The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-07-28
Labor and its Wants in Cities,

The wants of Labor may be seen a.
mong q numerous class who are willing
to work if they could find employment.
There is painful interest in seeing la
borers flock around when a job is to be
done. Go to the wharf and buy load
of wood, you have no need to look for a
sawyer. Usually, before the cart has
gone q block, one with his buck and saw
is following after; or, if the carman will
permit he gets on and rides to its desti-
nation. Sometimes you will see three or
four, all after one load If load is put
down at your door, one of these persever-
ing laborers will often set down his buck
and 90 to work unbidden, trusting of
course that you will pay him the usual
charge.
It happened few days since that our
opposite neighbor, who was a widow with
large family, and is constantly obliged
to save every sixpence, ordered load of
coal. As usual, with it came coal-hea-
yer, butshe was unwilling to give % cents,
the common charge for carrying it in, and
he went away. In less than twenty min
utes while the coal lay upon the pavement,
there were seven applicants for the job
1t had to be carried up long alley and
put in coal-bin at the back of the house,
and no one seemed willing to do the hard
duty for the profcred shilling. Several
offered to split the difference, but no, and
they went away. There were at one time
four stout men bargaining for the odd
sixpence long enough to earn two. 1t
seemed that one of these would have come
to terms at once. 1t was plain to see
that it was do or die" with him. He
was stalwart son of the could Country,
lately imported, and felt the pressing
wants of the laborer most undoubtedly.
He looked at the coal where it lay, as
much as to say Somebody must move
that; why not II ?" Then he looked a.
round anxiously for some one to say,
ayes, you can do it." At length he
went up to the door and raped timidly.
Evidently he knew nothing of the use of
the bell, or else he supposed it was not
for the like of him to ring. So he came
down and took another survey, and then
placed his basket on the pile as a sign to
other laborers that this was engaged
BY and by he ventured up to the door a.
gain. This time his rap was answered.
Then there was long confab the lady
offered shilling, and he held out for
eighteen pence. How he implored her,
but to no avil she saw he was anxious for
work, and would probably take the shil-
ling. He thought not, and picked up his
basket to go away. Then came one, two,
then others, with their baskets four men
chaifering for an hours work. Finally,
after deal Of talk and gesticulation, all
agreed they would not work for half price
Half an hour afterward, we looked out
and saw the tall man who had stuck SO
hard for the Job, had relented and come
back for the shilling. More than forty
times did he Gil that basket and carry il
up the long slippery alley for that little
sum, barely the price of a pound of beef,
pork or mutton, or couple of pounds oi
bread. But there was no alternative
want was pressing and six other men wan
ted to do the same labor. Let the labor
er in the country, who gets plenty of la
Dor to do, and with it plenty of good food
be content; be is better off than bis fellow
in the city.
If such still think the City is the place
for poor man, let them come here and
join US in one of our walks among the a
BODIES of misery, not crime, for all who
arc poor are not bad We have enough
who are so, but those are not labor
seckers-they live upon the labor of 9th,
crs. 1t is not crime, it is the want Of
| work, that makes so many wretched be-
ings in the City. The inability to pro
cure work, or to gain bare subsistence
by all they can do, is the parent of crime
Go to the co untry-you will find few
irOguas among constantly employed farm