The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-05
REPORT OF MR.. M'ABEE
THE STATE FACTORY INSPECTOR TO
THE GOVERNOR.
Work That Has Been Accomplished
Under His Supervision Dur
ing the Year.

CldNc EdCNOIy Inspector AlO<AbNN 80
day filed his annual report for the fiscal
year ending Oct. 81. 1900. with the Governor.
After detailing the numerous duties which
the office entails. Mr.. McAbee says that
with the present force of one chief and two
deputies many of the establishments of the
State have not been visited.
During the year the office made 1,I62 in
spections. but many of them were of ne
cessity of a superficial character. After re-
ferring with pleasure to the recent con-
vention of factory inspectors held in this
city, Mr.. McAbee takes up the condition of
the industries of the State and says that
without exception they are in an exceed
ingly fiourishing condition. Many places,
he says, are short Of both skilled and I'M
skilled labor.
The glass industry being a comparatively
new one, Mr.. McAbee singles it out for
special notice. He says that within the
State everything in glass, from the small
homeopathic vial to the largest cathedral
glass or memorial window, is manufac-
tured. The three large plate glass manu-
factories, whose product, Mr.. McAbee says.
will be six million feet this year, have al
most superseded the French and German
paw " ~ Liz gill AAAAAAO
houses are in operation only nine months in
the year, and of the seven million dozen of
lamp chimneys made in the United States
every year, Indiana's quota is 2,5OO.OOO
dozen. The Indiana glass products are ex-
ported to all parts of the world, but the
trade in South Africa, Japan and China,
Mr.. McAbee states. is just opening up.
Mr.. McAbee concludes his reference to the
glass industry in this State by saying that
Indiana is in the front rank in the manu-
facture of glass and gives employment to
more than 1900 IN the one industry.
FOOD PRODUCTS.
In speaking of the places where food
products are manufactured, Mr.. McAbee
recommends that there should be a bake
shop law similar to those in other States,
requiring certain sanitary conditions wher-
ever food products are manufactured. The
general public, he says, has but little idea
of the conditions existing in some of these
places.
One of the most important duties of the
factory inspector relates to the child labor
law. Mr.. McAbee says there have been
many violations of the law. owing to the
fact that inspectors are only able to visit
factories once a year. Those who give the
inspection department the least trouble, he
says, are those that have the greatest
number of employees. During the year there
were 2,G5S boys and $50 girls under the age
of sixteen at work in places visited by the
inspectors.
The elimination of the nine and ten
year-old cash girls and boys from the de-
partment stores and the placing Of seats
for the use of female employees Mr.. Nc
Abee says, have changed the expression
IN the faces of those employed. That
backache expression seems 10, have almost
entirely disappeared" M
The enforcement of the weekly wage law,
according to the report, has met with con-
siderable opposition, mostly from larger
corporations that have adopted a system
of bookkeeping. The department of inspec-
ton. Mr.. McAbee says, has endeavored to
correct abuses of the law and has been par
TALLY successful. He that the
law be changed so as to make its trans
gression a misdemeanor. The law could
then be enforced, he says, with better sue
cess.
Five hundred and seven accidents were
reported TO the inspector during the year,
and a detailed statement of $50 of them
was obtained.
LOSS OF TIME.
The total loss of time by disability on
account of accidents, as shown by the re-
port, was 1861 days, and a loss of s12,-
2IS in wages. The per cent. of those in
jured during the year was one-half of
per cent. of those employed. There was six
teen people killed and S27 injured by boiler
explosions. Mr.. a says that boiler ex-
pIosions would be reduced to a minimum if
more safety devices were used and more
competent engineers employed. His report
and recommendations relative to the State
Institutions are practically the same as
have been published heretofore. His recon-
mendations with regard TO fire protection
and prevention cover four pages of the re-
port and contain some very excellent sug-
geStiOnS.
The total number Of people, employed in
the State during the year was 100. 240. OF
this number liz, 400 were males and 17,S10
were females.
The resources of the Office for the year
were $500 and the expenditures S.,
leaving a balance of S7.44.
In conclusion Mr.. McAbee recommends
the appointment of a chief deputy and
two additional deputies. He says they are
absolutely necessary to the better enforce
ment of the law. as
The passage of a licensing engineers
law, he says, would necessarily have to
! provide for an examining board, and such
n board should be a part of the depart
ment of inspection and under the direction
of the chief inspector. An additional appro-
priation of $500 is asked for office expenses.