Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-09


There are two large cotton mills in
Riddeford, the Peppelell and the Laconia,
under one management. These factories
give employment to 1900 people.
The agent of these mills was the only
one, among the many Of whom a similar
request was made, who would not allow
the special agent of the Labor Bureau to
go through the factories. In Lewiston,
Auburn and Saco, the officials offered not
the slightest objection. and were most
courteous in answering the numerous
questions it was necessary to ask Their
attitude was in accord with that of ar
official in one of the Lewiston mills who
said: I'VE have rothing to conceal and
you are at liberty to go in at any time"
The Pepperell Manufacturing Company
has been very successful. as far as it's
stockholders are concerned. According to
a published statement of Turner & Com
pany of Boston, it has averaged for the
past eight years a dividend of 1895 per
cent.
In calling at the homes of different
workers in these mills it was found that
the majority live in detached houses,
and that there are few large tenements
with the exception of the corporation
| blocks. In watching the employees come
out of the mills, one is interested to note
that the greater number go to the higher
and more healthy parts of the city
Many own the houses in which they
live
| The York mill in Saco employs 2,2o0 pco-
pie. This mill manufaCtu singhams of
| high grade. The usual sixty-hour scjled-
| ue is in force here but in common with
other textile industries in the State there
was curtailment of time during the
| spring and summer, the factory being in
| operation forty hours, from in the
morning until in the afternoon, five
1 days in the week. An attempt was made
| by the operatives to have tic schedule
| so arranged that it would give them two
| days in the week for some other work.
| but for various reasons it was unsuccess-
| ful.
The agent did not make a cut down of
| any regular amount on wages of the
| whole number of operatives, but graded
] it according to the amount reecivee. or
had family to support. Some We're not
| cut at all. while in other departments
there was a reduction of 20 per cent
women-American. Scotch and Jrish-in
| the York than in the Biddeford mills.
The work is higher grade and as an over
seer said proudly: "a woman who has
worked successfully for the York can get
| a job anywhere"
In going through this mill, where the
| overseers were very kind in answer ing
all questions. the work of the women and
children, as observed, was much the same
as in other factories where colored work
is done. The general neat appearance of
the rooms was noted. In several places
cards We're posted, stating that the York
was a subscriber to the reading room: in
Saco and that employees were at liberty
to read the papers and magazines to be
found there.
Draper looms have been installed in
some of the weave rooms and the ques
ton of women working on these was
asked The overseer in one room stated
that any woman who desired it was given
place on these looms. but that they
We're mostly run by, men He said that
some women could stand the work, while
others could not. Wherever it, was pos
sible, a woman, who found it too hard,
was given a place in some other depart
ment.
Of the general conditions existing in
the Bi1deford and Saco fact ories the re
port spoke as follows:
In dicussing general conditions in the
mills with the women. the need of dress
ing rooms in some places; tile excessive
heat and lack of ventilation in certain
departments. especially in winter: the
arrangement of the toilets in parts or the
factories, with no covering over the top;
an elevator in almost constant motion;
the fact that ground glass was placed in
the windows so that the attention of the
workers would not be "distracted;' the
use of snuff by some of the women of the
foreign population, and other matters
were mentioned.
For the first time. women were inter-
viewed who were running twelve and
sixteen Draper looms These machines
are practically a recent addition, and arc
so arranged that the filling in the shuttle
is changed automatically, thus enabling
them to go at greater rate of speed and
with less interruption. The women are
not expected to clean. oil or sweep. This
matter was quite fully discussed and the
complaint made that the work was too
hard, but that they tried to do it, as they
were dependent upon their positions and
they knew there were plenty Of foreign
men waiting for their places Where Il
woman has been accustomed to tend
six loom set. with the Drapers she is Civ
Ell from twelve to sixteen which extend
over quite an area. There is no time for
sitting during the day. as when employed
on the other looms. One woman said she
could not sleep at night after running
these fast machines, and many have had
to give up their places and fin0 other
work.
This marks another evolution in the
machinery world. Years ago, q woman
tended two slowly running looms. Later,
as the hours of work grew less, the num-
Der of looms was increased to four and
six, and new. with the Diapers. an orer-
ative is expected to look out for twelve
or sixteen The tendency in this matter
appears tc be to have the weaving done
by men, and by men of the foreign poru-
lation at that.
The web drawers have also been af-
fected by the introduction of machinery
Where formerly the work was done ell
tirely by hand, knot-tying machines lave