The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-04-27

why They Come Here and How They
Like Montana.
Labor that Cannot be Utilized in a Mining
Camp.

NO NtAlhLtNd III u hkiUkH1S
Camp.
ihere Is a strong probability that this year
Montana will receive a heavier immigration
than ever before. Already pilgrims are flock
III by the score, and the spring not yet being
very far advanced, they all wend their way
towards the larger towns in the hone of find
Ing employment. As a rule those that have
arrived up to the present time are destitute
OF means and of course totally unacquainted
with the usages Of the country, so that for
some months at least it will be a very difficult
matter for some of them to get along. With
a view of ascertaining the motives of the i'm
migrants in leaving their eastern homes and
coming to this far off country, a reporter
yesterday had a short conversation with sew
eral of their number. The first man inter-
viewed had q very intelligent appearance and
is probably thirty-ive years of age. When
asked what induced him to come to this
country he replied:
"The New York Tribune. | saw Mr..
Whites letters last fall and concluded this to
be the best point to build up a new home. IF
l succeed I shall send for my family in Mis-
souri, and attempt to grow up with the coun-
try"
"Do you find Mr.. Whites statements ycri-
fed?'
"Io a certain extent, yes; but if Irecollect
! Alright he said that the climate is delightful
and that the winters are neither long nor
severe. This statement, l think, might be
termed a White lie, for the past winter, at
least, has been cold and protracted and the
weather for the past three weeks has been
Internal"
Are many people likely to emigrate from
your section Of the country this season."
eyes, a great many. Wages are very low
in Missouri. TIL large cities are overstocked
with lahos, and there is nothing for a poor
man to do except to work Oh some rich mans
farm for $40 a month, and he is lucky if he
gets that. But l very much fear that many
of my fellow 'pilgrlms,' as we are called, will
not succeed here as we'll as they expect, for this
reason: it is almost like coming to a foreign
country, and unless a man understands min-
ing, or has money enough to enable him to
n up q Ioihl uAu oIOSh ~ liz 10 "oloC Oi
here among strangers than he would be at
home. 1t so happens that I have a few dol
lars. I shall take up a farm, and l am conf
dent of success"
At this point another tenderfoot came
along of a very different character from the
first. He was not very comfortably dressed
and looked decidedly blue and cold. When
asked whether he was satisfied with the
country, he manifested a disposition to swear
and said very dejectedly:
81 wish I had stayed at home. l have been
three weeks without a job and 1 haven't got
much money left. l have applied to the
mining companies for work, but can't get it.
They say they haven't anything That l can
do"
.'What can you do ?'
"Well, l worked four years in a glass fac
tory in Chicago, and l Was considered a good
hand, too," he said, his face Frightening a
little "but there don't seem to be any open
ing here and l feel discouraged. l shall have
to 60 to work on a farm or go home"
Another unfortunate we Intercepted was
even worse off; he had been living on crack
crs and cheese for a week, but frankly con-
fessed that had he been able to make himself
generally useful in the mines, or as a clerk,
or even as a farm hand, he could easily
have obtained employment. The trouble
seems to be that a majority Of the new
corners have no knowledge Of the WORK
required in a country like this. They have
been educated in occupations which are of no
practical use in a sparsely settled territory.
Glass-blowcrs, plumbers and factory hands
cannot reasonably expect to gain instant en-
ployment in their regular line, and unless they
are willing and able to take advantage of
what opportunities ale presented to secure
work either at ~clerkins, mining, farming, or
some kindred occupation, they will find it
very difficult to make a start in this Territory
for some years to come. Ii. however, they
are anxious and competent to work at any
thing that may come a.org the best possible
opportunities are offered in almost any section
of the Territory for industrious men to make
happy homes and a good living.
The conception which some Of the immi-
grants have formed regarding the western
country is really amusing. For instance,
one dapper young fellow was accosted with
the question
"What induced you to come out to Mon
tana?"
"To get rich," he replied with animation.
"TIere is no chance for il young man OF
enterprise in the East
In what business do you propose to EN-
bark your means"
81 shall embark my brains, sir; l have no
means. l have read in books that many men
have come West with literally nothing aud
gone back wealthy, and ! propose to emulate