The record-union., 1892-04-30
The Poet Traveller Presents Other
Pictures of Galicia.
The Petroleum Fields of Galicia-
Homes and Servants of the Polish
Nobility-Estate Laborers No Better
Than Serfs-Lowly Folk of Austrian
Poland.
Special Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright. 1921

tation of friend, the new petroleum
fields of Northeastern Austria, and Incl
dentally to study the Galician lowly.
On first reaching Cracow a hasty trip
by rail to Kolomea, in the southeastern
corner of Galicia, d half-day's walk from
the frontier of barbaric Bessarabia, dem
onstrated that there was nothing of very
great interest to write Of these industrial
developments.
An oil belt 800 miles in length and
about twenty-five miles wide extends
southeast from near Sanok, in Galicia,
along the Carpathian range of mountains.
1T then passes between Bukovina and
Hungary, and theTsce breaks away into
the Roumanian Oil fields in detached
spurs of the Carpathians. 1t is perhaps
1000 miles in length, and altogether forms
what is known in the geography of petro-
leum as the 'Galician deposits and ter
ritory of the "Austro Roumanian refin-
cries."
Until 1881 the operations were of the
most primitive character, consisting al
most exclusively of 'hand digging and
the free fall'' systems of sinking wells.
At the date named the Canadian SYSTEM
OF pole tool drilling was introduced,
and rapid development, backed by Eng
llsh capital and operated by Galician Po-
lIsh companies, resulted. All the steam
power machinery Is imported from Eng
land. Engineers and superintendents
have been brought from the Canadian oil
1eldS, and the tools, formerly supplied
from hanover, are now made in Galicia.
The flow of oil is not TO be compared
with that of the average Pennsylvania
districts. 1t becomes most insignificant
when the great Russian wells of Baku
are taken into account. yet it is fairly
profitable source of supply; has given
employment to thousands of Polish and
Ruthenian peasants, whose wages are
ninety kreutZerS, or about thirty-six
cents per day, with daily allowance of
two sticks OF cordwood for fuel; and
lind the entire annual production of the
Galician petroleum. fields EQUALS two
thirds of the total consumption by all
Austria.
In SO far as these peasant employees,
who were too recently agriculturists,
WOodsmen and mOuntaineers TO have lost
any OF their hereditary customs and char
acteristics, gave opportunity OF study of
the Ga!ician peaSantry. the large group
1ngs OF such lowly had interest. But my
researches among the peasant class We're
chiefly carried on upon the large estates
and in the purely peasant villages.
The acceptance of three invitations as
guest at the homes of two noblemen and
one rich gentleman-farmer furnished op-
portunity TO know slightly the aristocratic
country landlords, and to really see their
kinds or laborers and house servants as
they are. The latter differ in no impor-
tant respect from the laboring peasantry
Of the villages, save that to me they seem
even more sOddenly stupid and servile.
AT this time of the year the outdoor labor
er still retains his winter clothing. He is
a curious looking fellow. His hair is
cut either straight across his forehead.
or to a spear-like pointupon it, and grows
like lions name about his shoulders and
neck.
His head-covering is NANCY fur hood,
often of squirrel skin, with the tail dan
Cling loosely upon his shoulders, or of
sheep or goatskin, with the fleece side
next his head. A sort of greatcoat or robe
hangs loosely from his shoulders to below
his knees. This is Of the skin of some
animal, with the fur or hair next the
body. The reversed exposed side is COW
cred with ancient layers of grease for pro-
lection against the sun and rain. If he
possesses undergarmentS of any sort.
they are shreds OF rags, stuffed with chaff
and straw.
He usually wears stockings of the
heaviest and coarseSt material, and high
legged, pointed shoes of huge propor-
tions. For not only are the precious hose
protected by ropes of straw wound from
above the knee to the ankle, but enough
chaff and wisps of straw participate in oc-
cupancy of his cavernous shoes to pro-
vide sufficient warmth. Aside from this
unique garb, his beard stands out from
his face a massy, wiry cheUduE-de-friSe
in which enough straw and chaff have
lodged to provide an adequate "com-
torter'' for his face and neck.
From dozen TO a score OF thesApeas-
ant animals seem TO De attached to every
large estate. If they have quarters-eX-
rts,s
Vided with low, thatched wooden huts,
squalid and filthy beyond description-I
was not able to find them. They are
messed" like hogs from the great house
kitchen in corners of the stables and lie
down at night among the other animals,
with their straw ropes and hide coats
Tor bedding, wherever they are able to
find most congenial and comfortable
stabling.
Sertdom is not supposed to exist in this
land, but | have well founded suspicion
that something very like it is in vogue.
The wages of such laborers do not exceed
an average of thirty kreutzers per dav.
perhaps twelve cents, although they are
glad enough'to get this. Each estate is
provided with a steward or overseer,
who, like the Irish agent, adjusts mat
ters so that human effort is not permitted
TO produce more than this kind of human
life is supposed to REQUIRE. He has
SlOASuOdSC hIAtNl Will ltl6 Tuu6 GGQulr6-
nents of these estate laborers-coats,
shoes, hose, belts, something that is
called tobacco and snuff, caviare and vile
brandy. These are issued, after the man
ner OF our own exquisitely deviIish
truck" system with miners, with such
discretion that the estate laborer is in life
long debt, and is subject to the prison
and lash if he attempts TO escape his
master and his obligation.
And yet the households sustained by
this lovely adjustment of human equities
and ethics are as serene and sweet as [
have ever found. Wherever my host and
i moved about the estates these white
slaves first bent and kissed the hens of
our greatcoats and then stood with barred
heads IN silence until we had passed. No
doubt this sort Of thing gives the master
grand Czar-ike feeling, and il is lording
1t cheaply, besides.
SO, too, within the mansions where the
servants are few in comparison with
similar establishments in other European
countries, when the somewhat letter
conditioned white slaves, because better
housed and fed only, are not eternallv
grabbing at ones sleeve or coat skirts to
perform this osculatory reverence. they
are continually, when entering or leav-
ing any apartment, or receiving an order
or serving you, calculating, with ducked
heads, 'lch kust die handl''
There are no schools or colleges Tor the
better class OF girls, and at nearly all
these Polish arlstocratic homes l found
bonne. an English eoverness. or both
and French tutor. They receive excel
lent salaries, live on something like terms
of equality with their employers, are
usually broken down gentlemen or gem
tlewomen with "a literary turn like
provident Sir. Wegg, and are the most
glad and grateful people on earth when
chance brings a traveller like myself from
the outer world of glowing activities
among them.
do not know whether to pity them or