New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-21
nov THE 'LOYGSHOREM1N LIVES.

HOY THE 'LONGSUOHEU1N nv Ec.
THEIR HARD WORK POOR WAGES AND IIRI GULAE
HOURs-TAIKs WITH The MEN ALONG THE
RIVER FRONT.
l. The life of the 'lOngshOreman is monOtonous
and in many respects hard one. 1t passed along the
river fronts and among the whaIves loading dis
charging the OF vessels. The ongshoremans con-
tented in the naSes his lviug and thinks mt
Tie OF He is hardy his face IS burned ma MS
hands calloused through hard labor lie wears me
same coat hat and wascoat for ard gives tbcm up
only when they to pieces through long nSe, ana
not because they are ut al pleasant ing i'm rSn2ed
with dirt and various Odors In fact he is conservatives
He has no nationality for along the fronts and among
the wharves Of North and East Rivers, longshore-
men Oi various races, kinds and conditions may ne
found The Iriehman and American predommate how
ever. while occasionally a mulattO mlngies among the
busy or idle crowd. They from all quarters drlt-
in in with the tide that h;Dgs men constantly to the
great metropolis II asked why they come, Inc answer
Is TO the effect that chance much a. anything was the
cause. The great majority however, were born III ths
city and Brooklyn. and have passed Their daY' mere
among the wharves. few DAYS since a TRIBUNE re-
porter sauntcIcd along West and S)uthsts. 70 take a
view Of the lon~shorCmen 10 their owa hauns. some
of them were occupied loading disc'acing c1rg"es
and many we're Standing idly here and there Although
the day was bitterly cold the latter class could not be
induced TO f0rego their oudncss to stand in groups IN
front the wareh ,uses Tncy stood mostly Win 'her
hands IN their pockets many OF them were smoking
Misunderstanding pipes They were apparently wall
ing tor an increase wages. They were mostly young
men and unmarried.
A vOnng muiato who was occupied In moving barrels
OF sur gave some pa cuats concerning hs own NE
and that OF his fellows: singa man. s-ii he ;
! am unable u marry, even n wished to- The iimcS
arc too hard any thing Of that kind Then' too a.
well as thc rest, have regular hours Of Cmpoyment
I pro aver = IA
ing 10 night and again, may not earn over 30 cents or
even less that depends the amount ol work go
ing
"Recre1tlcn :" he said obviously IN reply 20 Ques
ZION; "Oh no. have time for that; that IS we VINO
are anxious 10 work. Some Of the Iongahoremcn cct
little ahead aud then spend at saloons but most ofus
don't save much. It's q hard life" ne added, with
shrls OF the shoulders, but make the most OF IT.
Tie reporter next encountered John McGaIlcutt,
Toncshorenan of forty years eXperencc His life and
WHO nave followed the business for years: We'll san
hc wren asked TO give some information concerning
as Won See have worked about these docks Ter forty
years. and have seen great many change. rencn-
Gov ere" a. ~ i r. il tlc sime cd story over
ana over. oaGil ana unloading Hour, lumuer sugar,
nails ropes tar tea ana thousand other thlnFs ih't
How do the times compare with those you have
seen before p the reporter inquired.
Badly. It's very nald WORK to get along now:
money was plenty and work was plenty There were
men ying abound then as now saved money in those
days. but about gone as have had 10 use IT TO
null through. am married man aui nave Tour chI!-
dren and find il hard work to MAKE both ends meet
II did lot have good careful vie, should have
what wages can you earnr'
on that depends the amount Of work and the sea
the year. used to earn 81 day a. the average
bit 81 all average Besides this our money
dses not go 1t ought. Many employers ObIige
us purchase groceries al their own stores they
charge third more tnan we would have to pay else
where, and do good articles Then there
are some pay thrd less than anybody else for
grinds us. There many men ont Of employment.
they Jump at the chance; they would work Tor almost
What remedy Is there for thisi"
Not any, now" said Mt MCGallcutt, resignedly.
" Bat the Time Will come. WoIklngmen are 700 weak
they do not work III concert but when they learn
that there is strength in union they VIII settle TINS
{" How Will you doiti'
e" BY putting down the capitalists. They Cypress us
and We must have redress. admit we must become
more intelligent and have more executive ahilry, so
that we can orm cooperative societies ana Things OF
that SOFT. That's what all workingmen need, is co,
operation Ihat would put an end 10 capitalist ana
Who're do the 'longshorenen live generally, ana
o., III inns cry and Brooklyn. great many live in
the place. You can cross the ferry before
ana after wOrkiug hours for cent. the expense
small We all 1--we IN tenement houses, course, aud
on very plal iare-5read and potatoes and meat we
don't get many dccac.es they would not agree With
us and he smiled gfImly
" Do many oIyOu marry - "
" We'll, some do and some don't; that depends on
mans courage married man has nara time OF IT,
YET along about as well as sing, II his "e
Is economical aud It good manager"
Mr. McGailIcutt remarked that his life Kept him away
from nome from morning until night, Tor wnen not
wOraing he was waiting about or looking about Tor
something to do Sometimes hired by the
maser stcvedoIcs. and again by owners of cargoes
drcctly however II is. glad TO get work aud 60
our best TO make "a living"
What are The habits OF 'lonGshorcmon with reference
to drI1king 2"
They vary; many of MS are too poor TO drink
some OF younger ones indulge occasionally,
but they generally have enough TO do m getting
their bread and butter. We have not much lat
tude for dissipation simply rough workers and
lead very plain, everyday existence. There is no
poetry in II Tor us"