But the work was so improperly done and
the spools were so full of loose and untied ends, etc., that the number
of spindles to be tended was reduced from 75 to 50, and the machines were
run at a lower rate of speed. The task was changed accordingly so that
the worker's wage, simply with the bonus, was as it had been before. But
she was unable to overrun the task as far as she had, formerly. By the
workers' constant attention, the work now improved in quality, but the
limit of quantity, was, of course, lower. The wages with the bonus
dropped back to a smaller excess, or $1.47 a day. This was, of course,
disheartening, though Lucia said it was better, she was so much less
tired by the work than she had been before. But the work is still
undoubtedly very wearying and difficult. The spoolers still give
incessant attention to their work, still do their best, and yet make by
close application far less than they had grown accustomed to expect
whether justly or unjustly.[57] The task is now 12 doffs a day--each doff
requiring a change of 208 bobbins. So that in changing bobbins alone the
girls have to stoop down over 2000 times a day, without counting all the
stooping for knot tying, which the forewoman said would about equal the
labor of bending and working at bobbin changing.
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