The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-04-15

The Boston and Maine railroad is building a
| double track and gave the job to extend the
| portion from the Scarboro Know Nothing
| crossing, two and a half miles to Scarboro
Beach station, to William HI. Flynn, con-
| tractor from South Berwick. Mr.. Flynn ad-
verlised in the papers for laborers to work on
the job, and stated that all who desired to ap-
ply must be at the compsny's ronnd-house
Monday morning last at 6 o'clock, when
train would leave for the field of work. About
forty or fifty men applied at the time stated.
Mr.. Flynn told them he would pay EN- $l'2o
per day. He said as the job was situated SO
| near Portland he should prefer to employ Port
land men. He said the sum mentioned was
the price that was being paid for the job along
the line, and that if higher wages should be
paid by the other contractors then he would
give the same prices. The men declined to
work at the figures and the train left without
them.
On hearing the news Mr. Furber, Superin-
tendent of the Boston & Maine, telegraphed to
Mr.. Flynn that if the men wouldn't work for
the above prices he shouldn't hold him to his
contract Mr.. Flynn went to Boston and there
hired the same class of men that were en-
ployed by the other contractors, strong sturdy
Italians, who were glad to get the job at SIPS,
and who had lately been working on the New
York and New England road. Mr.. Flynn
brought down sixty of these Italians and they
went to work Fast Day at the Scarboro Know
Nothing.
Thursday afternoon about 300 laboring men,
Cd wit Ind
left the city in two parties. One party went
by the way of Danforth street, and both met
at the transfer station. They there joined
forces and marched out to the Scarboro Know
Nothing. In the mean time news OF what was
going on leaked out and Mr.. Furber was tele-
graphed to at Pine Point. He took an engine
and proceeded quickly to the Scarboro Nnow-
Nothing, hitched on to the gravel train, loaded
the train with the Italians and their tools, and
ran the train down to Old Orchard. When
the crowd from Portland arrived at the Nnow-
Nothing there was nobody there. Some of
the crowd walked back to Portland, the others
continued on six miles farther to Scarboro and
then returned.
Yesterday morning Sheriff Sawyer, with
deputies Andrews, Dow, Hamilton and a posse,
proceeded to the spot and found everything
orderly and the Italians working without
hindrance. They therefore returned to the
city at p. m. The particulars which we have
given above were related to US by the railroad
officials, and at the sheriff's office.
Last evening Sheriff Sawyer and his deputies
went out to the Rollings Mills to see that all
was right. At later hour reporter for the
Press visited the place to see how matters and
things were progressing. Upon reaching the
main entrance to the Rolling Mills, he pro-
ceeded through the main avenue to the em
bankment of the Boston and Maine where
large one and half story building stands, de-
voted to the use of the italian laborers. Here
he met Sheriff Sawyer who kindly introduced
him to the interpreter for the Italians, a
bright, smart young man of from twenty-five
to twenty-eight years of age. who took him
over the establishment. The upper story, and
rear of the first, were devoted to the sleeping
apartments. Plenty of clean straw was pro-
vided, windows we're carefully battened, and
the scene was quite picturesque. Tbs athletic,
graceful figures of the young men-some sixty
in all, between the ages of 20 and 30-draped
in their long cloaks, were stretched upon the
beds of straw, while great locomotive head
lights, and kerosene lamps, shed their rays up
on them. In the front of the first story small
groups sat chatting, smoking their cigarettes,
and gesticulating in true italian fashion to
give emphasis to their conversation, and, on
one side, stood long tables with clean white
bowls, and loaf of bread beside each bowl,
ready for the morning meal Everything was
neat and clean. The men feed themselves
and do their own cooking, in which maccaroni
and soups play an important part. About IL
o'clock, as all was'quiet, the reporter returned
to the city. 1t is not believed that any trouble
will be attempted as no men have been re-
moved to make places for these laborers, and
no contracts broken, and Sheriff Sawyer is
determined that they shall be properly pro-
tected