The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-04
served in the morning between starting
time and noon to those who desire It..

served in the morning between starting
time and noon to those who desire It,
There are five bathrooms in the building
Tor the use Of the girls, and they are at liberty
TO Use them at any time during working
hours without deduction of pay for the
time taken. The firm has a woman in
constant attendance at the bathrooms,
who hae charge Of them and furnishes
clean towels and other requisites.
There is lounging and dressing room,
with couches and blankets. To this place
girl may retire at any time for rest, and
IL she is taken i'll she may receive emergency
treatment there.
There is a recreation hall, furnished
attractively with rugs, easy chairs, DO,
and centre table supplied with all the
latest magazines. There is also a grand
piano.
1t is a custom to give the free use of this
recreation room to the girls for a half hour
in the morning and for the same period
in the afternoon. The girls do no hard
work that requires muscular exertion.
They work on sewing machines run by
machine power. Their wages are as high
as those paid anywhere for the same work.
One Of the most interesting experiments
now Icing made in connection with the
work of bctterment of the condition Of
workingmen is that in progress at the works
of the Edward Weston Electrical Instru-
ment Company at Waverly, just outside
of Newark Mr. Weston has spent thou
sands of dollars in developing his plan, and
it has met with remarkable success.
Mr.. Weston was convinced that the gravest
question confronting the twentieth century
A. nj nd ln1,n
that there must be a drawing together or
a still further pulling apart, and that It was
the duty of every employer to contribute
by every reasonable means to peaceful
and satisfactory solution OF the existing
differences.
Pursuant to this policy the company.
before planning the works which 1t has
since built at Waverly, employed two me-
chanical and engineering experts to visit
the most notable manufacturing establish
ments in the United States, studying prob
lens of construction, machinery and other
physical conditions. Another expert trav-
eiled through the country for year trying
to learn what American employers were
doing for their employees outside of the
mere question Of wages
When the present plant was erected the
company reserved in the most desirable
portions OF the premises several commodi-
GUS halls and furnished them as recreation
room, library, kitchen. dining room. gym
nasium, natatorium, bicycle depot, hospi-
tai &c. All the different departments men
toned are conducted by the employees,
and there are many little organizations,
such as clubs classes and societies. wholly
under the direction of the employees, The
heads Of the various departments confer
frequently, and every effort is made to i'm
prove on broad general lines
In many other factories work OF SINH
lar sort is being done. In fact, social bet
terment wave seems to be sweeping over the
factory districts OF Newark at present.
Half dozen years ago two or three large
concerns began experiments. but met with
failure. At the Clark o. N. T. thread works
a restaurant was started, where the most
wholesome food was furnished to the oper-
atives at cost The retaurant was failure
Other efforts along the same lines in differ
ent factories had to be abandoned because
OF lack OF interest on the part Of the en-
ployees, who seemed to think the firm had
planned to get the better OF them.
Now conditions seem TO be changing;
operatives are no longer suspicious OF such
experiments on the part OF their employers.
and are meeting them half way.