LAWS OF VARIOUS STATES RELATING TO LABOR ENACTED SINCE JANUARY 1, 1896.

[The Second Special Report of the Department contains all laws of the various States and Territo ries and of the United States relating to labor in force January 1, 1896. Later enactments LT reproduced in successive issues of the Bulletin from time to time as published.]

MASSACHUSETTS.

ACTS OF 1898.

CHAPTER 150,-Factories and workshops- Tenement houses-Sweating system.

SECTION 1. Section forty-four of chapter five hundred and eight of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-four is hereby amended by striking out the whe of said section and inserting in place thereof the following:

SECTION 44. No room or apartment in any tenement or dwelling honse shall be used for the purpose of making, altering, repairing or finishing therein auy coats, vests, trousers or wearing apparel of any description whatsoever, except by the members of the family dwelling therein, and any family desiring to do the work of making, altering, repairing or finishing any coats, vests, trousers or wearing apparel of any description whatsoever in any room or apartment in any tenement or dwelling house shall first procure a license, approved by the chief of the district police, to do such work as aforesaid. A license may be applied for by and issued to any one member of any family desiring to do such work. No person, partnership or corporation, shall hire, employ or contract with any member of a family not holding a license therefor, to make, alter, repair or finish any garments or articles of wearing apparel as aforesaid, in any room or apartment in any tenement or dwelling house as aforesaid. Every room or apartment in which any garments or articles of wearing apparel are made, altered, repaired or finished, shall be kept in a cleanly condition and shall be subject to the inspection and examination of the inspectors of the district police, for the purpose of ascertaining whether said garments or articles of wearing apparel or any part or parts thereof are clean and free from vermin and every matter of an infections or contagious nature. A room or apartment in any tenement or dwelling house which is not used for living or sleeping purposes, and which is not connected with any room or apartment used for living or sleeping purposes, and which has a separate and distinct entrance from the outside, shall not be subject to the provisions of this act. Nor shall anything in this act be so construed as to prevent the employment of a tailor or seamstress by any person or family for the making of wearing apparel for such person's or family's use.

SEC. 2. Section forty-five of said chapter is hereby amended by striking out the whole of said section and inserting in place thereof the following:

SECTION 45. If said inspector finds evidence of infectious disease present in any workshop or in any room or apartment in any tenement or dwelling house in which any garments or articles of wearing apparel are made, altered or repaired, or in goods manufactured or in the process of manufacture therein, he shall report the same to the chief of the district police, who shall then notify the local board of health to examine said workshop or any room or apartment in any tenement or dwelling house in which any garments or articles of wearing apparel are made, altered or repaired, and the materials used therein; and if said board shall find said workshop or tenement or dwelling house in an unhealthy condition, or the clothing and materials used therein unfit for use, said board shall issue such order or orders as the public safety may require.

SEC. 3. Section forty-seven of said chapter is hereby amended by striking out the whole of said section and inserting in place thereof the following:

SECTION 47. Whoever sells or exposes for sale any coats, vests, trousers or any wearing apparel of any description whatsoever which have been made in a tenement or dwelling house in which the family dwelling therein has not procured a license, as specified in section forty-four of this act, shall have affixed to each of said garments a tag or label not less than two inches in length and one inch in width, upon which shall be legibly printed or written the words "tenement made," and the name of the State and the town or city where said garment or garments were made.

SEC. 4. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.
Approved March 9, 1898.

CHAPTER 230.-Relief of destitute shipwrecked seamen.

SECTION 1. A city or town may furnish transportation to destitute shipwrecked seamen from one place to another in this Common wealth, and such other assistance as the authorities of such city or town deem necessary, not exceeding the aount of ten dollars for each person, while awaiting such transportation. A detailed state

ment of expenses so incurred shall be rendered, and, after approval by the State board of lunacy and charity, such expenses shall be paid out of the treasury of the Commonwealth from the appropriation for the temporary support of State paupers, without reference to such seamen's legal settlement.

SEC. 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved March 25, 1898.

CHAPTER 307.--Convict labor-Reformatory.

SECTION 1. Section thirty-two of chapter two hundred and fifty-five of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty-four is hereby amended by striking out in the third and fourth lines, after the word "Commonwealth," the words "in the town of Concord," and by striking out the word "land," in the fourth line, and inserting in place thereof the words lands or buildings," so as to read as follows: SECTION 52. Prisoners confined in said reformatory may be employed, in the custody of an officer, upon any lands or buildings owned by the Commonwealth, and whoever escapes from said lands or buildings shall be deemed to have escaped from said reformatory. SEC. 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. Approved April 12, 1898.

CHAPTER 334.-Convict labor.

SECTION 1. It shall be the duty of the general superintendent of prisons to cause to be produced, as far as possible, in the State prison, the reformatories, the State farm, and the jails and houses of correction, articles and materials used in the several public institutions of the Commonwealth and of the counties thereof.

SEC. 2. The principal officers of the penal institutions named herein shall send to the general superintendent, at such times and in such form as he shall prescribe, full reports concerning the labor of prisoners; and he shall from time to time send to the principal officers of all the public institutions named in section one a list of such articles and materials as can be produced by the labor of prisoners, together with a form of requisition for the use of such officers, as hereinafter provided.

SEC. 3. Whenever articles or materials included in said list are needed in any one of said public institutions the principal officer thereof shall make requisition therefor upon said general superintendent, who shall immediately notify said officer as to all the prisons where the required goods are produced; and said officer shall then purchase said goods from such of the designated places as he shall select: Provided, That if the articles or materials are not on hand and are needed for immediate use the said general superintendent shall at once certify to said principal officer that the requisition can not be filled; and in that case said articles or materials may be purchased elsewhere.

SEC. 4. The said general superintendent shall also furnish said list to the auditor of the Commonwealth and to the auditing and disbursing officers of each county. No bill for articles or materials named in said list, purchased otherwise than from a prison, shall be allowed or paid unless it is accompanied by a certificate from said general superintendent that they could not be supplied upon requisition as aforesaid. SEC. 5. The auditor of the Commonwealth, the controller of county accounts, and the general superintendent of prisons, shall constitute a board to determine the price of all articles or materials manufactured and sold under this act. The prices shall be uniform and shall conform as nearly as may be to the usual market price of like goods manufactured in other places. The actual and necessary expenses incurred by the members of said board in the performance of their duties under this act shall be allowed and paid to them out of the appropriation for incidental and contingent expenses of the general superintendent of prisons, but they shall receive no compensation for their services hereunder.

SEC. 6. The said general superintendent may expend not exceeding eight hundred dollars, in addition to the sum now authorized, for clerical assistance and other expenses in carrying out the provisions of this act.

Approved April 14, 1898.

CHAPTER 365.—Convict labor.

SECTION 1. The general superintendent of prisons may cause the prisoners in any jail or house of correction to be employed within the precincts of the prison in pre

paring material for road making; but no machine operated otherwise than by hand or foot power shall be used in connection with such employment.

SEC. 2. Upon the request of said general superintendent the Massachusetts highway commission shall give to him such information and instructions as will enable him to direct said employment in a manner that will furnish material suitable and proper for road building.

SEC. 3. Any material prepared as herein authorized may be sold to county commissioners or to city and town officers having the care of public roads; and all said material not thus sold shall be purchased by said Massachusetts highway commission, at such price as they shall decide to be fair and reasonable, for use on State highways: Provided, however, That the general superintendent of prisons may cause any of said prisoners to be employed upon material furnished by said highway coinmission, who shall then pay for the labor of preparation such price as may be agreed upon by said superintendent and said commission.

SEC. 4. The expenses of employing prisoners under this act shall be paid from the county treasury, in the same manner as expenses of maintaining industries in the jails and houses of correction are now paid. Payment for material sold or for labor performed hereunder shall be made to the principal officer of the prison where the material is prepared; and all moneys received under this act shall be paid into the county treasury in the manner now provided by law in respect to other receipts from the labor of prisoners.

SEC. 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved April 22, 1898.

CHAPTER 367.-Half holidays for public employees.

SECTION 1. The city council of a city and the board of selectmen of a town may, in their discretion, provide that the employees of such city or town shall be allowed one half holiday in each week, without loss of pay, during such portions of the year as said city council or selectmen may determine."

SEC. 2. The heads of departments of the Commonwealth shall have the same power in respect to granting a half holiday to persons employed in their respective departments which is conferred by this act upon city councils and selectmen; and the county commissioners of each county shall have the same power in respect to county employees.

SEC. 3. The term "employees," as used in this act, shall include laborers, mechanics, and all other classes of workmen.

SEC. 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved April 22, 1898.

CHAPTER 393.-Convict labor.

SECTION 1. The governor and council may purchase or otherwise take in fee any parcel of waste and unused land, not exceeding one thousand acres in area, for the purpose of reclaiming, improving and disposing of said land for the benefit of the Commonwealth.

SEC. 4. As soon as may be after any land is taken as aforesaid the general superintendent of prisons, with the approval of the governor and council, shall cause to be erected on said land iron buildings of cheap construction, suitable for the accommodation of not exceeding one hundred prisoners.

SEC. 5. When the said buildings are ready for occupancy the governor may issue his proclamation establishing on said land a temporary industrial camp for prisoners;

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SEC. 7. When said camp is established and organized as aforesaid the commissioners of prisons may remove prisoners thereto from the jails and houses of correction in the same manner that such prisoners are now removed to the State farm;

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SEC. 8. Prisoners held at said camp shall be employed in reclaiming and improving said land and in preparing by hand labor material for road building.

SEC. 10. Any land reclaimed or improved as aforesaid may be devoted to the use of the Commonwealth, or it may be disposed of by the governor and council at public or private sale. Any road material prepared as aforesaid may be sold by the superintendent of said camp, with the approval of the general superintendent of prisons, to the authorities of the Commonwealth or of any county, city or town. SEC. 11. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved April 29, 1898.

CHAPTER 402.-Investigation of Sunday labor by bureau of statistics of labor. SECTION 1. The bureau of statistics of labor is hereby directed to investigate the subject of Sunday labor in this Commonwealth, with respect to the number of persons employed, the conditions of employment, and other facts relating thereto.

SEC. 2. The said bureau shall incorporate in its annual report to the legislature the results of the investigation authorized by this act, and the sum of three thousand dollars shall be paid out of the treasury of the Commonwealth for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act, to be expended under the direction of the chief of said bureau.

SEC. 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved May 10, 1898.

CHAPTER 481.-Payment of wages.

SECTION 1. Section one of chapter four hundred and thirty-eight of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five, as amended by chapter three hundred and thirty-four of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-six, is hereby amended by striking out the words "and having more than twenty-five employees," in the seventh and eighth lines, so as to read as follows: SECTION 1. Sections fifty-one to fiftyfour, inclusive, of chapter five hundred and eight of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-four, relative to the weekly payment of wages by corporations, shall apply to all contractors and to any person or partnership engaged in this Commonwealth in any manufacturing business. And the word "corporation," as used in said sections, shall include such contractors, persons and partnerships. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved June 1, 1898.

CHAPTER 494.-Employment of children.

SECTION 1. No child under fourteen years of age shall be employed in any factory, workshop or mercantile establishment. No such child shall be employed in any work performed for wages or other compensation, to whomsoever payable, during the hours when the public schools of the town or city in which he resides are in session, nor be employed at any work before the hour of six o'clock in the morning or after the hour of seven o'clock in the evening.

SEC. 2. No child under sixteen years of age shall be employed in any factory, workshop or mercantile establishment unless the person or corporation employing him procures and keeps on file and accessible to the truant officers of the town or city, and to the district police and inspectors of factories, an age and schooling certificate as hereinafter prescribed, and keeps two complete lists of all such children employed therein, one on file and one conspicuously posted near the principal entrance of the building in which such children are employed, and also keeps on file a complete list, and sends to the superintendent of schools, or, where there is no superintendent, to the school committee, the names of all minors employed therein who can not read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language.

SEC. 3. An age and schooling certificate shall be approved only by the superintendent of schools or by a person authorized by him in writing, or, where there is no superintendent of schools, by a person authorized by the school committee: Provided, That no member of a school committee or other person authorized as aforesaid shall have authority to approve such certificate for any child then in or about to enter his own employment, or the employment of a firm or corporation of which he is a member, officer or employee. The person approving the certificate shall have authority to administer the oath provided for therein, but no fee shall be charged therefor.

SEC. 4. An age and schooling certificate shall not be approved unless satisfactory evidence is furnished by the last school census, the certificate of birth or baptism of such child, the register of birth of such child with a town or city clerk, or in some other manner, that such child is of the age stated in the certificate.

SEC. 5. The age and schooling certificate of a child under sixteen years of age shall not be approved and signed until he presents to the person authorized to approve and sign the same an employment ticket as hereinafter prescribed, duly filled out and signed. A duplicate of each age and schooling certificate shall be filled out and shall be kept on file by the school committee. Any explanatory matter may be printed with such certificate in the discretion of the school committee or superintendent of schools. The employment ticket and the age and schooling certificate shall be separately printed, and shall be filled out, signed, and held or surrendered, as indicated in the following forms:

of [name

AGE AND SCHOOLING CERTIFICATE, LAWS OF 1898. This certifies that I am the [father, mother, guardian or custodian} of child] and that he or she] was born at name of town or city) in the county of [name of county, if known] , and State [or country] of on the day and year of birth]

old.

and is now [number of years and months]

(Signature of father, mother, guardian or custodian.)

(Town or city and date.) Then personally appeared before me the above-named name of person signing] , and made oath that the foregoing certificate by him or her] signed is rue to the best of [his or her] knowledge and belief. I hereby approve the oregoing certificate of [name of child] height [feet and inches] plexion [fair or dark] that [he or she]

hair [color]

, having no sufficient reason to doubt is of the age therein certified. I hereby certify that he shef [can or can not] read at sight and [can or can not] bly simple sentences in the English language.

write 1 gi

This certificate belongs to [name of child in whose behalf it is drawn] and is to be surrendered to [him or her] whenever he or she] leaves the serv ice of the corporation or employer holding the same; but if not claimed by said child within thirty days from such time it shall be returned to the superintendent of schools, or, where there is no superintendent of schools, to the school committee. (Signature of person authorized to approve and sign, with official character or authority.)

(Town or city and date.)

In the case of a child who can not read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language the certificate shall continue as follows, after the word "language:"

I hereby certify that [he or she]

is regularly attending the [name] public evening school. This certificate shall continue in force only so long as the regular attendance of said child at the evening school is indorsed weekly by a teacher thereof.

SEC. 6. Whoever employs a child under sixteen years of age, and whoever ha ing under his control a child under such age permits such child to be employed, in violation of section one or two of this act, shall for such offense be fined not more than Vity dollars; and whoever continues to employ any child in violation of either of aid sections of this act after being notified by a truant officer or an inspector of facturies thereof, shail for every day thereafter that such employment continues be fined not less than five nor more than twenty dollars. A failure to produce to a truant ore. or inspector of factories any age or schooling certificate or list required by this act shall be prima facie evidence of the illegal employment of any person whose age and schooling certificate is not produced or whose name is not so listed. Any corporation or employer retaining any age and schooling certificate in violation of section five of this act shall be fined ten dollars. Every person authorized to sign the certificate prescribed by section five of this act who knowingly certifies to any materially false statement therein shall be fined not more than fifty dollars.

SEC. 7. No person shall employ any minor over fourteen years of age, and no parent, guardian or custodian shall permit to be employed any such minor under his control, who can not read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language, while a public evening school is maintained in the town or city in which such minor resides, unless such minor is a regular attendant at such evening school or at a day school: Provided, That upon presentation by such minor of a certificate signed by a regular practicing physician, and satisfactory to the superintendent of schools, or, where there is no superintendent of schools, the school committee, showing that the physical condition of such minor would render such attendance in addition to daily labor prejudicial to his health, said superintendent of schools or school committee shall issue a permit authorizing the employment of such minor for sech period as said superintendent of schools or school committee may determine. Sid superintendent of schools or school com.nittee, or teachers acting under authority thereof, may excuse any absence from such evening school arising from justifiable cause. Any person who employs a minor in violation of the provisions of this Ction shall forfeit for each offense not more than one hundred dollars for the use of the evening schools of such town or city. Any parent, guardian or custodian who permits to be employed any minor under his control in violation of the provisions of this section shall forfeit not more than twenty dollars for the use of the evening schools of such town or city.

SEC. 8. Truant officers may visit the factories, workshops and mercantile estab lishments in their several towns and cities and ascertain whether any minors are employed therein contrary to the provisions of this act, and they shall report any