The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-17
LESS CHILD LABOR
ON The EAST SIDE
FACTORY INSPECTOR REPORTS A
STEADY DECREASE.
More Safeguards in the Large Mills
. Are Needed--Several Wholesale
Escapes-Employers Must Furnish
Good Drinking Water for the Toilers.

Lewis P. Torgeson has just about
completed very thoro tour Of inspec-
tion Of all the factories in Northeast and
Southeast Minneapolis. While the fac
tories are subject to constant inspection
in the spring and fall Of each year, the
right along, and takes in all the points
Of machinery, fire escapes, sanitary con-
ditions and many other details, which
are part Of the duty of his office. Mr..
Torgeson has been in office since last
January, but he has studied the ques-
tion for many years and his lnvestlga-
tions have shown that for several years
there has been marked Improvement
in the methods of applying safety
protection for the lives Of the employees
Of large wholesale houses and factories.
One great trouble the building in
spector has to contend with is the lack
of machinery guards in the planning
mills, in the large factories and in the
-four mills. This lack of safety app!h-
ances is in no way Intentional on the
matter of oversight, and one which is
usually remedied upon the slightest sug-
gestion of the building inspector. .
East Minneapolis is one network OF
factories and immense beehives of
working humanity, and alone on Nicol-
let island are over fifteen factories,
while the total Of such places in East
Minneapolis is over 100. Mr.. Torgeson
issued ninety-two orders for improve
ments in East Minneapolis factories
and mills.
The machinery used in the -four
mills, the planning mills and in all the
woodwork factories is Of the dangerous
type, and one which hecessitates every
possible caution to prevent accidents OF
serious character. Thru the con.
stant inspection the evil has been les:
sened and safeguards are now installed
| in places where there is the slightest
year the accidents are fewer and fewer
and comparatively seldom against those
| of former years.
Several Of the new wholesale build,
| ings have received orders from the
building inspector to at once provide
suitable fire escapes, as there was ab'
solutely no means Of escape from. the
upper floors of any Of; these buildings
and they would prove death traps in
case. Of a. serious conhagratlon. "he
need Of the fire escapes can only be
appreciated. after one has made the
rounds Of one Of the large buildings
and has observed with what care the
4 powerful oleUlouCS udV6 W DS CHoChCo
and handled in order to be useful tt
huma nifty instead Of destructive. =.
8 In comparing. the permits issued
FOR, children working under the age
allowed by law, with those of: two ant
three. years ago, find that child labor
III East Minneapolis IS more on the, de
Tel ease than on the inerease,' said Mr.
F'Torgeson, who is also required tt
keep an eye upon the child labor ques
ton. There is scarcity of children
and especially the girls are by far less
numerous than they have been. II
many cases children were allowed tt
work when it was not absolutely neces
say to have them do so. At presen
it is a matter Of great difficulty tt
obtain a permit allowing a child t.
work before he has reached the limit
which is IA year, and the permit
which is issued by the superintendent
Of the public schools, is by no mean
easily obtained. .>,~
AS to the sanitary conditions. Their
ara instances where they are not wha
they might be, and there are instance
where the very best attention is pai
to them. In one instance Mr.. Torge
son inspected factory On Nicolle
island, where the employers furnishes
the drinking water out Of an old bal
Frel. Into this was thrown chunk Q
ice every morning and a generou
stream Of water from the hose supplie
the fluid. By afternoon the water wa
Shiny and unfit to drink. AS soon a
this was reported to Mr.. Torgeson h
investigated and ordered good sur
plies Of drinking water to be furnishe
by the employers.