The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-09-08
DEPARTURE or WORKAEN FOR
SCOTLAND.

The dock Of the State Line steamship |
company, at the foot of Canal street, WAS
yesterday morning the scene of excite !
ment and activity. At a. m. large
number Of working men were upon the
dock waiting to go on board the steam
ship Pennsylvania. These men were
masons and stone cutters who have been
selected to 90 to Greenock, Scotland.
About two weeks ago an advertisement
appeared in the daily journals calling for
one hundred and fifty masons and stone
cutters to 90 20 Scotland for two years,
Dtheir wages to be ten pence an hour for
eight hours work day. John w. Alb
bott was appointed agent to engage men
on this side by the contractors, Messrs.
CogiI & Tohn, who have a large contract
now on hand for building various paro-
chial institutions, docks and other works
As laborers were found to be scarce in
England and Scotland, the application
was made in this country. In answer to
the advertisement, several hundred APP
plicants appeared, from W n
dred and fifty were selected, and were
instructed to be prepared with refer
ences, and ready to sail yesterday. Most
of the men going away were accompanied
to the dock by their families, which for
want of means could not sail with
them, the passage money of the
workmen only being advanced by the
Scotch 6rm. So large was the crowd that
a squad Of policemen had to be sent for
to keep the men in order and to see
| that only those entitled to do so passed
through the gates. The agent, Mr.. Alb
/ bott, and Austen Baldwin, were pres
ent to issue tickets to those who were to
90 on board, and this work continued un.
/ til noon In the mean time, those who
obtained their passage tickets rejoined
their friends on the deck. In some in
stances men were found disposing OF
their passage tickets for $500 or $1,000
| each, not wanting at the last moment tc
go, and there were many customers to
purchase them at this price, but the
trick twas detected, and neither person
was allowed to use them.
The Pennsylvania left her dock soor
after nine o'clock, when the tugboat, tho
| Only Son, took her place for the purpose
| of taking the men down the bay with
their luggage. The friends of the work
men were then allowed to go on the dock
to say farewell Those who had no reIa
tive to leave behind made light of theii
! departure but there were also fathers
! who had to bid wives and children good
by, and some very affecting scenes took
place before they could be separated by
the officers of the boat. a few of the
men were able TO take their families witt
them. For the most part the men ap
pea-ed to be respectable mechanics
though some of them had not change
Of linen or clothing, nor even sufficient
money to purchase a mattress or a til
cup or knife and fork to use during the
voyage Nearly all, however, seemed
in good spirits at the start. As the boat
passed along down the docks down th'
| North river the men at work cheereC
their felIow-workmen, and were answered
in the same way. AT Quarantine they
were taken on board the steamship. TIL,
next party to 90 come from Chicago, anC
after the departure of the western work
men one hundred more will be sent OF
the same terms from this city, maxim;
three hundred in all.