Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-22
State Inspector Watchorn Has
Some Complaints Against
Pittsburg Shops.
SOME CONCERNS MODELS,
But Others Where Girls and Children
Have Poor Quarters.
MORE LEGISLATION NECESSARY.
Slight Irregularities Discovered ct the
Workhouse, and the
PENITEKT1ARY is TO BE VISITED

Yesterday State Factory Inspector Rob-
ert Watchorn concluded his work in Pitts
burg, and last night left for the East. Be-
fore going he told DISPATCH reporter
much about his visit here He said:
'I have visited 30 factories and
| have issued 40 or 80 orders to
| persons who were not complying with the
requirements Of the factory law. In nearly
every factory or mill I found something
which should not be there, and many times
very grievous things. find cannot do
my work properly under the existing laws,
or rather because the laws do not
exist. The factory law requires that
building of certain height should have
proper fire escapes, etc, but it does not say
how they shall be constructed. To illus
trate my point I could take you to large
eight-story factory, where large number Of
girls are employed. The building is 20
feet wide and 12O long. It is
built between two other buildings so there
cannot be any windows along the side, but
there are at both ends. At the rear of the
building 15 feet is cut off each room, and
the elevator, stairway and fire escape 60 up
in this space. In the room there are four
tables the full length of the room, and at
these tables the girls are seated shoulder to
shoulder.
Made the Inspector Shudder.
'In the room inspected there were 10s
girls and w0 told'a corresponding number
could be found in each room. 1t made me
shudder when saw those girls The build
ing, although built as nearly fre-proof as
possible. is not by any means. In place of
wood there is great deal of iron about it.
and that melts often before wood
would burn. One can easily see how those
people would nearly all be burned. With
the elevator. stairway and fire escapes all
in one little room, their chances would be
small.
'I asked the proprietor if he thought the
means of escape were sufficient He said
they suited him. I told him that
he should have the fire es-
capes in front of the house, for
if q fire were to start in either the stairway
or the elevator the whole three exits would
be shut of. explained to him how the
greater part of the employees would be
crushed to death in panic before they ever
got to either of the places. He gave me no
satisfaction, saying he had complied with
the law.
"Aside from this defect there is another
serious one. Since there are not enough
windows to give aif. it has to be forced up
by machinery. The law requires that each
person working in these places shall
To do this 21,6O0 cubic feet would
have to be forced into that room
every minute, but there isn't two-thirds of
that amount. He has promised to remedy
this
The Necessity OF Legislation.
''You see how am handicapped BY not
having proper legislation. In this case the
man has complied with the law, but to my
mind things are not as they should be. No
one knows how soon that building will burn
down, and with it all these girls.
If there was a law that would specify that
fire escapes, stairways, etc, should be
erected under instructions from the factory
inspector this would all be remedied As
it is 1 would have to bring suit in this
case and have long, bitter fight. You
was all right and that would pretty nearly
lose me my case. am thinking seriously
though of bringing the suit I feel duty
bound to do it.
IT am glad to say though there are build !
ings in Pittsburg that are not managed in |
this style.
81 visited one place that en-
ployes about 100 girls, and the
only things that cause them to |
leave is death or marriage The employer |
gives the girls two factory dresses apiece |
has an elegantly fitted dining room and |
engages a cook for them. After dinner
they have an hour to enjoy in library |
filled with the choicest publications of the |
day. There are also bath and dressing |
rooms for them.
The Trouble With the Majority.
"While it is this employers aim to build |
up and make ladies and gentlemen of his |
employees SO they may be honors to society |
and the State, the great majority of en-
ployers do not work along the same
line. I have been in factories
in Pittsburg in the past week |
where was made to blush for the degraded
morals of some of the girls. can do moth
ing, though, in this line without legisla-
tion to back me up. I know of places in
your city where the conduct Of the foremen
to the girls is most reprehensible.
'.Manufacturers say it is not their bust
ness to look after the morals of employees.
In all my travels over the State I can
safely say I have not found more
than six people who manage and
treat their employees properly. God only
knows of the little tots who day after day
stand on their feet for IL hours, making
thousands of passes with their arms. This
brings up another case of improper legisla-
tion. As it is now q child of IL is al
lowed to work in factory and often
made to do more than it should at the age of
16 intend to lay all these things before
the Legislature next year, and think I can
get some changes made.
Irregularities at the Workhouse.
During this trip visited the workhouse.
Things are running in pretty fair shape
there. discovered some irreg-
but the Superintendent promised
to rectify them at once.
ST expect to visit the Western Peniten-
tiary soon. have never been there. The
law does not say that shall not 60 there,
nor does it say that shall. think it is
my duty, and I shall do it.
Republican State Delegates Meet.
Eighteen of the twenty-five. delegates