Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-07-07

and roasted peanuts You could see him at this
stand in the early morning before people went 10
work and late at night after they returned nome
from the theater. He was there In all KINDS OF
weather. and he had been on the same spot Tor 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 Tonys father kept
his savings. The bank was closed, and then the
poor mans reason gave way. He was taken 10 an
insane asylum. and Tony. not being able to Keep
up his fathers business took to selling flowers as
his trade.
And Tony is not the only man" at the early age
of thirteen.
Owners of flower factories find 1t more profitable
to have work done in the tenements by women and
children The flower factories give out parts OF
fowers-petals, leaves, and stems-to be made up
into whole flowers and wreaths by the workers In
their homes Usually the oldest child in the fam.
lily calls for these parts. which she carries home In
a huge pasteboard box. When the flowers are done
she brings them back to the factory and the boss
pays her for the work
The petals which usually come from the factory
in lunches, must be separated and then pasted to-
gether with the leaves and stems. Sometimes there
are many as nine pieces which must be joined
before the flowers are ready to be returned to the
factory. Buds made by tying pieces OF silk
over a round ball of cotton. The work, though
SLOW ana teOlOuS, Is not udTu anu NC uOh0 VIII
very little skill and practice Whole families were
found busily working around table in the kitchen
or living room pasting and twisting and punching
the gayy colored flowers, which sometimes give the
only bright note to an otherwise desperately dingy
home
Worst Paid Work.
The price paid for the work is perhaps the low
est in any trade. Prices vary from two cents a
gross for pasting leaves stems to $1.40 a gross
for making flower wreaths. One girl of fifteen.
who had trouble with her spine was found at work
putting berries the ends of stems and receiving
for the work only cent gross. She told the in
vestigator that she made usually ten cents day.
But when my little sister helps me-" she added,
II can make fifteen cents a day..
1t Is these conditions that the Consumers league
is striving to abolish. And the activities Of the
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 employed.
and have been doing great work in educating the
people on the dangers of woman and child labor
under unsanitary conditions
BY pointing out the dangers to the consumer
through goods made in dark and airless homes
where scarlet fever and other contagious diseases
were found to exist the leaders of the league have
already accomplished many good results. But
there is much work to be done Few realize how
closely connected are own lives with the lives
Of the workers along certain industrial lines 1t
is not only the health of the workers that is often
at stake but the conditions are a menace to the
consumers as well, and the danger to society is
great.