The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-05
CHILDREN IN FACTORIES
RECOMMENDATION IN INSPECTOR
M'ABEE'S REPORT.
In One Place Women Did Heavy Lift
ing Usually Done by
Men.

annual report with Governor Mount last
evening. Much of the subject matter con-
tanned in it has been printed from time 70
time in the Journal, but several recommend
ations and statements submitted are OF IN
terest. The principal statement by Mr.. Nc
Abee is that the law under which he OPP
crates is defective and in this connection
the inspector says:
1.-The act under which I am operating IS so
new and of such unusual character IN inns
State that | have deemed 1t unWlSe 10 pro-
coed hastily or harShly in its enforcement;
especially so since it's defective title Wouiu
probably make futile a resort to the courts,
except as it relates to women and chlldreH'
have been, therefore, cautions ana con-
servative, and am glad to be able 10 say
that | have been met in a laW-ablding spirit
by both employer and employe, and that, ny
their cooperation, the condition OF LABOR mas
been greatly improved. In very lew cases
has there been any attempt 10 opstruCl oI
evade the law. The effects of the first IN
speCtion, made last year, have been very
much in evidence since l made my second
round Proprietors have not only carried
out my suggestions for the Improvement Oh
their establishments, but have gone Iur-
ther often at considerable expense me
feature of the act with which have haq lie
most difficulty is the one requiring accldenlS
to be reported 10 this office WITHIN lofty
eight hours from the time they occur. II nus nus
usually taken a formal request 10 secure me me
first report, This requirement Is one OF me
most valuable features of the factory act,
but it is yet too early to say what the Ell
fects will be in decreasing accidents. am
of the opinion that the limit as 10 the num-
and that all establishments where laborers
are employed for hire ought to be SUBJECT 10
nspeeton as my ob5epvauon cc Is t IN The
smaller than in the larger establishments
The total number of accidents reported dur
ing the year was 120.
Il do not recommend any change in the
act concerning fire escapes, as have tound
it sufficient, but it ought to be extended 10
inn l1r1n oil
buildings, fraternity halls, mercantile houses,
hotels fats ClubhOuses, tenement houses,
sanitariums and surgical Institutes OF more
than two stories in height. l have usually
found the sanitary conditions of FACTORIES
such as not to be subject to criticism.
have found few cases where employees
mostly girls, were kept in cellars where the
atmosphere was Vitiated and untit 10
breathe. The best remedy for this would be be
to prohibit the occupation, as WorkroOmS, Oh
underground rooms known as cellars;
1T is Of great Importance that all
bakeries should he subject to inspection by
this department as means of making their
output satisfactory. 1 urge that all boilers
not already under competent and thorough
inspection ought to be Inspected by the
State.
'That feature of the factory act placing
restrictions upon the labor Of children is
meeting with the expectations of the public
concerning the benefits it affords, and L
recommend that 1t be made to include mer-
camille houses as well as shops and factories
It's enforcement has assisted to make the
compulsory educational system operative
l recommend that the act be so amended as
to compel children over fourteen years or
ago to be either in school during the fun
school year or employed at labor, as the
parents or guardians may designate, and the
compulsory school law ought to be amend
tween six and fourteen years, in
elusive, to attend school the entire
school year, except when prevented by sick
ness. Under the act have not been able
to do as much as L desired to for the bene-
fit of female labor In one establishment
women were found doing the laborious
work and heavy lifting that in every other
concern in Indiana is done by men only. 1t
is foreign custom imported by foreign
duces an unpleasant impression upon the
American observer I recommend that the
age for permitting females to enter factories
be raised from fourteen to sixteen years.
A class of labor that deserves relief from
encroachment and demands of modern bus
mess methods and customs is that of the
retail clerks: The late Saturday night and
Sunday work should not be allowed, and it
can best be prevented by bringing such es-
ADJUSTMENTS under the supervision of the
factory Inspector"
Mr.. McAbees financial statement is as
follows: Resources, $500; disbursements,
$3,%l.95. Balance remaining in the State
penses, $23S.O5.
Number Of inspections during the year,
BOP; number of male employees reported, So
f1 females, 12,632; males under sixteen
years of age, 1,433; females under eighteen,
79O: Total number Of employees, 93lO3.
Number Of establishments paying en-
ployes weekly, 551 semi-monthly, 1893;
monthly, 81. Connected with prisons and
paying no wages, 9.
Number of orders issued to manufacturers,
507 compliances, 347.
Number of accidents reported, 121; investi-
gated by inspector, a.
Continuing, the report says: "Should the
recommendations herein become law I rec
ommend further that the position of assist
ant factory inspector be abolished, and that
the factory inspector be authorized to APP
point four deputies one of the number to
be known as boiler Inspector and who shall
be q well-qualified, practical boilermaker
working at his trade. His salary to be 81, 500
per annum and incidental expenses; his duty
to be the inspection of all steam boilers
not otherwise properly inspected and to
assist in examining applicants for license as
engineers, boiler tenders or firemen, and to
perform such other duties as may be as
signed him by the factory inspector. The
salaries of the remaining deputies to be
81 600 each, with incidental expenses, one
of the number to serve as chief clerk and
the remaining two to perform such duties
relating to the department as the factory
inspector may require; the incidental ex-
penses of no deputy to exceed $50 per
month. I also recommend the appointment
or one typewriter at a salary of $500 I
recommend that notares and other officers
be prohibited from receiving more than 10
cents each for preparing and certifying to
certificates of parents and guardians.
recommend that employers be prohibited
from collecting or retaining any money
for the payment of doctors fees; that en-
plOyeS be prohibited from discrimina TING