Mill Worker, Lewiston, Maine, ca. 1910. Courtesy of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.
Mill Worker, Lewiston, Maine, ca. 1910. Courtesy of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.
This woman stands among cotton dust and spindles in a Lewiston mill. In 1910, 5,000 people worked in five Lewiston cotton mills and ran 321,432 spindles.
Through union organizing, periodic strikes, and legislative work, textile workers made progress improving their working conditions. By 1887, the state passed a law limiting women and children’s work week to 60 hours unless owners demonstrated there was a specific need for more. Using this loophole, employers sometimes compelled their workers to work more hours. By 1890, it became illegal for foremen to lock workers in the factories, and Maine law required fire escapes.