New York State Factory Investigating Commission Glass Plate Negatives and Photographic Prints of Factory and Housing Conditions

These are mostly views of conditions inside factories, usually showing workers. Views of chemical, food, glass, clothing, and other industries illustrate conditions such as: inadequate ventilation or exhaust systems; dirt and animals contacting food products; unguarded machinery; overcrowding of machinery and narrow or obstructed aisles; young children working; excessive heat and humidity; inadequate lighting; inadequate sanitation and other unhealthy conditions; and structural deficiencies in buildings and other physical dangers.

There are also views of workers' houses, working women and their children outside their homes, and exteriors and interiors of workers' apartments. Many of these views were published in the Preliminary Report of the Factory Investigating Commission, Vol. I (1912), Second Report, Vol. II (1913), and Fourth Report, Vol. IV (1915).

The series also includes a typescript "Lists of Photographs, 1911-1912" describing many of the views in this series, others that were published but not included in the series, and some that were not published or included in this series.

Microform is available at the New York State Archives through interlibrary loan.

Scanned images of selected negatives and prints are available at the New York State Archives.

Item list is available at the repository.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.