Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1916-06-01

and roasted peanuts You could see him at this
stand in the early morning before people Went ~
work and late at night after they returned NOME
from the theater He was there in all xmas VI
weather and he had been on the same spot lor 10
years During this period his wife and later MS
children helped to swell his bank account by max
ing artificial flowers When the war began there
was a run on the bank where Tony's father kept
his savings The bank was closed, ana tnen Tue
poor mans reason gave way. He was taken " an
insane asylum, and Tony. not being able 10 keep
up his fathers business. took to selling mowers d"
his trade.
And Tony is not the only man" at the early age
of thirteen.
Owners of flower factories find it more prontaDie
to have work done in the tenements by women anu
children The flower factories give out parts Oh
fowers-petals, leaves and stems-to De maue up
into whole flowers and wreaths by the workers III
their homes Usually the oldest child in the ram
lily calls for these parts which she carries nome III
a huge pasteboard box. When the flowers are aone
she brings them back to the factory and the boss
pays her for the work,
The METALS which usually come from the factory
in lunches must be separated and then pasted To-
gether with the leaves and stems. Sometimes there
are as many as nine pieces Whlcn must DC Joiheu
before the flowers are ready to be returned u the
factory Buds are made by tying pieces OF SILK
over a round ball of cotton. The work. though
very little skill and practice. Whole families were
found husily working around table in the kitchen
or living room pastng and twisting ana punching
the gayly coored flowers, which sometimes give the
only bright note to an otherwise desperately dlngy
home
Worst Paid Work. 1
The price paid for the work is perhaps the low
est in any trade Prices vary from two cents a
Vross for nasting leaves on stems to S14O gross
for making flower wreaths. One girl OF hfteen,
who had trouble with her spine, was found at WORK
nutting berries on the ends of stems and receiving
for the work only one cent gross She told the In
vestigator that she made usually ten cents day.
But when my little sister helps me, sne auueo'
81 can make fifteen cents day
II is these conditions that the Consumers league
is striving to abolish And the activities Oh tue
Consumers league are not limited to the flower in
dustry The members of the league are working
hard to improve conditions in other occupations IN
which women and young children are empioyeu'
and have been doing great work in educating .ne
people on the dangers of woman ana chliu iapo'
under unsanitary conditions
By pointing out the dangers to the consumer
through goods made in dark and airless MONIES
where scarlet fever and other contagious diseases
were found TO exist the leaders of the league nave
already accomplished many good results But
+bera ie much work to be done. Few realize now
closely connected are our own lives with the hVes
of the workers along certain Industrial lines.
is not only the health of the workers tat 70 49,
at stake, but the conditions are menace 70 tne
consumers as well, and the danger 10 sooie'y %
great.