Thinking that the condition of the employés of a State institution might be interesting, the Eastern Michigan Asylum for Insane was visited. It is situated about a mile from Pontiac, and the agent of the Bureau was met with a most cordial reception. The rooms of the building are the acme of cleanliness, and the sleeping apartments of the girls pleasant and airy. While the character of the work-taking care of the insane-is peculiar, the nurses have no laborious duties to perform, they being exempt from kitchen and laundry work. The worst feature seems to be the long hours, which ranged from 12 to 20, the nurses being expected to look after each patient when attention was required. Notwithstanding the peculiarity of the work required of the lady employés in an asylum, it is a fact that there at all times many applicants awaiting vacancies. ROCHESTER. Located on the Michigan Central Railroad, in the county of Oakland, is the village of Rochester, where the principal industry is the knitting mills, investigated by the Bureau's agent. The mill is a large, well built structure, with plenty of light and fresh air. About 150 persons (principally girls) are employed when the factory is running to its fullest capacity, and they are kept busy the fore part of the year. The wages paid compare favorably with similar work in other cities, and while the average may be lower, the fact remains that the cost of living is much cheaper. The girls come from the surrounding country, and are a healthy and happy lot, there being no restrictions during working hours as to talking and moving about the building. Some difficulty is at times experienced in securing girls, as those who leave home to work prefer the life and bustle of a town or city to the quiet of a hamlet. BELDING. Nestling among the hills of Ionia county, on the Detroit, Lansing & Northern railroad, is the beautiful village of Belding, where is produced the far-famed brands of silk well known to all shoppers. The manufacture of silk and boxes constitutes the main industries of the place, and the majority of the girls come from other towns, some from the great silk centers of the New England states. Here are found boarding houses built and carried on by the proprietors of the silk mills. One is a large three-story stone structure, and the other a mammoth white frame building. The manner in which the girls live and are treated outside of the mills is something worthy of investigation as Belding was the only town visited where this system is in vogue. Two girls occupy each room, which is scrupulously clean and furnished with curtains, carpets and an oak suite. On each floor is a bath room with hot and cold water, closets, etc. In the basement are the laundries, where the girls have the privilege of doing their own work evenings, hot water and soap being furnished. The table is supplied with an abundance of well-cooked food, and the girls pay $2 per week for board, which is claimed to just about cover the cost of running the houses. A matron is in charge of each boarding house. Rules must be observed as to keeping rooms tidy, being in at certain hours, etc. Living at these houses is optional with the girls, although there are very few from out of town who do not take advantage of them. The majority of the girls in the silk mills work by the piece, making fair wages considering the cost of living. They sit at their work, being furnished with comfortable chairs. The manufacture of sewing silk is very particular work, although not tedious, as it is all done by means of machinery, and the girls are required to be accurate and careful, some working months before becoming adepts. The girls work in the silk industry the entire year and average ten hours per day. THREE OAKS. In the extreme southwestern corner of the State, in the county of Berrien, on the Michigan Central railroad, is the village of Three Oaks. Here is manufactured the far-famed "feather bones," being the only factory of its kind in the United States, which was found running to its fullest capacity. The "feather bones" take the place of whalebones used in ladies' dresses, and are made only from the four large feathers found in the tail of the turkey. The feathers come from all parts of the world, Germany contributing a large share of those which come across the ocean. Much trouble was experienced in securing help here, which is found to be the general rule in all the villages visited. The wages paid are apparently small, although living is cheap, and several members of the same family are employed. A whip factory was also visited, where more skill is required to do the work and better wages paid. Both the feather bone and whip factories are operated by the same firm, who treat the help well and allow many liberties, the girls going and coming almost at will. Both buildings are large, well lighted and airy. WYANDOTTE. Twelve miles down the river from Detroit is the busy iron town of Wyandotte, where the establishment of the Rug and Robe factory was investigated. Here is tanned, prepared and colored all the fancy sheepskins; rugs of various hues, which decorate so many offices and homes, dusters and other articles are also made by this firm. The building is situated near the river bank, and is pleasant and well ventilated. The factory runs the entire year and furnishes employment to a large number of workers. The girls work by the piece and make very fair wages. The hours are ten per day with half holiday on Saturday. The girls appeared to be a happy and contented lot, having plenty of work, good hours and wages, and fair treatment at the hands of the firm. In closing this part of the report it seems meet to add that as a whole the women wage-workers of our State are receiving very low wages, but other states show similar defects in this matter, and California, the golden state," shows equally low wages, as the authorities of that state have been notified of the fact that girls and women in many industries are only receiving an average of $1.16 per week as the low average, and $1.90 per week as the high average for a good many. Looking over the histories of these women workers as presented in the foregoing tables, comments and summaries, there are many conditions brought out that the public little dreamed did exist in this State, and which facts can only be ascertained through the department of labor or some State department especially set apart for such work. These facts collated forms the data on which can be founded laws that must ultimately result in benefit to female toilers, thus adding more rungs to the ladder that will help them in the ERRATUM. The mortgage tables on the next and following pages were compiled from the partial and incomplete returns furnished to the assessors, and do not contain mortgages held upon property in the city of Detroit by persons who reside in other parts of the United States. Unfortunately this was not discovered till the figures were in the printer's hands when it was too late to revise them. The corrected totals have been kindly placed at our disposal by Mr. C. M. Burton of the abstract office, who first drew attention to the error, and are as follows: |