The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-08-17

mission to go through the mill He
refused.
People come and want to &C
about silk mills" he said. "Onl;
the people who understand mill
life ought to say anything about il
or they give the wrong impress
SION
Superintendent Robert w. Souter
of the Haledon Throwing company
Scranton, took me through his mil
later, The girls who have worked
in several of the mills say they are
much the same.
While Colonel Roosevelt was in
the Jessup mill he stopped to talR
here and there with the girls.
went to Annie Gavala. IA. one witt
whom he talked and who woult
know something of mill life. as
Mr.. Bliss suggested. since she has
worked in one long enough to be
come an expert.
II was standing lacing when he
come up" said Annie.
He" meant only one person tt
her.
He said. How much do You
make a week. | told him s. if
was working every day.
Then he said after a minute
You're a good little girl. Annie.
Annie isn't very big for her age
But she's hard. Her face didn't
have the soft look of most girls OF
IA. The skin looked firm and set
like that on her hands. HeI
shoulders dropped.
1t was after a days work that
she talked. A days work tmeans
standing from : in the morning
till noon, and then standing again
from 12:45 till 5:45, with the
hands flying in and out of spread
skeins of silk. tying in the cotton
thread that keejs the silk fibers
from tangling.
Annie is Polish. but she speaks
good English. She is a bright
looking little girl. ! asked her tc
tell me all about her work in the
mill.
Il guess | was II when | first
worked" she said. Il had to stoI
and walk to school when the Law
come on us, till February 3. Then
] was IA"
((Thte law went into effect Jan
uary / of this year,
Il used to get S. in two weeks,
she went on. Then | got Sc in
two weeks. Then 81 in two
weeks. Now I'm on piece work
and | make sometimes 81 in two
weeks. sometimes S14. Why,
make almost as much as anyone
could. The most could ever get
would be $1.20 a day
What do you do with your
money" ] asked.
Annie looked surprised and
waved one hand toward her moth
9r. Her father Mike GaVala, a
lean. good-natured man. stood III
he doorway and laughed the kind
IF laugh that says, You don
know much aboutit.'
Sure. To her mother" he said
And his pipe circled toward the
i've other little Bavalas standing
rround
Mike Gavala makes $1.35 day
is section hand on the railroad
hat runs past the GaVala door
The Gavala door is one in row
# little straight up-and-down
,oard houses opening onto the Gin
er street.
There We're four rooms. Every
nch behind the little shedlike
ouse was made into garden.
MY money and Annie's money
OF much for so many" he said.
Rent Sc, potatoes 80 cents a
ushel, flour 1913 100-pound
ack, and meat to boil 10 cents a
ound.
Mary used to help, but no more
ince the law come on
Mary is Annie over again, only
mailer.
II was windin," said Mary. Il
ot SO the two weeks
Mary also worked 50 hours a
eek for that $50.
And shoes" said Annie, who was
i'll thinking about where the pre-
Gus money went. "A pair every
NO months / must have
What do you do for fun?'
Bked. Annie looked at Mary and
pen up in her straight business
Ike way.
"Oh, walk out" she said, cor
bmetimes | go to the nickelet.'
Did you ever read story
bok?" | asked.
Annie screwed down her fore
Fad a minute. Then she said all
breath, "Why, yes; three of