Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-28
ENFORCING THE LAW.
Factory Inspectors Here to Stop the
Employment Of Children.
DOZENS OF MINORS FOUND AT WORK
European Troubles Secure Orders for Pitts
burg Sh0yels.
THE GRIST OF LABOR HAPPENINGS

Mrs. Nan Y. Leslie, of Titusville, one of
the female factory inspectors, arrived in the
city last night to begin the work of in
specting the different mercantile establish
ments in this vicinity. She will join forces
with Captain M. N. Baker, of CORY, who
has been here for the past week. The Cap
tain visited several dozen establishments
along the Allegheny river, and in every
factory or shop he found the law being vio-
lated. He was seen at the Hotel Boyer, last
evening, and to a DISPATCH reporter he
said:
81 have been at work since Monday
morning, and have secured considerable
data on the violation of the factory law. My
intentions were to come here and make a
thorough inspection. I haven't the least
idea how long 1t will take, but suppos e l will
be kept busy here for year at least. In every
factory have received the most courteous
treatment In several of them have been as
sured that no minor children were employed
After personal inspection I found this to be
untrue.
WHAT THE INSPECTOR FOUND.
"At the cork works of Armstrong Bros. &
Co., found 902 employees. ~ of them were
minor children, and 30 girls were under is
years of age. At the Westinghouse Electric
Company there were 1l60 employees and 35 of
them were under 16. At the Standard Under
ground Cable Company's plant, on Sixteenth
street. saw 30 women who are classed under
the law the same as minor children. At the
plant of the PIttsburg Manufacturing Com
pany, was told there were no children EN-
ployed. The firm had no objections to an in
spection, and 1 found II minor children, be-
tween the ages of II and 16. Brown & Com
pany's Iron Works have 45O employees with
16 minors. 1 also visited Fleming & Hamil-
toms shop. where an accident occurred short
time ago. and found AZ females and
q children out of lis employees. At
the Fort Pitt foundry was the only place did
not see children employed. The company has
3SS men, there being not one minor in the
shop. 1t is not the intention of the law to
have the Inspector prosecute the violators.
Our business is to instruct the employers In
regard to the workings of the law and see that
the instructions are carried out. We furnish
blank to each employer and ask him to have it
filed out.
MUST HAVE CERTIFICATES.
"The blank contains a list of questions In re-
gard to the number of children employed,
whether allowed to clean machinery, ventila-
tion fire escapes, etc. After it is filled out it Is
forwarded to the chief of the department in
Harrisburg. Certificates are also left to be
sent to the parents or guardians of the chill
dren. If tine children are kept at work the GER
tificate must be sworn to before notary. Each
his factory and must not hire person under l6
years of age who has not a certificate. SO far
have found no children under II syears. which
is the limit The reason the law has been vio-
lated i 5 because the employers do not know
what the law says"
Captain Baker will leave this morning for
Cory, where he has been called on account of
sickness in his family. He is an old soldier
and well known throughout the oil country.
Mrs. Leslie is the Master Workman of L. A.
1924, Knights of Labor, at TitusvIlle, and rep
resents the labor interests in this section on the
commission. She will devote most of her time
to the stores and other places where women
mostly are employed. She will pay particular
attention to large stores where the lady clerks
are compelled to stand all day. Fire escapes
and ventilation will also receive good share
of her time.
The law was approved May 20, 1882 The in
SpectOrs have the power to compel employers
to allow them to inspect the premises. Captain
Baker stated last evening that he thought the
next Legislature will pass a compulsory educa-
tion bill.