Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-12-22
TIE SWEATING SYSTEM.
Very Little Difference in the Methods EN-
ployed in Different Cities.

ployeC IN Different cities.
WASHINGTON, D. c., December 21.-
Representative Werner, of New York,
the Chairman Of the Sub-Com mittee OF
the House Committee on Manufactures,
which was directed 10 inquire into the
sweating system, has just returned to
Washington after thorough investiga-
tion Of the workings Of the system in
the cities OF New York, Chicago and
Boston. On being asked how the con-
ditiOn Of the New York system COM
pared with that of the other cities, Mr..
Warner said:
They are so similar as to be scare
ly distnguishable, except as modified
by the different conditions OF the sew
eral cities. In Chicago for example
this sweating business is carried on in
quarters where the streets are prac-
tically bottomieSs and the buildings
rotten and disgusting as well as in
adequate and unfit for human occu-
pants. These buildings are generally
frame and two stories in height with
easements, generally below the side
walk; hence there is nothing like that
possibility Of crowding there would be
in quarters more closely and substan-
TALLY built up. The conditions of
the sweating industry there, how
ever, are as disgusting and the
liability to contagious and epidemic dis
ease as great as in New York. In Boston
the industry seems to be carried on ex-
clusively in extremely old but fairly
substantial buildings in the most crowd
ed quarters, so that while the municipal
conditions are better the result is an
even greater liability in contagion and
the more limited are covered"
THE members of the committee ar
rived here yesterday" continued Mr..
Warner, land expect that they will
day, and then n wITI- uGfNs 4stiFePoFvtS.I
he'earliest possible moment"
"What is the general result of your
Investigations" was the next question.
I'VE have verified, not merely as in
stances, but as a general condition, the
worst that has been alleged. But, with
one exception, we have met with no
proof OF immortality, and speaking for
myself, l have the greatest respect for
the manliness and the wOmanliness
OF the persons employed. From
the testimony taken, we lind
repeated instances where between Q and
10 o'clock at night the operatives were
still continuing their work. They had
begun their work at or a. m. and
the So-called sweater or boss, worked
along with them, bringing work for
them the next morning. 1t was not an
usual TO find eight or ten people with
their machines, table, etc, crowded
into g twelve by fifteen foot room. la
the majority Of cases the living room OF
a family was connected with the shop.
and garments finished and unfinished
were scattered about Unfortunately.
OF child labor. I personally saw but few
instances, but | did see q little
girl about eight years OF age, at $3.50 In
the evening, dragging along a buhdle
which she was physically unable TO
carry. and acting as a human express
for the transfer Of goods. Children in
every condition of filth and health
swarmed in most OF the shops In the
last one we visited everyone had gone
except two WORKOUT fellows, who had
made a pile of the bundles Of goods
ready to be made up, upon which, with
out bed clothes, they proposed to sleep
without making a change Of the filthy
condition OF their persons or their
clothes. The sweater and 'sweated'
perfectly agree as TO the miserably low
wages paid"
The subcommittee this morning gave
a hearing 20 several witnesses from
Brooklyn and New York. 1t was shown
conclusively by the witnesses to-day
that the evil was not diminishing in any
Of the large clothing centers with the
exception Of Boston where the State
/ laws have been so effectively enforced
as to lessen it 70 q great extent.