The Labor enquirer., 1884-01-19
starving Italians.

Special to Daily Republican.
ALAMosA, Jan. 15.-There are 800 Ital-
ian laborers here who are without work
or food, and who, have hardly enough
clothing on their backs to keep them
from freezing a small army of desper-
ate men. Up to within 9 few days ago
they were at work on the Denver and
Rio Grande and South Park extensions
near Leadville. They we're induced to
come to Alamosa under promise of inn
mediate work on the ditch, which is be-
ing dug near here. The contractor who
made the promise did not keep it. The
Italians, are, therefore, without work or
money, with no immediate prospect of
getting either. Some ofthem are utterly
destitute. There are a few who have a
dollar or SO in their pockets, but it will
be only few days before all of them
will be without cent. The people of
Alamosa have contributed liberally TO
the support of these helpless fellows, but
they cannot stand the strain much
longer. The great tax upon our people
can be understood when it is stated that
this invoice of Italians is almost as great
as the legitimate population of the town.
The three or four hundred inhabitants
are suddenly called upon to feed two
mouths where they had before fed only
one. If it were possible to get rid of
these men within few days, the out
look would be comparatively bright; but
there seems to be no way of sending
them out of town. They do not seem at
all anxious to go. They are essentially
wanderers. They have no homes, no
families. and unless they could get work,
they would be as helpless in one place as
in another. >-a + y.
They are as hard lot of fellows as
ever handled shovels. Very few of them
can speak or understand English, and
the only affiliation they seek to make
with our people is at meal time. They
have wicked look in their black eyes,
and the citizens of Alamosa have come
to the conclusion that they are danger
GUS fellows to have around. It'll feared
that hunger and cold will drive them to
desperation, and that all kinds of theft
and violence may follow.
They out-number the male population
of the town, and though the citizens of
Alamosa are not actually afraid, yet they
would feel much safer if the Italians
were well out of the town. Our people
cannot feed them much longer. Supplies
will soon run out if this unexpected de-
mand shall continue much longer. Look
at it in any light they may, they cannot
but fear that there will be trouble before
the town shall be rid of its unwelcome
visitors. The crisis seems to be close at
hand.
,&GE -. LATER.
ALAMosA, Jan. 1.-THE Italian troubles
have become more complicated within
the past few days. Last evening they,
were fed by the, town, but up to noon to-
day they had nothing, and they are con-
stantly besieging the town officials for
something to eat. 1t is a frequent thing
to see one of the town trustees passing
up the street followed by a crowd de- :
manding food. No solution to the diff
Guilty has been suggested, but all appre-
ciate the gravity of the situation, and
realize that something must be done to
prevent bloodshed. The governor has
been telegraphed by the town authori
ties for assistance, and an Italian priest
of Conejos has been summoned to de-
wise some plan of relief Great indigna4
tion is felt against the contractors who
induced them to come here, and if they
were present they would be summarily
dealt with.