The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-01
THE HELL OF TIE REFIYERTEs.
Where Men Work Twelve Hours Day Tor
Small Pav and Die Young.

Before a senate committee the other day
Henry O. Havemeycr testified that the
profits OF the trust were 100000 yearly,
or thereabouts, and that II employed
about 2JvVJ men. The employees earn an
average OF 500 apiece for the sugar trust
each year Twenty thOusand OF the -",VyyV
are probably workngmen. Ihey are pau
81 30 a davl for their labor. And their
labor sometimes means death Inc re-
fireries are located on the dlngy water
front at Second street, brooklyn, aiiu
anyone not employed there can only gam
admission on presenting a permit from
one OF the Havemeyers. luSIc - ass15
son for this secretiveness. Ihoush I,yD
men are employed In the vast estapiish-
ment covering five blocks with BUILDINGS
seven and eight stores nigh, these Work
crs arc never heard OF In connection WI.
labor troubles. Discipline as stflCt 1.lu
complete as that which rules an ANY
governs every one ia the huge hlNe, from
the humble night Waterman 10 the high
salared assistant who helps AiI' 10.
meyer IN managing the detiils VI - 'me
concern. a writer for the New auIn
Press succeeded in obtaining eItl ~
a few days ago and obtained some ae-
tails which are OF interest. Inc udy
squad goes on duty at . cloCh III ~
morning and works until IN inc a.'ei
noon. Nearly all the men are GerIlans
or poles. ana only few can speak
English. There Is rarely 10 pe SEE"
among them Il man past nidale 49,,
What becomes of these poor teho"S 49, 49,
they grow old was q1esvSon. hanan
puzzled the reporter when ne IIIst pes -a
his investigation OF the refining Oh susdI
according To sugar trust melhosS. le
question puzzles him no longer Ior h'Sn
who work IN sugar FACTOR - 80
Of the sugar trust kind, seldom i've u
grow old. .,.o,,
On going TO work the men are given
checks showing that they were on manu-
at the proper hour. IL they are Idte the
chnnces are that they will be discharged,
unless they have been employ ca lVl So, sDtuII
time and have been found To De lai'i ''tt
men. IN case they are retained lhey VIZ w,
be locked the day wofh' OF per "1ps
superintendent sees IL IEousst'oi eii's.'
who earn - or SO a week at me WIN
OF unloading hogsheadS OF DUN Su ,s7',t
from vessels think they are lh9Sh Hi IL
fortunate than the laborers wlthin me
refinery. one of the labOiers sd1u ulS
superintendent hired hiH, out Iet uSeu
10 say what questions we're dSheu -
fore he was given a JoD. AS no traueS
union men are hired, IL Is eVldcnt that
one of the questions relates 10 inns, II
Is also certain that the superlhtehcsent'
who is q German by the name OF uoc
bier, inds out that the employe mas hoc
been long i'm this country and mat ne Is
perfectly dociie before he IS accepttu,s..
If acceptable, the rules OF the iactSIy
are iaiu down 10 him and nc Is tolu ina.
he will be paid 81. 10 day LOT tne III
he may receive a raise or or ~ cents
day. When the reporter went 10 the
office and asked for schedule OF wages
paid in the refinery ne was, told win WIN
great directness that he could not nave
H. and all other requests for Information
were met with. the same spicy nesati We:
The boiling OF the sugar requires the
aid OF workmen OF great skill, and these
are paid from 500 10 $50 per month only
very few getting the latter figure.
There are a few expert chemists con-
nected with the factory. and they re
ceive very good salaries for applying
their knowledge to purifying sugars. A.
stranger Is fever allowed 10 enter their
apartments.
After the sugar has been dissolved in
hot water it is pumped up 10 the top story
ana put into receptacles heated TO 10
degrees Fahrenheit. where IL is thorough
ly boiled. Then II is passed 10 successive
floors until II reaches the drying-room.
Perhaps you have stuck your hand in
the oven OF the kitchen range Just be-
fore the cook was ready 10 bake bread.
II so, imagine yourself thrust into an
oven ten times as large. and you have
an idea what II means to work In the