The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-07-09
Women in Iron Works.

There are probably tnOusanu women l."
Pittsburg, Pa, who work in iron mills
making bolts, nuts, hinges and barbed
wire. SAYS the New York Daily Advertiser.
It seems almost incredible that girls should
be employed in an occupation which is
associated only with Drawn and muscle, but
such is the case At the first sight Of the
bolt works one cannot believe that anything
bright or interesting could live inside. At
the call of the 6.30 a. IN. whistle girls are
seen coming from all directions toward the
factory. They are generally dressed tidy
and well. and. with their lunch baskets on
their arms, are not unlike any working girl
one may see.
The first thing they do after entering
the building is to change their street dress
for one to work in, tie up their hair, roll
up their sleeves, and, putting on coffee
sack apron, are ready to begin the days
labor. At seven o'clock the last whistle
blows, the wheels groan and screech as it
they were weary to resume another days
work; but in little while they begin to
move with more rapidity and the noise
amounts to something terrific. A sulphur
smoke arises, and as it embraces everything
in dim color, it needs but the dull red
burning of the oil, the horrible noises and
the occasional sound of a human voice hal
Ioing command to stamp the scene on
ones memory as a study from sheol.
The bolts and nuts, as they are called,
are fashioned by the brawny men on the
first floor. In crude state they are sent
to other departments, when the finishing
touches are applied by feminine fingers,
oftimes very delicate ones. The bolts are
dumped into different bins, according to
size and length, and each girl has one spe-
cial kind to work on. The first work on
the bolt is to point it-that is, to make
a round end so that it will enter the ma
chine which cuts the thread on it. The
pointing machine has an immOvable socket
at one side and steam revolving knives fac
ing it. The operator, who is known as
pointer" places the head of the bolt in
the socket, presses her foot on pedal, and
the sharp steel knives are forced against
the iron. Little bits of iron fly, and in an
instant she removes her foot and the pointed
holt falls down n slide into an iron deposit
box on the floor.
While the one hand and foot has been
accomplishing this the other foot supports
the girl, goose style, and the other hand
has got bolt ready to be placed into the
socket the moment it is empty. Thus for
days, weeks and years the pointer" han
dies one bolt after another for ii living,
being paid by the thousand. Expert work
ers have pointed 10000 bolts in day. She
takes the coil, fastens it 10 the spool and
starts the machinery. 1t being automatic,
she has nothing to do bat watch that things
keep in order One 'spooicr caa attend
two machines, and will supply six barking
machines with all the wire they use in
day The filed spOols, or bobbins, are
distributed around among che barking ma
chimes
These machines are long structures,
holding the spools Of wire at one end, a
table filed with barbs at the center and a
woodeu reel at the other. The operator
threads the pOnderous machine with the
spoiled wire, the lever is turned and the
work begins. With both hands she feeds
the twisting wire with barbs. The work
looks paiHfnl because the operator must
keep her haads moving rapidly, and dare
not turn her head aside lest a piece go by
unbarbed, in which case she would be fined
the cost of it. All the machines are opes-
ated in similar manner, although so many
different styles of barb wire are made.
Then there are staple machines, and
wren nail machines also run by girls The
payroll in busy seasons has had 500 names.
The system of paying is complex. A days
wages-thirty to sixty cents-is guaran-
teed each one for certaia amount of work
known as the days "task." If the oper-
ator is ever able TO do over this amount,
which is by no meaas small, she is there
after paid premium, as they call it, "for
production" The system is not so
Just as that of piece workers, and the pro-
prietors are much rieher thereby. Every
worker is numbered, and given check.
This she gets at the office as she enters in
che asarning, and deposits it in box in
the factory At noon they must go back
20 the Office for it again, and once more
deposit it in the box. This is proof con-
elusive that they have served their masters
faithfully for an entire day.
The girls employed here are not so intel
ligent or refined as those in the bolt works,
probably because there are so many more
employed. The one who kept the account
of work accomplished was high-school
graduate and a very handsome brunette,
InstinctiVely the others seemed to feel
difference, aud always addressed her as
miss The majority of these girls had
done house work previous to the opening
of the factory to them. They were delighted
with the change. They said it gave them
more leisure, having to work certain hours.
and the rest of the time being theirs to do
as they wish; besides, they claimed that
foreman was much kinder and more con-
siderate than mistress and the pay was
larger. They are much given to rick-rack