The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-20
Of Fines for Employ
1ment of Children Paid
by Standard.
BRYANT SUBMITS REPORT
4,4S4 Factory and 2,2O3 Bakery
Inspections Made During Year
by State Department of
Labor-399 Minors We're
Discharged.
Especial to the Evening star.1

TRENTON, Jan. 20.-In his annual
report, just submitted to Governor
Stokes, Commissioner Lewis r. Bryant
of the Department Of Labor tells of the
effect of the work done by his depart
ment in the last year and outlines in
detail just what has been accom-
plished.
The department has been especially
active in watching the employment OF
children under the legal age, and dur
ing the year 399 children were dis
charged from factories. The total mum
Der Of factory inspections was 4,4S4,
and in addition 2,203 bakeries were in
spected.
There were 94S orders issued for the
betterment of bakeries; 81 for the cree
ton of fire-escapes in factories, 40 fol
the installation of blowers, s2S6 for inn
provement of sanitary arrangements
and 23S for the protection of operatives
Practically all these orders, upon which
the time limit has expired, have beer
complied with. "
1.-THE department has continued" says
Colonel Bryant, Its original policy OF
obtaining a compliance with the pro-
visions of the law with as little annoy
ance TO manufacturers as conditions
will permit, and a great deal of the
work has been accomplished by the CO.
operation of the manufacturers. Since
the commencement of operations under
the act of 1904, 1881 factory orders, and
since July 4, 1905, 1,795 bakery orders
have been issued, and up to the present
time more than 80 per cent. of these
orders have been complied with"
During the year suits were entered
against twenty-five manufacturers for
the illegal employment of children. The
fines collected by the Attorney-Genera
and turned over to the State Treasurer
amounted to 81, 449. so. OF these penal
ties 1882 80 was paid by the Standard
Oil Company for the employment of
children under IA years of age. The
report adds:
1.-THE continuous campaign against
the employment of children has had
excellent results, and / am satisfied
that the conditions today are better
than they have been in many years.
The real good accomplished by a strict
enforcement of the child labor pro-
visions cannot be judged from the
number of children actually discharged
ao - 1890 49,
are prevented from securing employ
ment through the operation of the act
represents the large bulk of the chill
dren kept out OF the factories and in
the school rooms.
1.-The efficient truant system which
is now being adopted by many cities
is greatly assisting the work of the
department. and 1t is our endeavor at
all times TO work in harmony. with the
various school authorities. When the
discharge of a child Is made by us the
proper school authority is notified OF
the fact and advised of the factory
wherein the child is employed, the
child's name and address, together
with the date upon which the dis
charge is made.
Zone Of the very important duties
with which we are charged is the pro-
lection of operatives and the depart
ment has ~endeayOred to enforce in
safeguards to the life and limb of
operatives throughout the State" d,
The report shows that the opposition
of manufacturers to the installation of
blowers in establishments where buff
ing. grinding or polishing is carried on
has largely disappeared. Since the
passage of the act creating,the depart
ment 259 factories have beer equipped,
with blowers, and the principal work
of the department in this connection is
to see that these r kept in proper
working order. After commenting upon
the Importance of enforcing proper
sanitary conditions, the report dis
cusses the fire-escape question, as fol-
lows:
Frequently during the time of the
orderly conduct of business the pro-
visions regarding escape from fac
tories Inv case of fire seem unneces-
sarily severe, but il must be remem-
bered that these provisions are for
INFLATED with the thought OF the usual
panic accompanying fire alarms. The
and has endeavored to nave provided
proper means OF escape from the var
ious factories. We have gone into the
subject not only so far as to compcl
the actual erection of fire escapes on
the exterior Of buildings. but also in
regard TO the means of ogress and
proper approaches.
''The present law calls for the cree
ton of a fire escape on factories where
more than twenty-five operatives are
employed above the second floor"
The report says hat special attention
has been given during the year to the
condition of bakeshops, and the work
has met with unusually satisfactory re-
suits. Colonel Bryant says that too
much Importance cannot be attached to
the necessity of maintaining healthful
sanitary conditions surrounding the
manufacture Of food stuffs for the
public, and ii has beer thoroughly
demonstrated that without continuous
and careful inspection some Of the
halteahons Rould greatly defariorafe-