Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-25
FACTORY oPEnArrvr.


Inc Portland Argus of recent date m.la.
.''ack upon the employees of the Edward,
"anuiacturing Company, which is perfect,
unwarranted by the facts, and a larger mar, !,
winch Is finished and misleading falsebood
II Is represented that the marriage ra,.,;o, :.
entered into by them purely a. a bu,ine.,
fe'a'ion' the children being forced to work in
the mill to support their parents in idlene..
the entire wages earned by the children uo;no
10 support the ''lazy louts" who brouyb, tho =,
'n'o existence. This is fabrication. AL.
'nough there are probably exceptional cases
as In any community of laboring people. ve,
as rule the parents of the children are amono
the most industrious people in the CITY. and
are eager and willing to work. Anyone who
Is acquainted with the facts will attest tba,
there are no better workers TO be found tl,a n
these Canadian Frenchmen. The wome, .,o
gwen work the year round in the mills here.
and the men during the spring, summer and
iaii. In the winter the company does no,
have work for all of the latter. and few on
unemployed.
The allegation that the children are thinlv
and shabbily dressed is fictitious, as we can
assert from personal observation. largo
majority wear tidy calico gown. and apron,
and their feet are covered by warm woolen
stockings and substantial shoes. When pro.
ceedine to and from the factory they wear
thick shawl or other outer garments. and
knit hoods are not uncommonly seen.
citizen who watched the children as thew
proceeded from their work one dav recently.
informs US that he was astonished to see bov
comfortably they were clad. As to their
food there is but one opinion among those
who are acquainted with the habits of these
people. They live as we'll if not better than
the average laboring people. Meat, flour,
potatoes, tea and coffee can nearly always be
found on their tables, and they must have
Is good as any that can be purchased. Sew.
eral grocerymen got an idea that they would
be able to dispose Of cheaper quality OF
articles to these mill hands, but they soon
found their mistake. The children show every
evidence of being well fed and sufficiently
clothed There is not day passes at the
mills but that the Waterman gathers up q
large quantity of food thrown away by the
operatives, they having more than enough to
satisfy them. Much bread is found, and it i.
almost invariably covered with butter.
The expenditures of French family are
probably as large as those of any other class
of workmen. woman, the wife in family
of FIVE, there being husband and three chill
dren besides herself, complained to the agent
of the mills that they had hard work to make
both ends meet. On investigation 1t was
found that the family had earned $40 during
the month past, besides the rent, which was 81
additional. Many families would have laid
up money on this sum. II is well known that
many of these French do acquire money, and
have snug little sum in their possession fol
rainy day.
We make the above statements out of Jus.
tice to the Edwards Company. They use theil
help humanelv. anl tre,t them in the best
possible manner. aud it i, but fairness to refute
the slanderous reports which have been cir
culated by the correspondent of the Portland
paper