The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-19
CONTRACT LABOR.
Eyasions Of the Law by the Proprietors Of
Certain Flax-Mills ct Paterson.

Certain Flax-Mills at Paterson.
New YORK, Aug. 18-Chairman Ford, Of the
congressional committee investigating the evils
Of immigration. opened todAy's proceedings by
calling to the stand ward detective Michael j.
Reap, Of the Eldridge-street police station. The
witness faid that no had been attached to that
precinct for a number Of years, during which he
had noticed the steadily increasing number Of
Polish and Hungarian Jews within the bounds
OF the Eleventh precinct. At present they
abound in Ludlow, Hester and Essex streets,
and in the lower portion Of the streets running
from Grand to Division street. east of the Bow
cry. These foreigners. the witness said. are OK
ceedingly filthy in their habits. Home influence
is wanting among them. Numbers of them ped
die stale vegetables and decsying fruit. They
never attempt to learn English. Their living
costs but little. very much less than the cost to
workingmen of other nationalities. They cause
much trouble, and sanitary officers are constant
ly in their midst to insure partial cleanlin ess. 1t
Is disgusting even to travel where these Poles
and Hungarians congregate.
Mira Jane Ryan, q young woman employed in
Barbours iax-thread-mills, In Paterson, N. D.,
was the next witness. She came over with four
other girls ia 1885. When asked IL her fare was
paid, she h~esitated and said piteously; III
tell the truth. Mr.. Barbour will not give me any
more work. Finally she admitted that Mr.. St
Long, a clerk of Bsrbour's. had given her q
ticket in Ireland. She bad paid him back at the
rate of 80 cents per week after her arrival Inc
witness earned seven shillings per week at
home. Here she earned $40 in two weeks She
agreed to work for Mr.. Barbour eighteen
months; worked for Barbour from July, 1885. to
August. 1887, when she married and left the
mill. When she grew i'll Mr.. Barbour offered to
pay her fare home, but she became better and
did not 60. About one hundred girls came from
the same part Of Ireland, and are working In
Barbourls mills In Paterson. She did not know
positively that they came under the same cir
cumstances. her passage was SO. About one
hundred men and boys have also come from Ire
land to work in Barbour's mills.
Kate Kearney, o handsome Irish girl, an en-
ploye OF Barbour, testified that she came here
under similar circumstances TO that OF the pre-
vious witness, but would not say that any agree
ment was made about wages. When threatened
with imprisonment for contempt, she burst into
tears aud was led to another room to recover her
composure.
Eliza Foster proved a very frank witness, and
Miss kearney. Der eyes swollen and red from
crying. was returned 10 the committee room.
that this witness might reassure her. Eliza I'M
hesitatinely told the committee that she came
from Belfast, Ireland, where she worked in
Duuber & McMasterss fax-mills, being enabled
TO cross The ocean by receiving q ticket from
McMasters. Or landing here she went to work
in mills ron by the Same firm in Greenwich,
Conn.,, and had paid the cost OK her ticket 10
weekly installments. In Belfast she received
70 cd a week, and in Greenwich 1924 q fortnight.
She worked In Greenwich eighteen months. and
then secured q position in Barbours mills In
Paterson. While there, in February lsst, SUI
perintendent Saton furnished her with six tick
cts, with which she brought to this country her
father, mother. brother and two sisters, and q
young girl friend. All, with the exception Of
her mother, were given work in Barbours mills,
and are now employed there. The witness left
Ba,oours employ and was now worklng In sse
debt she incurred in bringing the family and
friend over here.
Congressman Ford now replaced Miss Kcar-
ney on the stand. He told her of Mrs. Ryan's
she Mrs. Ryan had come to this country, but
| Kate persisted in her refusal to make any state
ment on the subject. Long had told her she
would be employed in the Paterson mills in
teaching the hands the trade. The wages were
81 q week. The witness WAS asked If she had
not had a conversation with Mr.. William Bar
bour in reference to bringing friends Of hers to
this country.
Il decline to answer said tae witness.
d you receive tickets TO bring people from
Irelsndf' was Mr.. Ford's next question.
81 decline to answer" responded Kate.
And when the persons requested to come
over here, were not you charged 81 apiece for
the ticketsl'
Again came II decline 10 answer
The witness denied that a visit she had made
to ireland was for the purpose Of inducing per-
sons TO come to this country to work in the Pat
erson mills. She refused to say whether or not
the tickets she had sent to Ireland were used by
the persons for whom they were Intended. be-
cause they were 'pauper tickets.' Returning
from her visit home, tho witness brought her
sister with her. The tickets for this purpose
were sent her by Mrs. Sarah Jane Geddes, an
employe of the mills.
The witnss Is now repaying the woman the S3S
which the tickets cost. On being questioned
further on the subject of what inducements
prompted her to immisrate to this country. the
witness acknowledged that che was assured by
the agents of the Barbour mills, in ireland, that
she could procure employment in Paterson at
higher wages than she was receiving.
Mary j. kincail testified that while working
in the Hewitt fax-mills at Belfast, ireland, she
was furnished Q ticket to this country by MIR.
Seton, on her promise to repay him after her
arrival in America. On arriving at Castle Gar
den she was met by q woman who conducted
her to Paterson. and four weeks later she was
given employment 10 Barbour's mills. She has
since been repayine Mr.. Seton, who subse-
quently came to this country The witness
did NOT know that Mr.. Sston's presence in Ire
land was for the purpose OF giving tickets to
girls to come to America.
Mary Murphy, . twister in the Barbour mills,
who formerly worked in q Belfast mill, said she
came to this country eighteen months ago. and
since coming here che had brought relatives,
II NlOsGo III all ~ VI ktN0u 70 Wv WI
Seton. for which she is SSH paying. Seven OF
these people are now employed in Rarbour's
mills. The witness is receiving eli the wages
they earn in payment for the passage tickets.
John Murphy, brother Of the preceding wit
ness. corrobora,ed Mary's testimony, and said;
al am a fsxspinner in Barbouris mills; since
my arrival here i have received four tickets
from Mr.. Seton. upon which four friends have
come to this country. and two of them are now
employed in the mills with me. receive ST
for two weeks work, and out Of this is deducted
every payday 81 to pay for the tickets Of my
friends"
Sarah McGrovan works in the Barbour mills
In July last she received eight tickets from
Superintendent Seton on the ''installmen1
plan" With these she brought members of bel
family to this country, and six of them are now
working in the mills.
Thomas A. Mitchell, a Waterman in the mills
brought his wife and eight children from Ire
land in the same manner. Five Of his children
have gone TO work in the mills.
Michael Mu!holland, who reached this coun
two weeks ago from Manchester. where he was
employed as superintendent of hax-mills, said
he had been engaged as foreman OF Barbours
mills, in Allentown, Pa, by Mr.. Barbour. He
earns Sl4 q week. He received -four pun FIVE
a week in Manchester. He considered his pros
poets better here, as the fax industry is beccm
Ing "threadbare' in the old country.
sectiopslism of the Mills Bill.
Omaha Republican.
The circumstance will not have been forgot
ten that this bill was drafted by the Democratic