Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-30
FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS.
A Valuable Report Made by inspector r. E.
Chalk.

which is printed in connection with Mr..
Matthews report, Inspector Chalk says:
"The date of submitting this Us. annual
report of the inspector of factories, work
shops, mines and quarres, closes the sixth
year of thi, department of labor. The t
under which it was created in 1887 was
amended by additional legislation in 1898
changing the title of "depu,y commission
of labor" to ''inspect,r Of factories, work.
shops, mines and quarres," and new duties
we're imposed which have raised the eff
cheney Of the office to a substantial and
practical basis that will tctter promote the
interests of the industrial classes. This
department, like others of our State while
in their infancy, grows in usefulness only
as new duties arise through Increase in our
manufacturing and population. With this
growth our State should keep pace. and with
our large and growing manufacturing indus
tries Maine should not be bshind other stltes
in the matter of protection to her laborir 6
people. 1t is beneficial to employer and
employee alike that conditions conducive to
health morals and safety, be properly
guarded, and all avenues leading to dan
ger by neglect of proper attention be closed,
thus rendering to the employee what by IA
ture is his, and taking the burden
|of responsibility from the employer.
Factory inspection in the United State $
|ls yet in its infancy. Epgland's fac
tory inspection dates back to 1902, when q
law entitled: IAN act for the better pro-
lection of the health and morals of appren-
[tices and others employed in cotton and
Eother factories" was enacted. Following
closely upon this legislation came France
and Germany, then followed the Canadas !;
but not until 1878 was anything accom-
plished 10 the United States.
While the employment OF children IN
der fifteen year of age in the cotton mills
of tlie State is large, we ind growing
tendency to supplant this class of help with
that of more mature years. During the
year, the inspector has found employed in
the twenty cotton mills visited, 1926 children
under fifteen years of age, 20l of whom
were boys, AMI 12t girls. In the same fac
tories in 1892, there were 446 children en-
ployed, of whom $50 were boys and l66 girls,
showing a decrease of 121 during the year,
and from information obtained "a decrease Of
over 800 during the past six years. The in-
spectors attention has frequently been called
to the large number of children employed
in these mills, and violation of the law is
openly charged, but upon investigation,
certificates have always been found in the
hands of the overseers, procured before the
child was allowed to so to work. The
children found in our mills are principally
of foreign birth and all have certificates OF
age and school attendance properly signed,
but when asked to write their names, few
can do so, either in English, or their own
native language, showing a lack of educa-
ton or else a false certificate. very few
Eoplish speaking children are found in our
mills and when asked to write their names
invariably do so readily. The cause of
this lack of education should be investi-
gated aud remedied, if We src to have a
nation made up of intelligent men and
women"
A carefully compiled table of statistics
on this subject, accompanies the remarks.
Speaking of child labor in the WOODEN
mills Inspector Chalk says:
.There has been an increase in the en-
ployment of children in wooden mills dur
ing the past six months. Previous to July
/. 1898, there were but 2S children found
employed in As mills, but during the last
.ix months so have been added, making a
total of 70 now 80 employed. There seems
to be an absolute necessity for the employ
ment of some of these children. and in some
cases it has been the means of keeping both
child and mother from becoming . town
charge"
While much attention has been given to
child labor in these two industries, he thinks
heed should be taken of this kind of labor
ia many other industries.
He notes marked improvement in sani-
tary conditions AMI appends a table Of ex-
penditures for thi. purpose in various es-
,abli,hmente. The need of separate toilet
rooms for women is noted.
Mr.. Chalk has given time and
research to tic subject of safe
guards. for machinery and accom-
pensiag his report are several illustra
lives of these safeguards in operation
From newspaper clippings giving accounts
I al Academic Of April l, 1898 to January !
Assn. The inspector has learned Of POI per
fSAiuK either killed o. injured BY dihefen
kisSi&s nf machinery, buzs planers, se