Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-08-19

girl or boy gets to be ~ or 13 years of
age the father secures for him work at
25 to 40 cents day in the mill where
he is employed.
There is law on the statute books of
Wisconsin which limits the age at which
children may work in factories to IA
years, but the strikers say the laws in
this state are not made for the poor,
but to benefit the rich.
Fathers who have been unable to sup
port their growing families, at the be-
hest of the mill owners, swear that their
children have passed the limited age.
+. There are factory inspectors in Wis
consin, but the mill owners are always
aware when the officers Of the law will
appear to investigate their factories.
On such occasions the foremen hustle
through their departments and tell the
children to hide upder bench until tie
inspectors have passed into another
room.
When the mill owners learn that the
father has increased his income by plae-
ing one of his children at work, an in
vestigation is made OF the wages paid
the parent.
Ii he receives $3.50 per week and the
child gets $3.50 for the same period, the
mill owner reduces the wages of the
father to SO week, on the principle
that, as he had worked for years for
years for $3.50, supporting a family
thereon, the extra $3.50 is money
thrown away if 1T goes into the hands
OF the parents.
By this it will be seen that only go
much money is allowed to go into the
home of each workman.
Time passes and another child is given
work in the factory.
The millionaire mill owner, who is al
ways looking looking for chance to
gain penny or two, sees another chance
to add to his worldly wealth. and cuts
the fathers wages to 80 cents, or prob
ably less, always keeping in view the
amount paid to the father before his
children became old enough to work.
Some time ago the mill owners gave
to the press carefully prepared tables to
show that the average wages paid by
them was about $1.34H per day.
Careful estimates have been made by
the strikers, and they come forth with
the declaration that 80 cents a day is
the average rate paid in all the mills.
There is no doubt about these figures,
as they are secured at great cost by
other prominent manufacturers.
Manufacturers OF woodworking ma
terial in Milwaukee, Lacrosse, Musca-
tine and the entire Mississippi valley
pay an average of $1.37 a day, which
makes it possible for the Oshkosh mill
men to underse]l any other mill man in
the world.
In order to show why the mill owners
OF this city can beat the world. on prices,
it is only necessary to give the cost OF
manufacturing soma OF their staple pro-
ducts.
Four-panel, zach doors can be man
ufactured for 10 cents or less each.
This includes the labor cost, from the
saw mill through the factory to the
shipping room and delivery en- to the
cars.
The Woodworkers' share of this
twenty men making the 1000 doors-is
about $25.
= The Paine company's catalo9u says
these doors are worth $2.1O each, but
almost any one can buy a single door
for $1.25.
Orders for contract lots are filed at
greatly reduced prices, as heavy dis
connt is allowed by the manufacturers.
Large lots of doors are sold at from
Sc cents to 81 each.
These figures We're secured from an ex-
foreman for the Paine COMPANY and
have been substantiated by many of the
workmen and contractors of this city. :
Twenty men and boys can make 700
window sashes in day. This means
two sashes to each window. The labor
costs SIG. @~ < ...r III
Blinds are made in the kindergarten,
as the departments are called because Of
the employment of the children. !. Nine
men. boys and girls can make from 80
to 80 pairs day at. a total labor cost
$3.50.
One gang at the: Gould factory. con-
tains nine persons. -Four men get 12KK,
10, and 8 cents an hour respectively.
Two boys are paid 8 cents an hour,
one 4 cents and two ~ cents, making q
Total g e Of = so, or about 8 cents pair.
All the lumber used IN blinds would be
sold as wood at 81. 70 . load if not snsed
in this manner.
Girls instead Of boys wers emplo din