The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-06-13
BIRTHPLACE OF THE
FACTORY SYSTEM

A small slate slab, looking like a
grave stone in an old country ceme-
terry, is the sole mark of the birthplace
Of the American Factory System, at a
point near the corner Of Cabot and
Dodge Streets, in the north shore city
Of Beverly, Mass, The Beverly mill
was built in 1888, and antedated the
Pawtucket, r.. I. Mill, sometimes called
the birthplace of the American factory
system, by more than a year. Wash
ington visited the Beverly mill and ex-
amined its product, and recorded his
visit in his dairy under date Of Friday
October 80, 1872, the same year that
Samuel Slater. sometimes called 1.-The
father Of the American factory sys-
tenn landed in America, and the year
before his mill at Pawtucket was start
ed. 49, ,.:..
This mill de drew! Il men, women and child
processes .of z,elothma king IN home and
organized them into . co-operative shop
crew, thereby establishing a factory
system which, exists to-day.
This first mill was a substantial four
story brick structure, pleasantly sit
uated near the. main highway from
Boston to NeWburyport, Mass. A wide
spread of open country, fields and trees
were about it, and it was undoubted-
ly a pleasant place to work, although
lacking the improvements Of modern
mill. It. was driven by horse power,
two equines .trotting around in a cir
Gle to turn the wheels. It produced
many kinds Of cotton cloth. 80.
The promoters Of this first mill had
| a difficult task, for there was then in
the country MO shop or factory for a
model. and all cloths were made at
home by the housewives. They made
| numerous appeals to- the. Legislature
| for assistance and the Legislature was
quite liberal in rewarding the men who
introduced cotton weaving machinery.
The Legislature also made valuab BILE
concessions to the mill corporation, for
the mill was considered a public benefit
1t gave employment to many women
and children of good families who
| would have become public charges,
through family misfortunes, but for the
opportunity to earn their living in the
mill It kept money in circulation, adj
ded tosthe. wealth Of the State, and pro-
duced a <desirable and economical ma
terial for personal apparel and house
hold use. It brought men and women
together upon common and ~democra-
tic plane and fora common purpose
and thus became a prominent feature
of"the social system.
The town Of Beverly gave the enter
prise a push by exemptfng it's foremen
from paying taxes, and the mill cor,
poration.n WIS given the right to run
a lottery to- raise funds, but raising
funds bys.tf1is means was common
practice OF olden days, even churches
being paid for; by lottery funds.
The employees who were trained al
the Beverly mill went to Worcester, tc
Pawtuckef and%other places and set ulr
machinery, Becoming sort of Industrial
missionaries: The mill managers ap-
pealed to congress FIR aid: complaining
that rival mills were enticlng their op-
eratiyes to break their contracts by
hiring them after the Berley mill had
been to much expense in training them
The Beverly mill, which was "A pro
f11tless venture financially, was de.
stroyed< by: fire and was never rebuilt.