The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-02
'O'D0NNELL TELLS OF
LABOR CONDITIONS
Biennial Report of Former
Commissioner Comes
From Press

The biennial report covering the term
in office of John ODonnell, as state
labor commissioners. came from the
presses yesterday. The report is in
two volumes, containing a total Of
LOO pages and is the most bulky re-
port ever issued by a labor commits
sioner. One volume is devoted to labor
statistics, while the second and larger
volume, contains, aside from wage sta
tistics, descriptions of labor conditions
as they were found by the commission
er in state institutions, factories and
stores.
According to the report of the COM
missioner for 1904 he found 81 ,536 per-
sons employed in 1920 factories in the
state. of which 24,S95 were working in
the $50 factories. he found in st. Paul
OF the grand total for the state S4,255
were men, 1915 were women, 395 boys
under the age of 16 years and 10 were
girls under that age.
Railroad work leads in the st. Paul
industries, furnishing employment in
its manufacturing and repair depart
ments to 1924 persons Printing is
close second, with 1870 persons en-
ployed. Foundries and machine shops
employ 1,415; the boot and shoe indus
try takes 1858 more; 1,219 are employ
ed in manufacturing clothing, and 1,151
in the slaughtering and packing indus
try.
Women Wage Farmers
One of the most interesting chapters
in the report is that bearing reference
to women wage earners. The former
commissioner treats this subject at
great length and devotes much space to
a description of the conditions which
he reports to have found in st. Paul.
He finds 1,S00 women and girls working
in the department. stores, earning week
ly salaries ranging from $3.50 to
$40. A compliment is paid to these de-
partment stores because of the conven-
fences for the employees which are pro-
vided and the superior scale of hours
for working afforded.
In the manufacture of advertising
novelties $50 women are employed at
salaries averaging IS per week. In
these establishments, too, he comments
upon the excellent light and ventilation
facilities in the working rooms. The
making of paper boxes furnishes en-
ployment to 100 more women, who earn
salaries ranging from $3.50 to SO, with
an average struck at IS. The sanitary
arrangements in the paper box facto-
rieS are found to be most excellent.
The commissioner reports the gen.
eral surroundings and arrangements
for the girls working in the breweries
to exceed those in any other factory in
the city. While only thirty girls are
only earn, on the average, $3.50 per
week, every arrangement is made for
their comfort and health; they are
provided against accident and sickness
by insurance carried by the firm, and,
best of all, as the commissioner sees
things, the preference is always given
to applicants for positions who are
daughters or sisters, of the male en-
ployes, so that they may accompany
the girls to and from work
Girls in Shoe Factories
A total of 400 girls are employed in
the manufacture of boots and shoes,
earning from 81 to IS per week on the
average, although many earn So or
more. While the report says that the
manufacturers are lenient in the mat
ter of hours, 1t advises improvements
in the ventilation and lighting facili-
ties of the girls working rooms.
The making of cigars gives employ
ment to 200 girls, earning from So to
$12 per week, and working nine hours
five days in the week, with a half holt
ties prevail among these girls, and
while the girls are found to generally
possess sallow compilations, reports of
i'll health upon the part of the en-
ployes are singularly rare.
In addition to all these, mention is
made at some length OF the 300 girls
employed in st. Paul fiber factories.
400 girls employed in clothing fac
tories, 300 girls employed in -various
departments of the wholesale grocery
stores, $50 girls employed in the fur
business, and 500 girls working in the
laundries. The general conditions
throughout are declared to be excel
lent
Another interesting chapter is that
fn6 70 hn iT,r1ly
According to the report, $500 Mime
sotans depend upon the collection of
old rags and junk for their livelihood.
In st. Paul alone $4,000 tons of Junk
are handled each year, representing
an annual receipt and disbursement of
over $1,500,000. In this city 1000 peo-
pie are dependent upon the industry.