Annual Report of the Inspector of Factories and Workshops of the state of New Jersey

In 1883 New Jersey passed the Child Labor Law regulating the hours of employment of children, minors and women with the object of protecting the young from “heartlessness, greed and neglect” The law regulated the employment of children by age, type of establishment (factory, workshop or mine) and hours of operation. It also related to the schooling and employment of children between twelve and fifteen and established the position of Inspector of Factories and Workshops. According to the 1880 census there were over 7,000 manufacturing establishments in New Jersey with the majority of children employed in Passaic county but also in Essex, Mercer and Hudson. These reports include the names of the factories visited, type of manufacture, number of men, women and children employed, number of children dismissed for being underage, accidents investigated. In some instances it lists the names and ages of children employed in the factories.