Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-09-17
LONDON DOCK LABORERS.
The Efforts Made by the Unemployed

The Efforts Made by the Unemployed to
Obtain Work.
In sunshine or shower, fog or fair
weather, the approaches to the docks
and wharves of the metropolis are
every morning thronged by crowds of
eager. anxious men. struggling-nay.
in many cases fighting like wild beasts
to obtain work within the gates. As
the hour draws near for the ringing of
the great bell announcing the COM
mencement of work crowd of often
couple of thousand men press around
the principal entrance to the London
docks. and as the big gates swing slow
ly open the mighty mass of humanity
rushes forward like an overwhelming
flood to the chain-barriers where the
superintendent gives out the metal
tokens emitting the holder to employ
ment with n. OF course he shows pref
erence to those previously employed.
but there is always the chance of
obtaining a ticket, and the men
strive to clutch one of the precious
talismans with intense and passionate
eagerness. They push and jostle and
struggle, leaping on each others
shoulders, and fighting and estling
in the mad rush like furnishing animals
rather than human beings. The most
desperate determination is written on
every face, and there is small thought
in the mind of any man of that surg
ing crowd for any one but himself.
For work means food-poor and
scanty. no doubt, but still something
to keep the terrible wolf from the door.
worse.
But of the crowds who struggle aud
fight at the gates, frequently not more
than one-third are selected. and the re-
mainder. bearing their sad fate with as
much philosophical fortitude as they
can muster-perhaps it is stony de-
SPAR, rather - turn disconsoiately
away, some to seek work at other
places which open later and others to
wait for ''calls" which NAV occur at
any time during the day. Thus WIS.,
itor strolling through the fine docks
and adm ring the shipping and i'm
mense quantit es of merchandise piled
on every hand is suddenly arrested by
the strange sight of sea of white,
anxious faces pressed wistfully against
the bars on a side entrance. Yes. men
are still waiting there for any call of
laborers that may come during the
day. And presently. as you wait, the
superintendent appears, and cries:
lone man wantedn'
Instantly all the watchers spring up
like Gagged animals when food is
brought them. yelling. shouting and
their hands. They leap on
each others backs and Chamber up to
the topmost rails; and all this feverish
is to obtain one little metal
ticket-perhapsf for one hours work.
emitting the owner to fivepence or six
pence at mosti
One out of the large number receives
the ticket, apparently by chance rather
than by any other manner of selection,
and then the noise subsidies, and the |
men wait on, patient, logged, hungry |
eyed, as before.
At another time a call will come for |
two men, and the same scene will occur |
again, and so on throughout the day. |
But of the great numbers who crowd |
the gates in Their desperate struggle to |
obtain employment only a very few |
can ever be engaged. |
One in every three or four appears to |
be the average number who obtain |
work THE QuiCer.