The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-12-12
Ole G!ateILlaealen.
nee Nus. 20 ard y ToGTieoofh street.
ENGLISH NAILERS.

1
The Birmingham workers-HoR They
Live aud what They Earu.
Poraaot Kelley u National Tribune.
Since last wrote have trayersed Eng
land from sunny Kent to the smoky Blscl
country, and now write from this stirini
city among mines and FORCES. Here thu
sky Is darkened by oyerhangins clouds o.
smoke; fields that should bs Of richest
green, or golden with heavy grain, are
buried beneath mountains Of alag from the
mines below, and the country throughout
q circuit Of ten miles from Birmingham Il
30 crowded with villages OF miners, nail
and chain mRkers, and great brick works,
th2t 1t Is not easy to discover the point at
which the city ends.
/ had read accounts Of the hardships en-.
dured by women and children In the
Black Country, and Of the factory acts for
the prevention OF atrocious cruelty prac.
ticed upon child-workers. I had learned
In London something Of the workings OF
the school boards and local government
board in relation to the work Of children,
and II was, therefore, with keen interest
that went yesterday morning to Hale
soen, q nail makers village, six or seyeh
miles from Birmingham.
On entering Halespen we asked where
we could see natl.makers at work. Every
where, was the prompt reply. "Look
there; there's one" We looked and saw q
small brick pen. tile rooted, and lighted by
three small unglszed windows. It was occu-
pied by three men, Of whom one acted Rs
spokesman, going swiftly with his work
while he answered our questions. GLOW
much can msks? Three shillings day,
If make fifty.six pounds OF wrought. nails
in day, aud generally do. But it's hard
work comm on since the machinery's been
eatin' up our work" As he talked he
pushed q long slender iron rod into q cover
ed heap Of glowing Goals on the raised
hearth that filed the center OF the dark
little workshop, and quickly Withdrawing
another rod hammered this slightly TO tlt t
for q metal mold. Deity breaking OF the
glowing end as he placed it In the mold, he
replaced the rod on the hearth and pound
ed the future nail in It's mold, alternately
with treadls-hammer, until the nail grew
cool and became possessed OF head.
Three shillings Us cents) q day for ffty-six
pounds nf such nails seemed poor pay
enough, but this was not the preclse form
OF hardship OF which We were in search,
and we strolled on.
Near the foot OF a steep hill narrow
street, without sidewalks, turned sharply
to the left, and we turned in at venture.
The houses were small and dingy enough
TO cover any sort OF wreschedness, and the
women and children might be here, per.
haps. Yes; here in small, irregular yard
stood pen which We recognized now II
had mistaken the frat for o cow.house) as
the nail-workeIs' shop. In this pen were
q young man and woman working with
great skill and swiftness. The girls face
was unusually pretty, having regular, re-
fined features, q clear, though somewhat
pale, complexion, and an expression Of
and gentleness. When she
smiled she showed regular, white teeth;
and the smile was quite in harmony with
her whole demeanor. Eyes, you may
watch me If yeu wish" she said. Mother
says I'm good mailer, and l must be, Tor
can earn six and three pence In week,
though don't work regular hours, and I'd
earn more II | did. The machinery makes
it hard to make much now. I remember
when ! could get nine and six where now
/ can only get six and three, and mother
would get yet more. I help her
in the house great deal. Would you like
to see mother? She can tell more than I
can" Another" was q tall, well-built
woman, with fine face and the same air
Of 9uiet self resPect:. they'r good
nailers," she said, looking with pride at
the son and daughter. II taught them
myself. l used to do o good deal at the
nailin' myself, but now I'm little past Il;
and there Is coed deal 10 do to keep the
house goin'. Ny daughter helps me with
that, too, and that other daughter you sac
there, too. She's too young for the nailin';
they amt allowed at that till they're turn
ed fourteen, and she lacks SIX months
There was q gentleman coined around q
month or two ago, and said they wasn't to
work such long hours neither; 'e'ad paper,
and q put It upon the wall there, and It
'anged there, but father was whitewash-
in about bit to keep Il sweet and clean
for the children, an don't know what q
done with It. The son laughed quietly
at that, and said, "WelI, I don't
mind the payer much, and come
times I get In fourteen hours or 80,
and they don't catch me-" The mothers
quick questions led her to say, $50 you're
come to America Just to 90 about and look
at things in different countries. wy, that's
wat we'd call 'oliday; but we couldn't
get II, not for single day, two on us to-
gether. Wy, II my daughter there and
me was to go to HaGley for Saturday to-.
gether, and that's only one Cay, some
thing'd get beyind, don't you seer Some.
thing cred get beyind."
She showed Us into her house with
pleasure, telling US that she had lived for
five and forty years in II, that her husband
was stocktaker in factory, and earned
regular wsses. "Ns, no e's not mailer;
Pm nailor, and 1 teach the children"
There had been thirteen children, Of whom
three had died. One works for master
mailer, one works in coal mine near by
They're MARKEDLY two are out at service,
and three are too yourg to work. The
mother, though 20 little past nailin," is the
baker Of bread for the neighborhoof and
bad window full that looked very tempt
ing.
II the reader will bear this mind the de-
scription Of the house will have weighty
meaning. Here Is family originally Of
fifteen persons, Of whom seven are re-
moved from the home circle three by
death, two by being at service, and two by
marriage. Now seven from fifteen leaves
eight, and these eight people live In
house that has three rooms. One Is the
living room, and two sleeping rooms above
it contain one room for father, neither and
baby aged three, and the adjoining room
for Eve other children. The quiet, modest
girl and her brother, after working at the
fnrge all daY ithe boy semetimes getting