The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-19
HUNGARIANS AT THE MINES.
zTYI1rR GRADUAL EVOLUTION UNDER
AMERICAN INFLUENCES.

TTTIgIR GRADUAL EVOLUTION UNDER
AMERICAN INFLUENCES.
The Cheap and Uaco,nfsrtasie Hasits tAat
They Brought with Thom-Their Queer
Eject In Poiitics-Forsakine the Mines.
HAzLEToN, Pa, Fob. 9.-It Is now nearly
ten years since tho coal operators Of the an
thracite coal regions began importing cheap
laborers into the coal mines OF this State. The
t1rst that arrived in the regions were composed
OF Poles. Hungarians, and Italians, and were
welcomed heartily by the miners, as were emil
grants OF other nationalities. Us poor people
coming from n foreign homo into this groat
country to better their condition. There WIS
some sellshness, also. prompting this welcom-
ing Of the now workmen by the old. rs several
companies In the mining districts were begin
ming TO strip the surface coal from tho mines,
q class OF work worry repugnant to the old
minors, but worry suitable to tho newly arrived
emigrants, although the pay was very small,
and the work tedious and slnvish. Emigration OF
this kind became u regular thing after the arri-
val OF tho frst lot, but for q time not
moro THAI q dozen or so camo In a ship. I'M
mediatcly' after landing tho emigrants were
sent 10 tie coal regions, where they at once
found work. Those among them who showed
tho most intelligence were made bosses over
working Gangs OF their countrymen. Through
these bosses letters were sent to tho old coun-
try describing the beauty and advantages Of
America, u country where abundance and
happiness were the lot of every one. These
letters always advised tho recipients to come
to America without delay. Tho result Of this
was that instead OF n dozen or two being among
the passengers from Europe to this country,
the vessels began to carry no one in their
storage quarters but representatives of the
scum of EurOpo's population, coming hero
under cOnt-act to mtnGlo with and take away
the bread from decent labor that had declared
its fcalty to this Government through citizen
ship and on many II wcll-fought field.
1t was then that the coal miner became
alarmed, for this horde WIS pouring in upon
him night and day. and his little resources
were placed at tho disposal Of the now corners.
who reached tho coal regions like n pack Of
.fsniished wolves. and with barely clothing
enough TO cover them. Even the coal COM
'rnnies that had been instrumental In this i'm
portation wero perplexed US to their disposal,
go fast did it nonrin I. 1t ovcrstocked tho labor
market, md hunircds wore thrown upon the
charity OF the very miners whose status as
vago earners they were destined to so dis
Istrously disturb. 1t was u repetition Of the
case of the man and the frozen snake. 1t was
not until some OF these pauper foreigners had
learned to speak enough English to make them-
5telves understood that tho home miners
learnod that they Ind boon imported and con-
,racted for ut so much Il head. Their passage
j nd been qaidfrom their homes to their desti-
futlon in this country. the passage to be de-
,ucted from their wages as soon as earned.
They wore to learn the business of mining. and
in time to no of service TO the companies who
iJipurged them.
Nory few nf he Polish laborers settled in the
Kill md Wyoming valleys, and the. Hungnri-
uns. or HUNKS" swarmed the LehiEh region.
hive been on strike since last September. it
Is OF the evolution OF this class OF paupcr labor
ers, that l can write from personal observation
in and about the mines OF the particular region
whore they located and became a bone OF con-
tention aud a disturbing factor in its social and
They, were n sorry lot, these Hungarians.
they reachou tnelr, destination and were en-
P,l,oyod and housed ut last in the coal regions.
There were no emigrant trains running be-
region. and tho Hunk emigrtnts were. shipped
from the city in the smoking ears OF regular
possibly oecupyt tho same car in which u num-
Der tI q ,bd Iie SO people were D ri III even il they
household. and personal arpurlenances lett
any room in tic. eur for other persons. They
we +, a sourS f, OF Constant Snam no care and nt trouble to
cert thut they. mad tickets for I~taaieton or
so;no other mining town. A train contain
"a hour or SO from New York before every
s]nierant in the car made up his or her mind
% ovcry step Hereafter each one would grab
his personal belongings, and rush wildly for
s eosi SHf Do S% to Keen II , Tes w VII 5,,e e "r@U from Fl f1n d i
ing itself uut at every station, anu frequently
one or two llunl;s would escape in spite of
penniiess, perhaps, and unable to make his
situntion known TO q single soul. and fatcd to
first arrivals Of HUM; delegations in The min
ing region afforded picturesque, and novel
ts ss cars to a tSs 1 Euis,sa T II o 8ijEh,sa fr nna
where Is, 20 or what e, do. Sometimes anHs
them, and under Els direction they would DO
low him, in single, file. men. women. and chill
ptren laden with bundles, bags; trunks. and
Many OF tho emisrants were clad from lead to
toct in garments made OF the skins OF animals,
thor heads being covered with colored tur-
These PROFESSIONS would befol!owod bycrowds
OF E9ma miners; men. women. and children.
Aiter. hustiing, around tho best way they
srSnts Would Z scatter ne next IDA day in ditrer u
d!ree5I2ns, seekiE& emnloyment at the di,ler-
that operators were unable to ind WORK for one"
mine !ahorer INC Hunk dayelorqd II rare knowi-
80 - $50 u "-" " " L
who Wcre fortunate enough TO possess u dollar
Of twol found that by judicious use Of that on
ee.f to pay the boss n certain percentage of his
WAGES on rny day, le could get work whore his
iess oLseryhnt fellow ,GGountryman, failed in
employed IN or about tho mines his name was
asied. and If II waa ono OF tho unpronounce-
able ones common otheir race. the boss either
cave him a name Of hi, own coming or u num-
ber, MS his Wlim moved him. They were bettor
known by numbers, and were usually so en-
tered on tho conipnny's books. Many carry to-
day nSrics gIven, them by some boss, and use
no other. since becoming acquainted with our
InngliaEe, however, many Of the Hungarians
mus Arbitrarily presented with a nononcla-
turo widely different from their own sought to
establish their Identity under their proper
pam ~, and advertisements like the following
became common in the local papers:
no WHOM IT NAY CONCERy.-Tnis ia to certify
th1t when came to this country seven years agoI
wac, not ahle 10 speuk English, aud upon applying for
WORK was TOLD my name would DO John Nicholas" I
have since b'ci EnoYn by that name. but hereby give
no,,co that after this date | will only recognize my
f!Bhtnaluo. STANLEY RAWLEN
After securing employment and coloniaing In
2 community. among themselves, tho mode Of
living Of the Hungirians became a subject OF
unIlrh ~ n r n ~ lNn a. nL.. -NAas ..I IL l--1 L