, 1892-01-22
sA. lied IN BLOOD.
a Reporters Story of How DIR. Seward
Mebb's Railroad Is BeIng Constructed.

A Reporters story of How DR.. Seward
Webs Railroad Is Being Constructed.
There have been discomfort and trou-
Tie among the thousands of Italian Ia
borers employed on DR.. Seward Webb's
railroad through the A~dirondacks ever
since its construction vas begun. A
World reporter, riding along fifteen
miles of the line, discovered some of the
causes Of disturbance.
When the laborers were first brought
To Malone and other points along the
road they were unemployed for several
weeks, and found shelter where they
could. Scores lounged around the pas
,senger and freight depots in Malone,
others in sheds and barns about town,
and still others in the open parks or
fields. One loaf of bread a day was sup
piled them by the contractors, and this
was their only food. After this had con-
tinued for some time the Italians be-
came uneasy and loud mutterings were
heard against the contractors. Large
bodies of the laborers wen surrounded
several of the railroad offices and de
manded work or money.
When the men were finally employed
they were worked until they could not
tIAlQ. hedTIltSS pOSStS hlChtuf 0IollCh
and dubbed the miserable wretches,
who were straining every nerve and
muscle to satisfy the wants of their mas
tiers for a paltry seventy cents a day. The
World correspondent visited several Of
the camps south of Malone and saw dur
ing one half day over a score of the poor
Italians knocked down with clubs in the
hands of the bosses. The latter evidently
did not know newspaper men were watch
ing them, and were much surprised,
when brought to Malone on warrants, to
find two reporters ready to swear that
they were worse than the niger
drivers of slavery days.
A Malone justice discharged the Of
Tenders and matters grew worse every
day. One boss vas shot, another was
stabbed with a stiletto and a third mys-
teriously disappeared. Italians and ne
groes were reported missing nearly every
morning, and yet 1no effort has been
made by the authorities here TO investi-
gate the matter.
Within a fewdays 100 persons have
been placed under arrest at Upper lake
in connection with the troubles. The
reporter talked with bosses and men yes
terday, and learned that nearly every
man employed on the line was armed
and ready to defend himself. One of the
pldrones said:
Il nave brought men upon many
works, but nave failed to find as rough
u lot of bosses and as disconnected a lot
Of men as are now upon Webb's line. 1t
has been bloodshed from first 10 last,
and yet the outside world knows moth
ing about 1t. The whole trouble now at
Topper lake and Wolf pond was caused
10y the killing of a sick Italian by n of
the bosses. This boss has since depart
Ell, and it is supposed that he is planted
in the vicinity of Upper lake" An
other intelligent padrone said:
Il am certain that for all the trouble
that has been caused and the consequent
Lloodshed and occasional deaths that
have occurred the contractors can be
blamed. One of the EXPOSES said to
me TO day, If we did not club the men
and make them work like slaves we
should lose our places This kind of
treatment, coupled with the fact that the
men have been forced to wait whole
months for their pay, is undoubtedly tho
cause of the whole trouble. DR.. Seward
Webb's road is baptized in the blood and
sweat of miserable men."-Malone IN.
" Cor. New York World.