Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-13
WILL NOT PAY TAXES.
Assessors Want a Law TO Compel
Foreigners to Give Information.
MONEY THAT COULD BE COLLECTED
A Trip Through Some Crowded Quarters,
and What Was Seen.
HOW BOARDING HOUSES ARE MANAGED

A good deal has been said and written
about the crowded condition of some tene-
ment houses and the trials of tax assessors.
but the half has not yet been told. There
are now houses in the heart of, Pittsburg
that would be revelation to the majority
of people, and it would doubtless surprise
many person to learn how much each
year the city and county loses through the
failure OF this class of people to pay their
taxes.
When the enumeratcrs were taking the
census they had the United States Marshals
back of them to compel the Poles and Hun
garians to give answers. The tax assessors
say they have no such protection and must
depend wholly upon the foreigners to tell
them the facts. The foreigners are, most of
them, shrewd enough not to offer violence to
the assessors, but lie regarding the men liv-
ing in the house and profess not to know
their names.
The Poles and Hungarians are very saw
ing of their money and are nearly misers In
this respect. One gentleman said he saw
Pole who got only 81 % per day put 81 in
the bank each week. If made to do SO,
these foreigners have the money to pay their
taxes.
A TRIP WITH AN ASSESSOR.
1t has often been matter of comment
that Poles and Hungarians who get only 81
or 81 % per day can save as much money as
they do. A trip with tax collector will
settle that point in anyone's mind, and 1t Is
dou ubtful il any person would then envy the
benighted sons of toll their boarded wealth.
Il fol hu
DISPATCH reporter yesterday. The first
house visited was on Enon alley, Southside,
near Sarah street. The house, though small.
it is said shelters some 60 Poles and Hun
gariaus. A little room about 4x15 feet was
entered and man found sleeping in bed
about a foot from the stove on which woman
was cooking some food. In another room
something that looked like huge pancakes
were. seen spread out on bed. 1t was
learned that the woman was making noodles.
There was hardly space in either of the
two small rooms to stand, and yet seven per-
sons made it their home.
Another room was entered, about 10x15
feet, which sheltered six persons. How they
and they would not tell the as
SCISSOR. Bedding, food. dogs and cats
were mixed up in one promiscuous
tumble until it was perplexing to under
stand how the people found place to even
sit down. Over on an improved mantle
was q statuette OF Christ and the Virgin
Mary, covered with mosquito bar. In the
chaos of the dirty room the statGettes doomed
up like flake of snow on q bed Of dirty
coal.
IN A POLISH BOARDING HOUSE.
Several other rooms were entered and the
same story of Z, 8, 9 and as high as 10
boarders was told, though it was impossible
in many cases to get the names. The sur
roundings were, if anything, more revolt
ing. A piece of meat would be seen on the
bed, loaf Of bread on the floor and the men
and women lying and standing around in a
daZed sort OF manner, r.,,--s--.s-e-sE---1-s,sa
Up at the head Of the alley was a house
where it was said that ten men were known
to have slept in a cellar and in one room
FIVE beds were found, showing that at least
ten persons must occupy them.
Enon alley is not the only locality where
this state of affairs exists. On Sixteenth street,
Fifth street, and, indeed, all over the South
side can be located houses that visit to-,
would surprise almost anybody. On Six
teenth treet there is a house which was
visited, that bas living in it three families.
One family in the basement has 13 boarders.
It is said that during the summer the
weather the floor is chalked of. each person
being given certain space to lay on during
the night
Some interesting things were also learned
of how these boarding houses, or rooms
more properly, are carried on. The men
each paw the woman in charge 81 per week
for sleeping space and cooking their food.
Each man then buys his own food and
brings it home to be cooked. Five cents
| worth of meat and little bread makes q
good meal.
PORK FAT AS FOOD.
The fat trimmings from pork are eaten
| with gusto. Each man buys his own loaf oil
bread and cuts it off with pocket knife as
| he wants to it. Where soup is served
| the boarders each give their pro rate share
| of the cost.
Some work at night and some days, so
unless the statements of those found in the
house can be relied upon, it is impossible to
find out exactly how men live and sleep in
house. A bed may serve for tour, as il
often does. The boarders also move from
one place to another, so that it is impossible
| for tax assessor to get their names, and
still less possible to collect the taxes.
Generally one can be found in a house
who can speak German, and through him
conversation, in manner, can be carried on
! with others.
The vast majority of this class of citizen:
do not pay taxes and it is hard to devise q
way to make tqem. 1t has been suggested
that assessors be clothed with powerto make
arrests. if names are refused, the
same as in taking the census
As general thing the tax assessors, while
being looked upon with suspicion, do MOI
have violence offered them, but in several
cases the assessors have been elected from
the houses. Houses where long lists o
names were given during the census enum
Grafton were seemingly nearly deserted
| when the assessor called.
FASCINATING letters of travel by Edgar