--. Nam',cr.
Belts and pulloys protected. ........ ....... 81!
CoEntcr-ahuftR prctecttl...,.. Il
Driving and tly.whccls protected, eto..... >. 81
Circular and band saws protected, ctc....... 90
Elevator and hoistwnyy, guarded. .......... Iii
Etevntor bins guarded. d................,...... EjD
Btuirwnya and snittllcs opened, sto. III
u9ors, Windows, roofs repatsod.. .....-....+. =
Walls md ceilings pustet etc. q
firc.escapcs bn!tt and ,ow ex!ts......,....,. IL
Fum!rntfi,g heater constructed. d.............. i
vcntiiaton t % appIted to wor;rooin til
Ecntflhton applied tn prsrtcs. etc .......... IL
Dangerous oDstrnctions removed. ............ -
Gntch-pns!ils eieahca''" a''".'.................. ~
Open and exposed vnts removed ..:: L.
Filthy promises elcance. ce...."....."........ y
Wstars aese.s and pfivies I,,it. iii
9rls!e8 repaired. 40
pasculcnts Dsiyjus. cto,, .JJiitid..' JJsinteoicd.. =: