The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-10-09
Organ Grinders.


whom, with probably have dozen ex-
ceptions, are Italians. They form a pc
culiar and distinct class among the thou
sands who earn their living in the
streets of the great metropolis, and the
story of their lives and work has spe-
cial interest. About seven-tenths of
them live it Mott, Mulberry and Baxter
streets, while the greater portion of the
remainder are to be found in the Eighth
| Ward, especially on Thompson and Mer"
Ger streets. Among themselves they are
divided into two classes, those that
came Tor rather, that were sent) from
Naples, and those that have lived at
Genoa, Rome, Milan, and other parts of
Italy. The former are the lowest order
of Italians, most Of them having former
ly been brigands and ex-convicts in their
native lands, from whence they were
driven come years ago by order of Vic
tor Emanuel. The Neapolitans live on
the block in Mulberry street near the
PARK, in medium sized, old fashioned,
tenement houses, in a state of wretch
edness almost impossible to be de-
scribed.
Between ) and : o'clock in the Sum-
mer, and and on Winter mornings
the organ grinders start forth on their
musical mission. They go in all direc-
lonesome travelling as far as the
Harlem Bri lge in New York, and others
going beyond Prospect Park, in Brook
lyn.
Some 20 to New Jersey, as far as
towns,in Morris courtyard even. beyond,
returning the same day late in the even
ing. Others go off during the Summer
on tour through the county, not re-
turning till the Winter season. Those
of this class are occasionally found in
Pennsylvania or Massachusetts, and
mention is made of one who had made
Summer trip to England. They earn
from 60 cents to 81 80 day, never
more than that these times, though in
former days 50 was the highest figure.
They are envious of each others sue
cess. If one more prudent than the
rest, becomes rich and opens a store,
they one and all shun him. "They try
to break him." said young italian TO
TO me; land if they find they can't
break him, why then they gradually
come round and pa,ronize him"
Sunday afternoon is the only time you
can see the organ-grinders at the Five
Points, unless you can 90 there at 6 in
the morning, or run the risk of being
robbed by lingering for their return late
in the evening. On Sunday, if the day
he fine, you will find them standing in
groups upon the street, sharing the ex-
periences of the exchanging false
hoods would express it better, for they
never give truthful accounts to each
other. In the morning few of them so
to some Catholic Church, in the lower
part of the city though, as the sexton of
one Of these houses remarked, they were
of no account to get money from |; how
it was as to religion he did not know.
Later in the afternoon and evening they
may 60 out visiting, those residing in the
lower part of the city visiting their
friends in the Eighth Ward, and vice
versa They drink stale beer-the drain
ings of beer kegs gathered up by another
class Of Italians early in the morning
at one cent a glass; and play cards for
the drinks" in the bar-rooms near their
homes on Sunday afternoons. Their
children, if boys, work mostly at black
ing boots. One man spoke with pride
at having son employed on a steam
boat, and another boosted of his boy
being engaged at the Hoboken ferry.
Hand organs are generally made to
order, and cost when new from SS5 to
5000. The average price paid is 500.
They play eight or ten tunes. Second
hand organs can be had at from $50 to
SIC. The tunes are arranged by means
Of pins on a cylinder, on the same prin-
ciple as that Of a music-box. New tunes
can be put in at any time by pulling out
the pins representing an old tune and
placing in new ones. a tune generally
lasts one year before the public tires of
it; on the other hand, it has to be pretty
well known before it can be made popu-
lar on the organ. "The Sweet By-and-
By is the most popular tune at present
in all parts of the country, while in the
West many organs have been set to
Moody and Sankey airs.-George FL
lington in Christian Union,
The first suicide mentioned in the