The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-11
ITALY IN AMERICA.
AN ITALIAN COLONY IN THE SUBURBS
OF NEW YORK CITY.

Climate of the North Unfriendly.
When Adelina Patti, swarthy. black
haired little girl of twelve, was playmate
TO u dozen residents of Washngtonville
who remember and talk of her, the PATHS
were almost the sole Italian residents there
Should the PATHS return to live in the
peak rooted, red brick house ut Washing
tonvile they would find hundreds of their
own country folk in the neighborhood now
The population of the village has nearly
doubled within four years, and most of the
newcomers are Italians. During the same
period people of that race have invaded
and seized a considerable part of the benu
tiful Bronx valley between Woodlawn and
Williams Bridge
The kind of free masonry that exists
among Italian laborers brought these peo
pie to Washingtonville when the village
borrowed $4,000 to be expended OH public
works, and when that money has been ok
hausted the newcomers will move on To
some other point where n years work
awaits their hardy muscles In the valley
between Woodlawn and Williams Bridge
the settlement has an air of pern,nnence
Meanwhile suburban New Workers. are
learning what is the genuine life OF the
Italian peasant. The key to Ihuch thu,
seems strange i'll the conduct of tho ItaIiun
immigrant in New York is to be found in
the fact that he is endeavoring to live, In a
hostile climate and amid intensely urban
surroundings, the simple, open mir life of
rural Italy.
The long established French colony mt
Williams Bridge looks with establishment
mt The conduct of the Italian interlopers.
Cate au lait and son lie plat have been
served for breakfast so long on the banks
of the Bronx, and Il dinner, marked with
orderly progression from soup to benedic
tine, has become SO much part of daily
lie that the simplicity of garlic and black
bread Is not understood. But Itali.ln life
i'll the Bronx valley is the more picturesque
from its simplicity, since it is titus nearer
the life that the people lived in homes he
yond the seas. Folks that know the upper
part of New York only by the map fnll
into ludicrous errors. The map plots il
down truthfuily enough that the Bronx at
and above Williams Bridge before mum
ging into the romantic wilderness of Bronx
park forms the eastern boundary of the
annexed district. But the map says never
word of u broad. green meadow extend
ing more than Il mile from Williams
Bridge to Woodlawn. The map is clunlly
forgetful of the fact that the meadow is
sprinlilcd with clumps of the noblcst elms
and that the Bronx mennders through it
III serpentine beauty, crossed here and
there by rustic log bridges that lead to
New York.
Only half n block east of the Harlem
station mt Williams Bridge flight of steep
steps leads down to light footbridpe
across the Bronx. That bridge leads out
OF New York into the wilds of Westchester
and New Italy. AS fur us the eye can see
stretches grass edged footpath, now de
sccndinB deep into the valley, now chased
to the upland by the encroaching stream.
High OH the hillside are the now dwellings
built by spectators. Lower are the sim
pie cottages Of earlier Williams ridge, and
perched on steep banksido in the loyeiiest
part of.the valley Is nm odd little watch
makers shop, with sign proclaiming
TINT the artificer within repairs jewelry
and sets diamonds. The Bronx valley in
that part has exactly the aspect of an Eng
lish common. 1t is almost without inclo
sures, although here and there well built
stone sustaining walls indicate the ter
raced grounds of some former prosperous
resident. The Italian homes straggle
along an Irregular street mt the brow of
the hill All keep goats and chickens the
former apparently for milk, and there is a
well stocked junkshop on the roadside
In summer women, barclegged, but
otherwise gayly clad in the fashion of their
race, walk steadily down the steep bank
with burdens OH their heads to do the
family washing in the stream. Black
. proved, unshaven men sit OH the porches
or gaze from the windows while the won
en- toll ut their household duties. Dozens
OF women trudge the valley morning and
evening in search of dandclion green's -.
Each gatherer of green's wears an apron
and carries a caseknife with we'll sharp
ened point. Each apron is folded into
bag, and the women walk singly or in
pairs, half STOPPING and ready to reach down
and cut close to the ground any dandelion
leaf that may show itself The women are
marvelously deft at the work, and they
carry home many bushels of wholesome
food in their capacious aprons. Millet the
artist of peasant life, would have found n
congcnial subject could he have stood in
the Bronx valley and watched pnir of
STOPPING gatherers of greens outlined
against the sky as they moved along the
brow Of the hill above
In the very midst of the valley and far
below the Italian homes on the hillside is
the house of French market gardener.
1t was picturesque place before he rented
out its clapboards to patent medicine max
ers but its southern gable and eastern
garden are suggestive of homely comfort.
A barefoot girl, in gown of peasant blue,
helps the Frenchman hoe his potatoes.
Around the house extends the we'll worn
paths of the valley like little brownish
yellow streams. The Frenchman's chick
ems have the run of the whole valley, and
his geese plow the Bronx, leading fluffy
flock of young. Two rods across the stream
from the Frenchman's peaceful farmhouse
is New York city, and just across the busy
railway the green slopes of Woodlawn
cemetery rise II hundred feet From the
Frenchman's garden to Woodlawn station
is five minutes walk by path among
rocks and beneath the shade Of trees.
The Italian colony Mt Washingtonville