Mill Worker Tending a Power Loom, 1850 This young woman’s main task was the frequent restocking of the wooden shuttle with spindles of thread (shown here), which traveled mechanically over and under the threads mounted on the loom. The worker also had to be alert for sudden breaks of thread, which required a fast shutdown of the loom and a quick repair. Mill worker: American Textile History Museum, Lowell, MA; Shuttle with spindles: Picture Research Consultants & Archives.