Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-14
Dazzle the Eyes of the Colored People
of the South When Told Of
the Wages Paid Here.
IN DEMAND FOR HOUSE SERVANTS,
A Man Who COurted the Sarcastic At
tentiOn of the LOungers in the
Union Depot.
SOME OF TIE WEATHER PROMISED Us.
Ninety Yards Of Material Needed to Make Dress for
Young Lady.

At the summit of the Wylie avenue hill
is located a two-story frame house, on the
sides of which are painted in bold letter:
the fact that F. 2. S. Peregrino lives there
and that it is his business to furnish colored
laborers of all sort direct from the South.
Persistent knocking at the door at last
caused an upper window to be opened, and
the curly head of little colored girl ap.
peared. Her information was that "Papa
is in the South, but mamma is at the office
on Fourth avenue, and can tell you what
you want"
In the basement at 159 Fourth avenue a
pleasant little woman was found who an
swered to the name OF Mrs. Peregrino, and
she was very busy with numerous ladies
and gentlemen who were anxious to secure
help direct from the Sunny South.
Mr.. Peregrino is in Virginia on his semi
monthly trip in the interests of his agency,
and his wife acts in his place when he is
absent. Business is very brisk, she says,
and it is rapidly on the increase. Northern
people like to secure their help from the
South, where the people are more strict with
their servants, and as result they are bet
ter prepared for the household duties. and
are not so apt to run around. As Mrs.
Peregrino expressed it, they are more clean
ly and not so shiftless as the Northern COL
ored people.
BIG WAGES FOR THEM.
''The majority OF the servants secured are
from Staunton, Charlottesville, Lexington
and Lynchburg, Va, where agencies are
established said Mrs. Peregrino. "On
this trip Mr.. PeregrIno will bring home with
him % women and several men. We have
no difficulty in getting all the people we
want, as the wages paid in the South are so
small that it is almost impossible to live,
though the fact is that the colored people of
Virginia live better and keep themselves
neater than do those of Pittsburg. Labor
ers there receive as cents per day and keep
families on that small amount They con-
slider the 81 so day they can get in Pitts
burg priucely Isalary and can live much
better than those who have lived here all
their lives and have not learned the economy
necessary in Virginia.
MANY have an idea that the servants
brought from the South do not receive the
same compensation here that the natives do,
but that is a mistake. People are always
anxious to get the Southern-bred servants,
and are willing to pay higher prices for
them. They do not run around, keep their
place, and know better how the work should
be done than the natives appear to. They
seem to know they have to work, and are
very willing to do their best.
. ''The greatest demand is for buffers and
some of the wealthiest people of Pittsburg
and Allegheny have sent to the South for
their men. While first-class butler in the
South gets very little more than his keep.
here one we'll recommended receives S25 per
month and the demand can hardly be sup
Piled There are also many calls for Wallets
and two were secured recently for Philadel-
phia. There are not so many wanted in
Pittsburg as further East.
GLAD TO COME.
"Mr. Peregrine finds a great many calls
for farm hands and often a man and his wife
are wanted at the same place. A farm hand
considers the S15 month he receives here
very high salary and there is no difficulty
in securing all of this class of labor wanted.
"When Pittsburg lady wants colored
servant from the South she pays us enough
money 10 pay the expenses from their homes
here, and when they arrive contract is
drawn up in which they agree to work at
this place until she has paid back this
money. Then if she is not satisfied she can
leave upon a weeks notice. II her employer
doesn't want her they must also give her
weeks notice or pay a weeks wages in ad-
vance.
1.-THE orders for laborers at the shops are
not so numerous as for house servants, but
great number of colored men are brought to
the city every few days. They get So
week, whereas in Virginia the highest paid
for this class of work is 81 60 Mr.. Pere-
grino has made it point never to take or
ders for men to take the place of strikers
and has made great many friends for this
reason.
"When the people are brought here we
give them their meals at the Office and then
take them around to their places of employ
ment Everybody is satisfied with the serv-
ants we secure for them, and the complaints
are very few. Indeed. the colored people
from the South seem to be more civilized