Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-01-15

An italian settlements and its Wigwams
A Very Jealous husband.


A Very Jealous husband.
Incidentally, recently. the PhiladeI
phia Times learned THAI IA colony o.
Italian emigrant laborers, mostly from
part OF tina, city called Little
Italy, employed by the Pennsylvania
Railroad company, had settled in the
eastern portion OF Chester county.
near Berwyn station. and had there
erected series of habitatlons some
what OF the picturesluenoss OF Indian
vigwams or OF the buts OF the Esqui-
rnaux in the frozen north.
Accordingly one pleasant day Rud-
iniyille WAS Investigated. AS the
train whhis through sailing Chester
county all variety of residences can be
! seen from tho car windows. ranging
| from tho handsome country homes OF
wealthy Philadelphiaus 10 the primi
| tive log cabins erected Il couple o,
hundred years ago by the frat settlers.
But the like of tho Italian dwellings
| has not been seen before.
After arriving mt Berwyn, a pretty
! little station in the Chester valley, you
must cross the South Valley hill from
she summit of which u beautiful view
is obtained of the panorama of the
Chester valley. Reaching at last the
base OF the north slope OF the hill you
find Rudiniville, situated on level
plain just 81 the spot where the road
from Berwyn intersects n new railroad
in the course OF construction by the
Pennsylvania railroad. ana intended
! .l-,, no, fsh
division. The residents Of Rudini-
vile are employed upon the construc-
ton OF this road, and it was their en-
forced residence in this neighborhood
that caused them TO construct their
settlement.
The village has a population OF
about fifty persons all of them Italians
except several Slavs. who live in q
board shanty apart from the
rest OF the settlement. Altogether
there are eleven residences in the viii
lage, and all of them differ in design
and style OF artichitecture from any
ho2se ever seen within the confines OF
Pennsylvania and, in fact unlike any
dwellings this side of the South Sea
Islands.
All the dwellings face towards the
south. When the reporter arrived at
tho settlement the inhabitants were
all at work except one, who seemed
at first inclined TO eject the reporter
from the premises. but was consider
ably appeased by small gift of money.
He kindly volunteered to show the
town and point out the various objects
o. interest, which he did with much
prida He stated that the dwellings
regarding which the reporter expressed
considerable curiosity, consumed but
little time in the course Of construc-
ton and were exceedingly easy &c
erect
The ground plan for each structure
=, is about ten feet. After this was
marked OF the ground was eXcavated
to the depth Of about q foot. The
frame work OF the structure, composed
OF saplings or fence rails, whichever
} cane handiest was then raised, the
butts stuck in the ground and then
Joined ut the top with a ridge pole.
The whole structure was then covered
{ with two thick layers OF sods cut from
the surrounding IneauOWs.
Thus the house was finished except
that in the centre a SORT OF a rude fire.
place with stones was put up and here
n q fire Is kept burning, the smoke es
Gaping as best 1t can FROM a hole iE
the top OF the structure.
l. BY large odds the most pretentiou:
house in the settlements one occupied
by a newly married couple. Thi!
u dwelling has actually door and il
= thatched with straw. In connection
with the door OF this mouse it was sale
that the young husband was OF such
Jealous disposition that before goin;
o TO work every morning he took tn
@ precaution TO shut and paddock IT, fear
Ing that his vile might elope or b.
stolen during his absence. One of III
e houses was decorated with a humble
Of slaves and barrel heads. secured
by an old shirt, and intended TO blocl
: up a leak in the "oof. In front of thi
house is what might be called a tessel
n lated pavement being several fsot il
extent and composed Of native marble
Besides the young married coupl
there Is another family in the settle
ment but the great majority of the in
II habitants are men, and usually abou
half dozen natives of sunny Italy oC
cupiel each one OF these houses.
these dwellings they live during tn
Winter, and yet it hardly seems pc:
a sible that man could exist for twenty
four hours in such novels, alongside {
which the tepee Of the Indian and III
Is hut Of the Esquimau are palatial an
i the burrows Of the foxes and wild an
a mails in the South Valley hill wer
- oleanly and comfortable.
a Gold Mine on HooG
Three thousand dollars for an oil