Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-14
NAMES FACTORIES.
How Life and Safety Of En-
pIoyes Is Guarded.
Inspector Charles E. Atwood Make,
His Annual Report.
Child Labor and Safely Quarts for Machines
and Gearing.

! Charies e. Atwood of BddefOrd, in
| Spector of factories, workshops, mines
| ana quarrieS, has made his annual re-
| port to ). W. Matthew'S, commissioner
Oh labor statistics, ana will be found in
| connection with Commissioner Mat
| theWs report an extract from which is
gwen in another column OF this morn
| ing's Journal.
! Alter speaking of the labor laws, Mr..
Atwood deals with the sanitary rela-
IONS. In most of the larger cotton and
WOODEN mills in this State, the sanitary
conditions, inside and out. are excel
lent, especially as to cleanliness. heat
hght, ventilation and sufficient air
space for each employe to move and
breathe in. Manufacturers are wise
enough to study their own as we'll as
their employees interests in these re-
CARDS. They realize that a mill or
workshop in any line of business. prop
erly equipped and constructed as to
sanitary requirements, brings them
the best possible results for the money
they pay out in wages.
1t is the business OF the inspector to
decide whether or not a machine, belt
Or gearing should be guarded rs
means of saving life or limb. Guarded
machinery means not only bodily safe
~ to the employe but possible financial
safety to the employer. If the inspector
passes Il machine as safe and an en-
ploye loses Il finger or arm, the manu-
tacturer may be liable to damage done
the operative. The inspector states
that he has not been as successful as
he could wish owing to the indisposi-
ton of some of the manufacturers to
do thorough work III the direction of
properly guarding their machinery.
Some progress, however, has been
made and better results will soon fol-
low.
The factories and workshops through
out the State are as 4 rule. well pro-
vided with handy means OF escape in
case OF fire. n suitable provision is
also quite generally made for the pre-
vention of fires by the organization of
fire companies within their respective
limits well equipped for instant and eff
fectiVe work i'll drowning out fires in
any of the several rooms. But while
the foregoing applies to the entire
manufacturing area of the State which
is subject directly to State inspection
an entire absence of any OF the precau-
tons named exists in the hundreds OF
hotels and tenement houses of the
State. whether in cities or summer re-
sorts.
The inspector offers many interesting
facts in dealing with the question of
child labor. nor only with regards to
the working of young children in mills
and factories but also their educational
interests.
Mr.. Atwood says that in this State
we have no stationary boiler inspection
law that inspects. Death and destruc-
ton of property may lurk in hundreds
of steam boilers. but it is not now any
body's business to know it until an c:l-
ploSion comes bringing with it the sad
after knowledge which has cost many
human lives to obtain as in q recent
boiler collapse in my own city OF Bid
deford, resulting in the death of two
employees While the factory inspector
can and does inspect steam boilers
found within his appointed domain. he
is not Il boiler expert and is not re-
CURED to be.
During the year, - mills have been
visited three times each, % mills twice
each and 81 mills. workshops, etc, once
each as the conditions of each seemed
to require. making 172 visits in all.
In 1899, S22 children under 16 years OF
age We're employed in cotton and wool
on mills of the State. In 1900. 615 Were
employed in the same mills. In 1899,
children between 10 and 16 years Of ase
numbered 513. in 1900, 425. children
under Il years numbered $40 in 1899.
and 80 in 1900.
The past year in this State has been
singularly free from the labor troubles
which have been almost chronic in
some portions of the country, the re
port states. No strikes worthy of men
, ton has occurred if we except the ac-
ton of the employees of the Saco Petite
Machine Shop in Bddeford, which was
amicably adjusted after Il few weeks
. lockout.