.MOODV: THE CONDITION OF PACKINO HOUSE EMPLOYEES. 5 1 



live, and what is being done for them. They have clean quarters 

 to work in. Under the 8 hour system work is begun at 8 a. m. and 

 stops at 4:30 p. M. (foremen at 7 a. u. and quit at 5:30 p. m. ). 

 Although the buildings are from three to seven stories high, there 

 are but two or three passenger elevators in the whole plant. 



Profanity, vulgarity and the use of tobacco in the buildings, are 

 not tolerated, although a great profusion of lewd pictures every- 

 where prevails. 



The firm has taken no stand either for or against labor organiza- 

 tions, but encourages membership in benefit orders of all kinds. 

 A physician is nearby in case of accident. The General Superin- 

 tendent said: "We insist, on sober men in responsible positions; 

 we want clean quarters, overflow tanks furnish abundant opportu- 

 nity for employees to clean up; we furnish them soap and towels 

 in squads; we use as much w^ater as the city of Topeka; we have 

 good girls, a better class than those in the mills." Mr. Tourtellot 

 is one of the firm's standbys and virtually lives for the Armour 

 Packing Co. alone. His hours are from 7 a. m. to 6 p. m. No 

 Sunday work is done except when repairs or a rush of work de- 

 mands (?) it. 



One of the " characters " of the plant is an old darky 60 years 

 of age. He has been in the house 22 years, 14 years of which 

 time he was employed as hog-scraper, earning $14 to $15 per week. 

 Although he is a perfect giant, physically, the work became so 

 wearing upon him that he has been compelled to give it up. He 

 is now receiving $1.50 per day for doing odd jobs — picking up 

 waste paper, rubbish, etc. In the Cook Room is an old negress 

 who earns $4 per week. Her husband works in the house also, 

 earning $7 per week. Their united earnings support a family of 

 five children, the oldest of whom is 10 years old. Both she and 

 her husband are church members. A very common game, so I am 

 told, among the children of the bottoms is what might be called 

 " Family Scrap;" in other words, the children do just what they 

 have seen their parents do, and pound and punch each other very 

 vigorously. This game to them is probably what keeping house 

 and tea parties are to the children of the better classes. 



Saturday and Monday are pay days. Paying off begins at 5:30 

 A. m! and continues till after dinner. Saloons used to charge ten 

 per cent, discount on meat checks, but now the house has ruled 

 that only $2 per week be given in meat checks to any one perspn, 

 and these must be cashed in Armour's meat market by the employee 

 in person. Thus they have thwarted the saloon in its illegitimate 

 gain. Today no pay checks are discounted, but go on face value. 



