Time Summary
1:30 Mill build/started by Mr Shutts who cam from Amsterdam. Brought Miss Kean with him as secretary/administrative assistant
2:25 Mrs. DuRoss came to Ballston Spa in 1944 and started working in the mill in March 1946. Pay rate was piece rate but set at $.40/hr - $16.00/week (which was NYS minimum wage) plus 5% bonus at end of year if your production exceeded piece rate minimum
4:00 Very few men worked in the mill. Most that did work there were mechanics,
working condiitons: No prescribed breaks, Usually smokers took a break. Work theory by the emplyees was if you didn'y work, you don't make as much money.Christmas part paid by the canteen money. Year end bonus based on company profits. Time clocks used
Building layout: basement plus 3 floors. Basement - wash and dry room for laundering the material. 1st floor offices, 2nd and 3rd floors were production
9:30 Production departments: Inspection, stapling - attach paper labelto each pair of socks, Bundler - pacl sock into lots of a dozen, Baggers and shippng
15:40 at one time this mill was one of the world's largest producer of men's worlk socks
Mentiones other stores in Ballston in 1940's and 1950's - Clark Dept store, Beators, Fashon Shop, Outlet shop, Buchdalls Mens store, Steiners Dept store, Tracy Brothers Hardware, Ballston Hardware, 4 or 5 drug stores including Lattimore's which became O'Briens.
mentioned the Akshand Mill that made gloves and mittens. Also gave a brief comment about the George West mill which became the Bishoff Chocolate factory.