Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-30
THE VAGRANTS BREAK STONE.

Seventeen Prisoners at Work on Brandy
wine Blue Rock--Labor Brings Them
Sore BIisters But Big Appctites Will
Follow.
Special Correspondence of Gazette and journal
New CASTLE, April 23.-The life of the
tramps and yagrants in the New Castle
Jail is no longer one of ease and leisure.
Judge Balls act went into effect this
morning, and these gentlemen of leisure"
who have been the source of much trouble
and expense to New Castle county for
years will hereafter be compelled to earn
their daily bread and lodging, or subsist
on bread and water during their term.
Rather than break stone, as this is what
the bill provides for. the inmates of the
tramps headquarters at an indignation
meeting held last week decided that they
would eat bread and drink water. This
resolution, however, must have been re-
considered as every man who voted for it
marched out at the prescribed time this
morning and went to work without a
word
The 25 tons of stone on which the men
are now exercising their muscle is piled
along the Market street wall of the east
yard of the jail. The hammers which were
furnished by Duncan Bros. of Wilmington
arrived yesterday morning and in the
afternoon few of the men were given a
little preliminary instruction in the art of
stone breaking. The hammers are of three
and four pounds weight with long handles
These are used in breaking the material
into small particles. Previous to this seye-
raj Is pound sledges break the large rocks
into small pieces which are then tackled
by the men with the light hammers Each
man is known by number which is given
him when he starts to work in the morn
ing and the sledge or hammer that he uses
has number corresponding to his own.
When THE GAzETTE's correspondent
called at the Jail at 0 o'clock this morning
the work was well under way and nearly
a ton of the stone had already been
broken, Seventeen in all, IL white and
five colored men composed the gang.
which was increased by the addition Of
several Others who arrived from Whining
ton on the IL 30 o'clock train. All of the
men are able bodied and stalwart and
with the exception of two or three, who
are still afflicted with laziness, are doing
their work well. A new broom sweeps
clean, and of course it is difficult to say
how long the men will hold out. The
stone is from the Brandywine quarries
and is more than hard" as one of the
mechanics" expressed it this morning
The work is as hard as the stone itself and
the person who imagines it an easy job
has certainly been misinformed. All the
men were in their shirt sleeves and were
perspiring freely. Jonas Heck, who is
said to be tirst-class mechanic but who
has been for several years off and on
''boarder" at the county jail, is the most
steady worlmen of the lot. The men
have very little to say and go about their
work as. il they were receiving 81 day
for the job.
William White, a colored man, met with
the first accident, about 10 o'clock. He
was struck in the eye by small piece of
stone which flew from the rock he was
breaking, and was compelled to quit work.
He suffered much pain but DR.. Stewart,
the Jail physician, relieved him. When
the force stopped work for the noon hour
every man had his hands covered with
large blisters which were very sore. Eight
hours will constitute days work from s a.
nj. to p. m, with an hour off from IL to 1.
Harry Simmons has charge of the laborers
and is making tirst-class overseer. Night
warden Dennison predicts that the stone
breakers will have enormous appetites and
will enjoy their sleep, The new whipping
post and pillory, which will shortly be
built will be erected at the south end of
the yard near the jail kitchen and out of
the way of the stone pile. The stone
which is broken into bits the size of a half
brick, will be hauled out as soon as there
is sufficient quantity ready and placed
OH the road to Wilmington,