The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-01-01
REPORT ON FACTORIES
FACTS ABOUT THE BIG SHOPS or
THE STATE.

Factories Inspected acknowledgements
Understanding Against Accidents from
Maohinery--Fire Escapes-Report Very
Complete.
Hartford, Dec. S0.-The annual report
of George l.. Mclean, factory inspector
of the state of Connecticut, was sub
mitted to Governor Coffin to-day. Mr..
Mclean reports as follows:
Total number of factories inspected,
| 1,461; number of male employees, 96,225;
number of female employees, 1864; to-
| tai number Of employees, 135,9O9; fac
tories in which no changes were order
| ed, 1902; factories in which changes
| were ordered, 459; number of changes
| ordered, 769; number of factories with
improper means of egress where pro-
per authorities We're notified, %; num-
Der of fatal accidents during the year.
reported from different sources, ~.
! 1t Is pleasing to note the extra &C
commodations provided by some rae
tory owners for the comfort or their
operatives separate Mushrooms are
provided for each sex, lockers for their
| clothes, clean and cheerful dining rooms
| for those who bring their dinners, ana
| in several places meals are provided at
| cost to those who wish to purchase
| them. Such an outlay of capital can
not be considered business invest
ment, but the spirit prompting it should
| be commended as broad and liberal and
should be appreciated by those enjoying
such privileges. An Illustration is
shown of a section of dining room in q
large Woodworking factory where
from 600 to 800 employees take their
| meals on working days
VENTILATION.
A special study of the best methods
for heating and ventilating Of all public
and factory buildings has been care
fully made by many bright men, with
gratifying results. Reputable concerns
making a speciality of ventilation will
guarantee to supply by mechanical
means or otherwise the requisite num-
Der of cubic feet of pure air per hour
and eXpel the impure air from which
| the oxygen is exhausted. All previous
inspectors have worked earnestly to Sc
cure better ventilation in the many
! factories and workshops. The law
| passed by the general assembly of 1898,
relating to ventilation of factories
where grinding, polishing and bufflng
of metals is carried on, or in any oper-
alton in which an excessive amount
of dust is generated, requiring that
such dust should be removed from the
| rooms or apartments used for such
purposes by means of such appliances
or devices as may be necessary, has no
| doubt been of great value to the health
| of the operatives Of such factories.
| Exhaust systems have been applied
to. remove the excessive fine dust gen
Grated in mills grinding slick, silicate
| and feldspar, within the last two years,
| and they are conceded by the owners
themselves to be of great benefit to the
| health of their employees. In the dip
rooms Of metal working factories mark
ed improvements have been made in
ventilation by hoods being placed over
| jars containing compound acids or 9TH
er poisonous chemical solutions and
| connected by pipes with exhaust fans
| or high chimneys. Such gases are con-
sidered very injurious to health, by com
! petent judges; the powerful action of
| their components is very discernible on
the hoods, whether they be of metal
| or wood. If these chemicals act so
| powerfully upon metal or wood, their
effect upon the lungs Of the employees
cannot but be injurious if proper venti-
| finn c rrn A r,t,@
of an exhaust system such as is usual
ly seen in factories where dry polish
| ing or buffing is carried on.
ELEVATORS.
| Elevators which have been construct
| ed in recent years are provided with a
m achanica1 device to prevent accident
| in the event of the cable breaking or
stacking. Some elevators which have
been built from twenty to thirty years
have been found on which there are no
/ safety appliances to hold the car in
case of the cable breaking or stacking,
and orders have been given to provide
| some safety device to prevent acct
| dents. Two accidents caused by the
| elevator car being blocked between the
bottom of car and floor. and the cable
| becoming slack upon the drum, have
occurred. When the car was being
loaded the blocking gave way and the
| elevator car fell to the bottom of the
shaft, slightly injuring those who were
loading it. Had there been a safety
device in working order on either of the
| elevators mentioned such accidents
| would not have occurred.
In some factories great care is taken
! of the elevators. The cables are eX-
| amined each week, and the safety
| catches tested frequently In other
places visited good safety appliances
were provided for the elevators but no
| special care was taken of them, as they
| were found corroded with rust and not
| in proper working order. The steam
| from dye houses and chlorine gas from
paper mills quickly corrodes safety at
tachments, and they are found not in
working order when tested.
| GUARDING ELEVATOR OPENINGS.
| Questions are often asked as to the
best guard for elevator openings. Where
| automatic matches or sliding floors are
used they are spoken of as a good safe
| guard, as the openings are always
| closed when the elevator is away from
| the same. In some instances these