The herald., 1895-08-04
many of the most fragrant abuses of the
law had been concealed.

many of the most fragrant abuses OF the
law had been concealed.
But many discoveries were made. In a
tenement at No. rs Chrystie street one OF
tho vilest sweat shops in town was found.
Six persons were in a small room. where
they worked at machines, ate and slept:
The odors were so strong that several OF
the party were driven TO the open air.
Filth was every where. The building
was given up almost entirely to small
shops, where the workers livet in the
same manner as those in the first apart
meht entered. Children worked by the
side of their parents, and piles of unfin-
ished garments filled the corners of the
rooms.
Save two rooms, the building at No. II
Ludlow street is devoted to sweat shops.
One of the two rooms is used as syna-
gogue. and the other, not more than
l0x20 feet in size. is a school, where thir-
ty small children are taught by vener-
able rabbi. All around them is the mum
OF machines; little light or air reach es
the youngsters. Tney were crowded to-
gether on benches, and barely looked u p
when the assemblymen entered. In other
rooms were men, girls and boys, crowded
at machines and work tables.
The last place visited by the commit
tee was No. IL Norfolk street, where five
floors of a tall building are devoted to
garment making. Nothing especially OBJ.
jectionable in the sanitary conditions of
the building was noted, but in the first
room small boy in knee breeches was
found operating machine. com mmittee
man called the boy to him and asked his
age. Before he could answer the fore
man seized the lad by the ear and jerked
him back. Then he gave him cuff and
ordered the youngster worker back to his
machine.
A few stern words from the policeman,
accompanied by vigorous action when
the man attempted to prevent the boy
from speaking, kept Lin at distance.
The boy tiimidly said he was l6. but it
was apparent that he had added several
years to his age. On other floors both
boys and girls. manifestly under age,
were found.
These children are put through regu-
lar schooling to lie about their ages. The
sweat-shop proprietors also take other
means to protect themselves. When
child under age is employed the foreman
instructs the parents to take the young
ster before q notary pubic and swear
that the hoy or girl is 16. There are two
or three notaries in the sweating district
who make faG living out OF these affi--
davits. One OF them, when comr laihed
against for witnessing an affidavit in the
age, sald that all he witnessed were the
signatures of the parents, and had moth
ing to do with the truth CT falsity OF the
body of tne affidavit.
If notary with more conscience be en-
countered the parents take along an older
child other than the one mentioned in the
affidavit. and in this way easily get over
the barrier raised.S Ususally. however,
there is no trouble. The fight for bread
is so fierce that as soon as a youngsteI is
able to manage a noodle the parents are
quick to add another breadwinner to the
family. Perjury and slavery for the child
is q small matter to them with life at
stake.
An ugly feature of the evil is the fact
that the pretty young girls are allowed to
make more money than the plain ones.
At least they make it as long as their
good looks last. They are the favorites
of the bosses.
Every year or so the sweaters become
desperate in body and go out on strike.
But they have no money saved and their
strikes for moro pay are usually fruitless.
Slight concessions may be made them foI
a short time, but things soon slip by il. io
the old groove. There are 20. 600 of them
cooped up in narrow district. No one
can wonder that it is the hotbed of an
archy.
Bishop Henry c. Potter is now setting
an example which might be followed by
other fashionable divines. He has for.
saken his fine home on Washington
square and given up mis- usual European
trip to spend month in the slrms o.
the East Side. The bishop is learning
much by the residence in the midst y
poverty, and it may be that the sweater
will benefit by it.