Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-12-05
LEGISLATORS VISIT MILLS
Textile Establishments in Burling.
ton and Winooski Inspected.
Chairman Jose Finds Operatives Ap-
pnrentIy Healthy and Well Fed
but Thinks They Need Organ
izntion--Some under Age,


were visited Monday afternoon by the
Joint committee OF the Vermont Senate
and House OF Representatives upon
immigration and labor. The object OF the
'o yislators was to see actual working
onditions with reference to the proposed
hour law and the factory inspection
hill. which have been referred to
hem. Those who inspected the mills
we're Senators Chaffee of Rutland and
Darling of Burke, Representatives Jose
Of Johnson. IIowley OF Burlington. Grigg
Of rarrc city. Buckley of Wheeloci;.
rlllotson Of Lowell and Foss Of Brighton,
members of the committee. and Senator
Mower the Rev. Charles c. Wilson,
Arthur j. Cayo and n Free Press man.
The mills visited were the main plant
Of the American Wooden company
Winooski mills, their worsted mill in
Winoosl;i, the Chate mills in Burlington
and Winooski and the Queen city cotton
mill at Lakeside. In each mill the party
was conducted through the buildings by
a superintendent. and the legislators had
opportunity to question both the super
intendent and the operatives in each mill.
After taking dinner at the New Sher-
wood House, the party left the hotel for
Wnoo- at one o'clock. George +.
whitney. the american Wooden companv's
agent here was said to be in New York,
but Superintendent IA tlett conducted
thu party through the wooden mills There
was not time to- visit every room, but
the various departments were rapidly in
spected. attention being centered on those
where women and children were employed
chiefly.
! Here the visitors saw many young girls,
some Of whom were questioned as to
/ their AGES. their hours of work. whether
+ they had permits to work in the mills
when it appeared that they were under
the legal age. and whether or not they
wanted shorter working day. In some
cases they were unable to speak Eng
!ish and had to talk through an in
terrretor, In others they gave doubtful
replies.
MI Rartlett received the legislators
cou~teously. showed them whatever thoy
wished to see. and answered questions
with explanations or the statement that
lie was unable to give the desired In
formation.
After taking the party through the
main plant he showed them the worsted
mill. explaining that II was n new build
ing and embodied modern ideas in factory
constructions There numerous questions
were asked by some of the visitors At
the Chace cotton mill, across the river
in burlington, there was some delay
caused by te!ephoning the superirtcnlent
Cor permission to 20 through. Tie Queen
ity cotton mill was taken next. and
there Treasurer r. \. Cooke called in a
superintendcnt who showed the party
through the plant spending considerable
time in the large weaving room. The
chace mill on s.. Paul and Pine streets
wns the last one visitec. and there. as
elsewhere. the LEGISLATORS had onportunity
10 see the work in progress. After sup
nor at tho New Sherwood the members
If the committee loft FOR Montpelier on
he G:45 train fccling that by their
activity and interest they had certainly
earned their days pay.
Chairman Jose " the House committee
said that he had no idea as to when the
.ommittce WI! -cport. He said that he
as surprised to find the mill operatives
apparently $50 healthy ana vel fed In
this respect. he said, there is great
Inference between the operatives here
: Jud in Massachusetts, whore they appear
i N-fod and lacking In ambition What
'l' mill workers here need" he said 70
'h" F"ce fress man. is organization. II
, .l.y w"re organized rs they are in Massa-
; 'frsctts there would be no need OF
! ".iS,at'on upon shorter hours" He OK
'rcs.ed also the opinion that the apparent
5 lttter physical condition of the BurlinS-