New-York tribune., 1891-03-01
AGAINST "SWEATING" SHOPS
MASSACHUSETTS FROWyS ON THE SYSTEM,
COMMITTEES SENT TO INVESTIGATE THE SUI:


JECr IN THE INTEREST OF LEGISLATION.
Much has been written about the horrors Of the
sweating" system OF tcnementhouse workshops,
ard attempts have been amde at different times By
the Legislature maelloate the condition Of ignorant
and I'm most cases fOregn-bom workers who slave
away their comparatively short lives amid surroundings
which il is impossible 10 describe in print, SO shocking
and Immoral they. 1t is in the East Side
sweating shops OF the clothing makers that the
greatest filth and degradation found, and in these
sinks Of niquiy and pestholes OF disease hundreds
OF children under the age OF fourteen years. with
minds durllened even to the rudments OF knowledge
and knowing nothing of religion, toll away their
sunless existence without hope Of q better
So bad IS the condition In these sweat, shops Of this
city that Governor Russell OF massachusetts has taken
steps entirely to forbid by act Of the Legislature
tho importation from this state of clothes made in
the tencmenhouSe factories OF the East side, the
ground that the germs Of frigful diseases are often
concealed in the cloth worked by the hodes VI
tho unwashcd."
In Boston there are few if any sweating shops.
For three years the Clothing Operators National Union
has waged Of determination against such es.
tabsmcnts and the large clothing manufacturers
bayo consequently followed the American plan OF hir
ing their woriImen and experimenting the work.
But recently these firms have found that they could
save money by sending their cut garments to New
system OF European sweating shops and by European
manner Labor This action necessarily threw good many
Boston worl!men out Of employ and the National
Union looked about it for way to remedy the trouole
This was iu, before the recent election and John Crow
lev the general secretary of the nnlon wrote 10 v" f.
Russell the Democratic candidate for Governor saying
that IL he would promise 70 do AL in bis power TO pre-
vent the bringing Of garments made Dy "sWeater'"
lpto Massachusetts, he National Union would cast Its
for i'm
cIccted After his election Mr. Crowley wrote to
him again reminding him OF his promise but received
no answer and the union appointed MN coiumtee
of one to arrange for investigation Tic result
was that Governor Russell assigned TO Rufl' wade.
Chief of the state Police and Chief Factory Inspector.
the duty Of procuring evidence OF the danger OF import
ng into the State clothing made in the sweat shops
Of New York Mr. Wade January ID sent to this
ctv 10 collect such evidence to place before the Lesla
rury, Isaac s. Mullen and J. IIalstricl. These men
STAYED here a week and just before they went home
declared that they were horred at the condition Of
affairs which they had found in the East side clothing
shops.
on January 90 Mr.. Crowley came here. and after
get ing authority from James Connolly, the New-iorx
state Factory Inspector, he accompanied George A
Mac Kay deputy factory inspector for this city, on his
visits TO the various tenementhouse factories on The
East side. The investigating party, besides Messrs
MacKay and Crowley, was made up OF an arust
reporters and Dr. George c. Stiebelng, of No. IL d.
Marks Place.
An idea OF what the party saw in visits to hsI
100 tenementhouseS is given In the following aiua'n
OF DR.. Stiebeling:
The anant. George c. stiebelng declares that he Is
sixty years old, that he resides at No u 81 MARX
Place city county and State OF New-f 0rK ana llaI no
YeaS lie further decares that on the 18th day q
February o9l between the hours OF 10 a. m sHs
located in the tenementhouses Nos. 10 lls ana iIp
Hesterst No. IA Norfoxs Nos 1875 and ana I'ts I1S p
wiich Clothing was manufactured and which serve a.
the same time dwelling rooms TO the bosses, tnst
families and boar,ers and that by SAID visits Sr ana
examinations he has found that these compound WORK
ing dwelling places are overcrowqeu, onnb and
overIcaed full OF dirt, filth vermln ana stenSn. ana
misunderstanding and disease breeding condon IN
proof Of this assertion aliant Will ue"hn '"' H''~'
of his visits and examinations. -, <o. .., ana
First-No 116 Iesterst is an ola foqr,story nra sna
basement brick house. in which the two lower IT. n9OrS t
and the basement used as dwellings VINE te IwS
upper floors occupied by Two Eor Ed TSe third
aor CONSISTS OF fonr small rooms which are filled TO ex-
ss he hsaPs a soy two pfSe beds
mighty aspafs ,S on ataso the fSarh %STne hGsn hands
smbeT small Of cTns sTf mapeene Heaps Resps
large fireplace There are two water closets III onS
rear Of tie basement, one OF winch was HcAeo N'u
the other Open
Then follows a description Of the frishtfuIy bad
sanitary condition Of the basement. which 1t is not
necessary 10 publish. being an Official report 10 the
Massachusetts, legislature, but he says that az an ou
physician and surgeon who served through the war
OF tho Rebellion lie never saw worse condluon OF
affairs. lie adds
sccond-No. 162 DivislO st. is brick tenement
house ON the fourth floor afiant fcund four very
small rooms occupied By FIVE sewing machines, twenty"
fnur working hands and the family Of the boss, con-
siStin. Of himself wife and five living children. Inc
mother reported t. afiant that Wtihh the ltSt lew
wears six Of her children have died OF various diseases
Eeyins on the facts above related aliant dnally.
declares that in his opinion the dust, fth and ar,
in onin 5s tc , Of the ne prevalns in
fictitious diseases. such diphtherla, scariaiina
measles. ery>ipelas ard smallpox ana tat te cU ith
such germs and consequently may transmit and spreaa
the aforesaid diseases to persons Waq hanae ana
sworn to before me this 18th dav OF February 1884,
HENRY MURRAY, Police Justice.
The average breathing space in these workshops
was only twenty-fve cubic feet for each person Ile
walls stair, and banisters shining with grease
and fifth and dirty dropping water. At No llo
Hester-st an ash barrel full Of garbage was on the
landing at the head of the first flight of stairs. and on
the one above a filthy sink. In these houses emaeiated
and pale children and gannt men ana women N'u
and worked crowded together night aud day.
In the shop of Morris Silberman, No 162 DIVISION,
ST. half dozen small children absolutely ignorant eI
all but the routine Of hard work were found iIe
DEPUTY Inspector. George \. MacKaye, ordered Una,
Tho children be sent To school at once In a greas
many other shops he found children at work ana
sometimes he would have 10 play az hdeahG-seeh "
Gnd them when hidden 10y their employers: Photo
diton will soon be presented 10 the legislature Va
Massachusetts, which, IL is expected. Will pass law
In this city by " sweaters" The National Union has
adopted label which will be put on all union,naas
ClothnC Vet many of these shops were so-caied
union Shops and therefore, of course, not TO- %
inerlered with.
CirS yyTFILTGENCF.