The sun., 1895-05-02
FENALTLAB0RIN IN THE CITY
,yrEs1IGATIoy OF TIM DRF GOODS
srO.ES AND SWEAT sHoPs.

uo,r- and that In Some Instances SAINT
,.rr Regulation. arc vioiated-eenersi
and Constant violations or the Factory
law, in the Sweat Shops-Dsnger
T.re.tens tho Community, u IL Declared,
h, Ren,on OF tho InSectiou OF Clothing.
A,p,sy. May Tho special committee aof
On, Assembly of which Philip W. Reinhard,
" IA Chairman. which has been investi eating
thc condition OF female labor In New York city
todny submitted It's report to the Assembly,
and il was ordered printed. Tho report SAYS:
In the investigation into the condition Of
female labor in tho dry goods establishments,
~, committee has examined n number OF em-
nlovers and a number Of experts interested In
tb, welfare OF tho employees. Tho committee
b.. ascertained to some eStont the ares Of ohil-
dr.n employed. tho wages paid to female em-
nlnyces, tho hours OF labor, the vacations, tho
system, OF fines and discipline, and the sanitary
conditions prevailing in the large mercantile
Establishments.
From the examination thus far had It ap-
pears that in these establishments tho working
day Is from g A. NJ. to Q p. NJ, with from thirty
To forty.fve minutes for lunch except on Sat-
urday, when In many stores the employees work
until 0 and 10 p. NJ and except, also, for Pc
riod of from ten to fourteen days during tho
Christmas holidays, when the employees re-
main until and IL p. NJ. without extra COM
pensation. In one Of the smaller stores whore
thirty-one persons were employed. Of whom
nineteen were women. tho hours Of labor were
from 8 A. NJ. to o P. NJ, and on Saturday till IL
and l2 p. NJ. and some OF the employees also
worked on Sunday from 8 to IL A. NJ. for an
extra compensation of 75 cents. Large num-
bers of girls from fourteen to sixteen years OF
age are employed at wages ranging from $I.50
per week upward, but it Is impossible to as-
certain the average rate of wages until further
testimony is taken.
.rhe inspection Of mercantile houses by tho
Board of Education in the city of New York.
through its attendance officers is not thorough
as the law and the necessities demand These
officers appear to rely largely upon the state
ments, unverihed, Of the employers of the vari-
Gus mercantile establishments, and not upon
personal inspection. 1t is claimed by the Super
intendent of Public Schools of the city Of New
York that his force of truancy officers 10 insult
hcient. Whatever may be the case of such in
adequate inspection, it is imperative that some
means should be employed to stringently en-
force the truanoy laws.
THE committee has further ascertained from
the testimony Of employers that. from their
standpoint, there Is no need for the employment
Of children under IA years OF age, and suggests
that 1t should be matter Of careful considera-
tion on tho part Of tho Legislature to inquire
into tho adyisablity Of enacting law which
should absolutely prevent the employment OF
up to tho present time it has been impos-
sible for tho committee to examine any Of the
employees in the large mercantile establ blish-
ments. by reason of the fact that it has been
existing conditions. Whether this fear is we'll
only to
witnesses Is at executive sessions. where no ctn-
ployers are present, and tho committee believes
that it cannot ascertain the whole truth unless
It has the opportunity to hold such executive
Sestisatiens Of a tair number Of fepresents.ive
mercantile establishments The committee
arrangements OF the mercantile houses are on
The average fair. though violations or existing
In Of rse
ments: ns: .o,n,,t,.. ,rr,,or find, that N. law
EMPLOYEES }Shapter a9S: Il Laws W 1898! has not not
ana Se d
and thereby capable Of enforcement; ,.
In regard % the sweat shons,' the commit
by manutaetuEe.s Of clothing; The eom%i.tee az
rules and regulations Of the Board Of Health by
Tenement MMS houses % IN The section the city Known
as tho down.t9wn east side From - the he test
ion that large numbers of persons are employed
IN tenement houses in fragrant violation OF the
threatens the community By reason of the infec-
ton Of clothing: ,, , =, ,.,.
place. Of city y e Ers R5ip9 of RqSsas
tion OF the great danger: Braun had four rooms rooms
sas OF %nsh 9 %ssa
room, where he employed never less than ten
MScb r Ss secsveG %fg Iog % 1 sh
Braun's child became sick with scarlet fever
e Es TetS on
Bcspa BssI OF and Health xsssa Of
door between the living rooms and Tho work
Braun, and testified that he ordered him 70
stop work; but. nevertheless, the coats from this
ievison & Co c.. the Wholesalers. and it was not
until April 0, 1893: that the Board Of FL Health It
them to tho fumigatng station. The committee
found that under the practice Of the Board Of
stop aad
factory inspector failed to tag the goods OF the
workshop as required by section 1a of the Fac
the Of the
the Board OF Health. in charge OF this case. it
appears unquestona6ly to the COMMITTEES that
the Board Of Health are inadequate to protect
public health against the grave dangers Of in
Whether the Tax law section l3 Of Factory acp
would have been effective cannot bc determined,
tory inspector In falling TO tag the goods. In
This connection II is clear TO the committee that
legislation is needed in order to protect pU bile
bealth and welfare against similar cases, and
That some further and more stringent legisa-
tol Is demanded with which to deal with the
houses.
Another existing evil is the employment Of
child labor contrary to law. 1t has been made
very plain TO your committee that the so-called
parents certificates by which the factory in
spectors and truancy officers obliged TO be
governed are In q great many cases worthless,
!or the reason that parents who willing to let
ther children work under age are often equally
willing TO swear that these children are OF legal
Tho committee has also found that Of tho
sshops Investigated a great number are in a
dangerously unsanftary condition, and arc being
conducted In violation of law, the main viola
.ons consisting OF lack OF proper water closets
ana OF the filthy condition OF tho water closets
where there were any, and Of other parts OF the
workshop premises.
The Committee likewise finds that the wages
heyoungcr employees are entirely dispropor-
Aonhte 10 the work done and the N Der of hour Is
omplOyeu, The committee belieyeA that there