The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-31
WOMAN As An ARBITRATOR.
Siss Clara Fisher Succeeded In settling n FACE
tory Trouble where Men Had Failed.

From the Boston Globe.
That Miss Clara J. Fisher OF Milford. the first
woman ever chosen to act as c1 pert assistant to
tho State Board OF Arbitration and Cancellation,
was able in the recent difficulty between the b.
II. SpauldinE Company OF Milford and its EN-.
pioyccs 20 fulfil her duties to the satisfaction
OF both sides ~testitles to her freedom from petty
prejudices as well as to her large-mindcd sense
OF justice.
Miss Fisher is n picasant-faccd young woman.
something over 80. who lives with her aged
aunt in the pretty little manufacturing town of
Milford, tho picturesque name OF which makes
one bark back to the days when n rushing
stream rather than a roaring steam turned the
wheels of the mills.
Graduated from the town high school. Miss
Fisher came out into the world with n pretty
clear notion that she would like to be a teacher.
but the fact that Just at that time n friend was
entering UpOn work at the kpOwlton straw fac
tory, in a ncighboring town. decided her to enter
mill life.
In n year or two her duty to her aged aunt. for
whom she now tcndeTly cares, called her back
TO Milford: and after temporarily WORKING ~ a
village dry goods store she accepted the position
OF oversccr in the straw factory of y. II. Spauld.
ing. For nine years she Rcccptably tilled the
place, having charge of a room in which sixty
women were employed. During these nine
years she became ,conversant with every detail
of the work of making straw hats. and although
it is now two years and a half since she left the
work, no one could have more Thoroughly under
stood tho employees side of the question than
Miss Fisher is q young woman Of far more
Dnring the latter part OF her service as fore
woman she studied to fit herself TO become n
stcnographer, and ultimately secured n good
position III Milford nj this work, whcreupon she
resigned at Spaulding's.
Miss Fisher had always been very popular
with the girls working under her at SpauldinE's,
and AT the time of tho recent strike the en-
ployees chilled upon her repeatedly and asked
her TO serve them as assistant to The Board of
Arbitration. She at length accepted and prom
| Used 10 serve to the best of her ability.
With the man appointed by the board at the
suggestion OF Spaulding, the employer, Miss
Fisher visited, besides Spaulding's factory. six
other similar mills, comparing the work and the
conditions with those at tho factory under con-
sid ration. At all six the investigators were
received with courtesy, only two out of the six
refusing to give information. They Withdrew
as politely AZ possible.
Miss Fisher found the surroundings in the
factories inspected all that could be desired and
the relations between employers and employed
extremely pleasant. In no factory visited had
there ever been "A strike, difficulties been set
tied quietly to the satisfaction Of both parties.
In two weeks the Board Of Arbitration, with
the assistance of Mis-, Fisher md inc other cx-
pert. settled the Spauliing difficulty satisfac-
torily. the sewing OF 100 yards of straw being
the unit adopted for payment. For her services
to the board Miss Fisher and her coworker
received each 81 Il day and expenses.