Mary Thompson and her husband Carl discuss injuries in the workplace.

Audio Transcript

Jim Leloudis

Did either one of you ever get injured on your job?

Mary Thompson

Carl did. He’s got one …

Carl Thompson

Yes, a finger cut off here, then two more tore-up fingers.

Mary Thompson

Two New Year’s Days, straight together. [Laughter]

Jim Leloudis

What happened?

Carl Thompson

Caught it in a half-lap on a comber.

Jim Leloudis

You worked in a card room?

Carl Thompson

Yes.

Jim Leloudis

Was that pretty dangerous work?

Carl Thompson

Yes, it was, in a way it was pretty dangerous. You’d have to watch yourself. On cards, especially, there were so many things that you could… Even cleaning up, getting your brush maybe caught in a belt or something or other.

Mary Thompson

Really, it’s about the dangerousest job in the mill now, is work in the card room.

Carl Thompson

And maybe if your brush would get caught in a belt or in a pulley or something like that, naturally it’s going to jerk your hand, and all you could do is keep from it, jerking maybe your hand in there or arm. Well, as soon as it caught it, just turn it loose and let it go. But some of them would try to hold it, and they’d jerk more than anybody. And I’ve seen them jerked in the cards thataway and maybe get their whole arm and all broke, and …

Mary Thompson

It is a very dangerous job, card room work is.

Carl Thompson

… the skin pulled off, maybe slam through the bone and all.