The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-09
sWEDEs GoTNo HOHE.
Interesting Information from the Ltader Of
t.ang Of Rsilroad DuiIder-.

ALLENTOWN, April 9. - Twenty-seven
Swedes on their way to cross the water to 20
back nome, attracted considerable attention NJ
this depot to-day. One Of their number named
Antoine IIeine was their representative man.
lie WIS a tall, wc-built person, staining SIX
feet four inches nigh. lie cou speak tnlcrabie
Enplish n ne has been In America four years.
employed on puplic works. Hc said :
1--WE are going home because worN Il too scarce
to stay In A nerica over two hundred are going
this month last month many more Ieft. Most
OF us have bocn here three years. We have
saved enough money in that time to make us
feel easy In our old homes. We would have
stayed, but times are too bad for us. All the
railroad work in Jersey IL nnished, and we left
the work on the South Mountain road because
we don't like 10 wait 30 long for wages and run
the chances OF not getting Il. The south Noun
tlin line Is to run from tue Goa lrcgons 10 New
between Allentown and HARRISBURG"
lie was a. Ned something aOOut railroad labor
IN America, "a far he knew.
Wei, you see my four years experience IN
America has taught me much. IN the old coun
try was fifteen years on public works. Here
In this Land YOU are oil fast and In hurry.
Five Years ago the lrishmen did most OF tho
work. Now the Swedes. Italians. and Poles do
II, or have been doing it the past i've years. Con
tractors say they like Swedcs for three reasons
First, they don't get drunk second, they are
saving third, they can WORK hard and RJOd. Al.
ii
his money for rum. get drunk and stay away
three or four days to sober up. Instead % thet
the Poles Swcdes and Italians do a far different
thing. On q large public work they are divided
into gangs. say twenty OF EN- VIII be IN shantS.
There they live, Just like mess IN tue army or
on board ship. They de- tDeir own huyinR ana
cooking sheep together and make their own
beds, and 10 their own washing. Instead OF IL
costing 'em twenty dollars month to board IN
a shanty the same as other men, they get
through with about dollar and half week
or six dollars month. 1hoy keep about nall a
III L. ..ak Ff.r ft.l..t H. IA
meeting. All the money that they can spare
they turn in to the treasurer, VINO SENDS u TO
their agent In New NOrN, and lie sends u TO
sweden. No drinking whiskey you see, nor stay
ing away from work. In thls WY the Swede,
Pole and Italian save nearl! every cont they ear
doee not bother them; they did not come 10
America To put on airs Ihey were on BUSINESS.
They worked hard and got rs hirh as SliD per
dav. Men generally average TWENTY-FIVE working
dtys, not counting SUNDAY aud rainy days iney
average about forty dollars "A month. OF which
they save about thirty In good times, but many
Of 'cm only work about h III the year. In four
We m in this country they can save enough to
Keen them con,fortabe In tue cid country foi
many years. Times are getting hard, and we
are told TINT they amt going To get any better
nothing i'm public works IN the Est here any
more. except a railroad near syracuse, Al IN,
work gong on Is out West, but II ~ not enoll
to keen US gong. All OF Us that amt golnI
back home are going out West
he man was asked how Swedos llVed on
d. 'lai and half a week.
"Wtn YOU see. Irshmen want beef and pota
| toes, bread and butter, every day. We are salts
fed with bread ana coffee in the morning anc
soup at dinner. We make a boiler full OF SOU
out Of yegeta bles, enough to feed twenty men a
ac1st OF aODut one dollar, ami what IA left WI
eat for supper. We cat very little meat, no hut
tel, some mOlasses. rice and beans, ana eggs foi
| sunday. II costs each man about twenty cent
"a day. In the old country the way We i've h
/ hardly costs one cent day.
The man tnen told one Of his party 10 opei
| bis pack. Lacu one VI thcm carried knansaci
| made Of baggng " There, YOU can see
! Swede's baggage, woollen shirt, blue pants, extr
! pair OF boots Tin cup. tin plate, knift, FORK
spoon, thread, needles, and a COMB in III
! pocke'. the Italians don't carry everything
! they nave IN Il pack. they carry something
! down the backs Of their ne ks, dagger. Ant
they use 1t freely IN a hght lney put up tibet
| arm, aud la a moment wnirl II out, and use !
! before the stranger knows what he Is about.
| a swede oies In this country We bury hin. ant
! ms money in tue old country goes To bis peope
/ Most Of US have wives and children al home
! Those that are going to stay here have thei
wives IN this country.
! "Why don't you 90 West and commence farm
ing" was asked. Don't want To farm. ca
do that at home. Rather be at home. Take
too much m ney in this country. Goes too fas'
| XIII people mere. People steal and ron aud nun
der We get b ld here too " we stIy."
| Farther Information was gained TO the enec
! that the Swedish, Polish and Italian laborer
| are not arriving Ia this country TO any exten
| worth speaking OF.