The story of Crayshea Figigigiton
The Lowell System
Working in the mills
When Crayshea worked at the mill she says there were many bells and rules to follow. When she was working she had to keep her hair tied back so it wouldn't get caught in the machines. If it did she could get severely injured or even die. Crayshea says that she now has permanent lung problems from the dirty air she had to breathe while working. They didn't open up the windows in the room they worked in because the wind from outside could blow the threads they were working with.
Crayshea says when she got her money for working at the mill, she usually got between $2 and $4 a week. But once she got her money she had to pay $1.25 for room and board. Crayshea says she couldn't complain though because her wages were much better than her wages would be at any other job such as domestic work.
Crayshea says the when she worked at the mill she had long working hours and had to get up bright and early. The first bell rang at 4:30 am, the second bell rang at 5:30 am, and the third bell rang at 6:20 am. The first dinner (lunch) bell rang out at 12:00 pm. It rang in at 12:35 pm. The evening bell rang out at 6:30 pm. But Crayshea says the evening bell didn't ring out on Sundays. "I must of course have something of my own before many more years have passed over my head," said Crayshea.
When Crayshea was on her free time, she usually went to her woman's club were they often wrote magazines. Crayshea Figigigiton worked hard in the mills. This was the story of Crayshea Figigigiton.