The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-12-12
WHERE WILL IT END?
A Chicago workingman's Discourse
on Foreign-Born Labor.
Americans toiug 10 the Wall and
Thrifty Poles, BoIiemians and
Italians Coming TO
the Front.

Thousands of Poles, Bohemians, Italians,
and other foreigners are getting rich in this
city on wages which would not be sufficient
to keep Americans, Irishmen, and Germans
from going hungry. 1t will only be few
years before the wage-workers who really
care for the comfort and happiness Of their
families viii find no place to hold them in
this whole big city. The Americans are 60
ing to the wall, and the thrifty Poles, Bo-
hemians, and others are coming to the
front How do they do itl Let me tell
you.
II have lived in this city since 1866 When
/ first came here l could almost count on my
fingers all the Poles living north OF Chicago
avenue. Now that part of the city lying be-
tween Chicago and Milwaukee avenues and
the river is almost given up to the Poles.
More are coming to the city all the time.
The young folks marry at a very early age
and generally raise large families. The
Polish laborer lives with his wife and family
In one or two little rooms. He works at any
thing he can get and for any wages he can
get When he goes to ask for work he asks
for nothing else-the wages may be anything
Perhaps he gets rs cents n day, perhaps he
gets 81 day-at least he gets something,
and isn't idle. Then his wife, in all
garden at the northern border Of the city.
She gets GO or 75 cents day. Large mum.
b. r. of Polish womel are employed in the
great market gardens between here and
Ravcnswood. ! meet them going and com
ing, walking with bare feet and perhaps
carrying heavy loads of firewood or Of IN.
salable vegetables. They find employment
in the gardens from April until November.
Many Polish women also wheel brick in the
yards at Lake View. Others sew in tailor.
ing establishments, and make about 81
day. Others sew or knit at home. Mean
while the children are busy picking up wood
from the river or bark from the tanneries OF
elsewhere, or coal from the railway tracks.
or worm out paving blocks from the streets,
Go to the little homes of the Poles and you
will find great piles of fuel stored away for
winter which did not cost them a cent
Hundreds of Irish and German laborers have
no fuel laid up for the winter and no money
to buy any. The Polish people have the
money but do not need to use it. When the
man and his wife come home from their
days work they generally bring fuel or food
with them. / think they seldom buy meat,
other than link of sausage or something OF
that sort. have watched them make their
purchases of food. A family will generally
buy a loaf Of bread, q pint of
milk, pint Of beer or some
schnapps. That will do for supper.
| have seen Poles go among the merchants
on South Water street gathering up decayed
fruit and vegetables, tainted meat and fowls,
to take home for food. They are over
crowded In their houses, and no matter how
much they desire to he cleanly they find it
next to impossible to be SO. But they save
money and put it into building associations.
Pretty soon they draw out money enough to
build large brick houses. One Of these houses
will be rented to dozen tenants. Every
penny earned is saved. The Polish laborers
grow rich and the Irish, Americans and Ger
mans of the same class grow poorer and
poorer How can these compete with people
like the Polesl
Look at the Polish weddings. A boy and
a girl get married without owning penny.
All they have earned up to that time has
gone to their parents. But all the guests
when they dance with the bride are expected
TO contribute something to start them in life.
The $40 or $50 thus gathered up will buy
them a cook-stove and a little furniture II
is strictly business wedding, and the couple
go steadily TO work to get rich. The man
will never stay in the house and be idle. II
he can't find any thing elSe to do he taEos a
big bag and goes ont to see what he can find.
He will come home in the evening with the
bag full of wood, or coal, or bones, or paper,
or rags, or old clothes, or anything else
which be can use or sell. That Is the kind
of people that get along in this world.
aNow, look at me. l have wife and
three children. must have bread, meat
and potatoes for them and myself. We can
do without butter and coffee and tea We
must have clothes There is scarcely month
In tie year that do not have to buy each Of
the little fellows a new pair Of shoes. How
can / save money! My wife cannot and
shall not work in garden or a brick-yard
She shall not take in washing or sew in q
tailor's shop I am out OF work sometimes,
but will not carry bag on my back and
gather up bones to sell / buy my fuel and
Let my children 60 to school My wages arr
lower than they were tefore the Polish La
borers came here and cheapened work, along
with the Italians and others. But my ex
penses are no lighter. Where is it going tt
endg / live as cheaply as ! can. il wages
drop again and living gets no lower viii
have to move to somewhere else, reckon.