New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-02
FEMALE INSPECTORS WORK.
DOING MUCH GOOD IN THE FACTORIES.
INSTANCES OF GROSS VIOLATION OF THE LAW
SOME opposyTr0C NET.

INSTANCES OF GROSS VIOLATION OF THE LAW
SOME OPPOSITION MET.
For over year four women deputy factory IN
specors have been visiting the factories in this Guy
looking for violations Of the state factory laws vi
May u, $500, eight women deputy inspectors "ere
appointed. and at the time this was looked upon as
doubtful experiment. but they have proved that they
were needed -Four Of the eight women were assigned
TO this city. They Mrs. Alexander brehmer,
whose district Is east Of the Bowery ana south VI
Twenty thrd-st.; Miss Margaret Finn whose district
is between broadway and the Bowery, south OF
Twenty thd-st Miss j. A. Farley. west OF broadway
and south Of Twenty thrd-s and Miss Eiecta Lock
wo,d, who has charge Of the ci factories above Twenty
thlrl-st Last week Tribune reporter listened To
the stories Of three Of these inspectors Of their years
work With few exceptions. the women deputies
have been received courteously by employers OF
labor who have been glad cooperate with them to
improve the condition of their employees.
In Mrs. Bremmer's district is the majority Of
sweat shops where the conditions prevail Be-
fore being long at work Mrs Dremmer found she could
do little good unless she learned the Jewish jarson
talked by the Polish, Russian and Hungarian Hebrews
who form the bulk Of the factory population of the
East side. This she has DONE and she says that it
helps her u great deal In her work. one of the
difficulties H. the way of enforcing the law in regard
TO the hours OF work is the Talors' Union the rules
i
the law allows only sixty hours week Mrs. Brem
mer found that the proprietors Of these East side
factories were great deal more anxious about the
laws of the union than the laws Of the
state and one of them said to her. If want any
laws Will make them ourselves. What does the
Legislature know about our business , NothinS!
In some factories she found that the employees began
work at 4 a. m. and toed until late at night. In
candy factory In Mulberry-st., she discovered fifty
Italian children under sixteen years Old. who could
neither read write nor speak English. As it IS against
the law for children under sixteen 10 90 TO work unless
they can read and write English. Mrs. Bremmer dis
charged all these children. and saw that they were
sent TO school Mrs. Bremmer is prosecuting six so
called manufacturers who kept sweat shops on the
charge Of working overtime and employing children
under fourteen year old. They Morris Godstein
first floor Charles GodsteIn second floor Pser Silver
man. third aoor and Harris Rosenberg roof all Of No
22j Clinton-st; Joseph sammuels, No. Fl Rutgers
Place and Joseph Friedman, No. 90 Canal-st. They
are under 300 bail each for trial
When these men arrested a large number Of
their employees were subpoened witnesses. These
employees were discharged by the Sweaters and black
listed To retain the people, all Of whom were women,
as witnesses at the trial. Mrs. Bemmer secured them
other places In a number of places the sanitary con
dtons were so bad that Mrs Brcmmer was forced to
inform the Board Of Health In place Mrs. Brem-
cr was hustled out by the proprietor and she had him
him on his promise TO behave
Miss Finn in her district found that II In the
smaller shops that the law was more often violated
In the basement Of a bOok-bndery in ROse-st, Miss
Finn found a number Of women crowded feether under
ground working by gaslght. The place was close and
sitting and the women all suffering from sore
eyes, vet she could do nothing Tor them, the law
gave her no authority order changes. Miss Finn
was. as a rule treated cOurteously, but at No 100
Willam-st. she found man who did not believe In
having his factory inspected. This man was Edwin
Wiley and he made gold pens. Mr.. Wiley boosted that
he had thrown out frc-marshal and kicked factory
Inspector downstairs. lie refused admittance TO Miss
Finn several times. and said If she were a he
would kick her out. At last Miss Finn had him ar
rested a charge Of obstructng her in the perform
ance Of her duties. He arTaigned before Police
Justice White in the TOmbs Court, and was discharged
his promise to be more gentle with visitors there
after.
Miss Lockwood. who has charge Of the district COM
prising the whole Of the city above Twenty-thrdst.
had funny experience in furniture factory in West
Thrtieth-st., where antique furniture IS made to
order The proprietor objected to the Inspector but
respected the law enough not to eject her lie tried
another plan. When Miss Lockwood went away he
discharged al his female employees, and hired boys,
thinking 1t was only where were employed that
the female inspector had authority. Miss Lockwood
had occasion call at this place again, to see If GER
tain orders had been carried ont and she learned the
reason Of the discharge Of the women The proprietor
was surprised TO see her and much put out that
the discharge Of the women did not accomplish Its
object.
Miss Lockwood said she would have to question his
boys AMI she through the factory. she after
ward learned that he had discharged the boys also so
she went around and told him that 1t made no diHer
ence who he discharged fc his factory was Ia0.e 20
Inspection at any time This angered him. aud he told
her il was an outrage. and that he knew more about
his own business than The inspectors or the legislature
A5 he makes furniture 200 years DID, the inspector ud
not deny Il. .
John Franey the Assistant state Factory Inspector;
has super Intended the work Of the women deputies and
has helped them materially with his experience and
advice a,r. Franey says that Il Is in the larger
factories run by intelligent that the best condl-
lions always prevail. In one factory in this CITY |
which emploves about 600 women. there is ful!Y |
cou.pped hospital with doctor and trained nurse IN
attendance. In another factory the proprietor SENDS
all his girls to restaurant every day Tor their
luncheon and pays the bill. The number OF small
children employed is decreasing every year ana |
sanitary conditions are now better than ever before
Yet in an underground cellar in Park Row. Chlne'e.
negroes Spa9ard5 and Italians arc crowded t2Sether
making cheap cigars.