Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-12-19
The MUSIC GRINDERS AMBITION.
te Wants to Earn EaouEh to Enable Him
70 Live In Italy.

A~---2A~
20 Live In Italy.
There are IS street pianos and two or
three large hand organs on the streets Of
Washington each day, and 1t Is estimated
that about $3.50 is paid each week by resi-
dents Of the city for the privilege Of being
entertained. All tho instruments are
owned and managed by Italians, who
travel, as general rule, in pairs. These
people reside in two portions of the city.
One small colony is situated south Of the
capitol, and the other, which Is the larger,
on d, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth
streets. 1t is at these places that the gen.
uine low class Italian life can be seen.
The latter locality has been named Little
Italy" There are only eight or ten habit
able houses on the square, but in these
live at least 100 Italians. Many Of them
are eAgaged in pursuits other than that Of
"grindin dc org" and few sell fruit and
perform manual labor on the streets.
The business of an italian street piano
player is remunerative. 1t is bad man.
ager, indeed, who is unable to CLEAN at
least $3.50 a day, and the receipts often
aggregate SO and 81 a day. This, when
taking into consideration the fact that the
pianos are procurable at a comparatively
low price-$145-and that it is necessary
to purchase new one only once each year,
Is very profitable, especially to a class Of
persons who, in their native country, con-
slider themselves well to do If they are able
to earn 40 or so cents day.
The italian organ grinder is an inter-
esting being. He is Industrious, enter
prising, frugal and, above all, law abid-
ing. His life is simple to a remarkable
degree, but does not reach the point of self
denial. He is very little given to dissipa-
tion, and his earnings, for the most part,
are placed away safely, where they may be
used in the future to bring him comfort in
his native land. He is at all times look
ing for the "main chance" and never
loses an opportunity to earn the small
boys and little girls penny.
Germany, Switzerland and France, ow-
ing to their close proximity to Italy, are
the most attractive countries to emigrants
from Italy, but the United States by no
means loses its share of them.
A remarkably large number of them
land on the shores of this country, but 90
per cent of them do not remain. Their
ulterior object is to amass a sufficiently
large amount Of money to enable them to
return to Italy and spend the remainder Of
their lives in comfort and without labor.
This is especially the case with the street
piano players. 1t is seldom that any one
of them remains here longer than six or
seven years.
Their mode of living here Is very cheap.
Their dress is neglected almost to the point
Of responsiveness, and their table is meager.
Macaroni and spaghetti, it is true have
their charms for them, but it is seldom in
deed that these two products of the sunny
country are found on their tables. The
expense is too great, they say, and 1t is
only on special occasions that the two
dishes are eaten. Their main means Of
sustenanoe consists of boiled beef and
bread, with q small quantity of beer occa-
sionally. Any one who visits an italian
pianist's house can find at any time o
quantity of beef, which boils necessarily.
This forms dish somewhat in the nature
of O broth, and, together with a small por-
tion Of the beef, is eaten with great deal
of satisfaction. The expense is somewhere
in the neighborhood of 10 cents a day, and
the cost of living after this fashion does
not exceed 25 cents day.
The musicians labors begin quite early
and end late. At o'clock they are upon
the street, all travelling in different direc-
tions. The instruments are not housed
until at night, when the time limit pre-
scribed by law expires. During this period
there is very little rest. Not little time
is consumed in wheeling the pianos from
place to place, which is no easy task.
There is an agreement between the Or
gan grinders as to the route to be pursued
| by each one. To each piano is allotted a
certain territory, and the pianist is warned
not to trespass upon the precincts of his
fellow musician" Occasionally an in
fraction of this understanding occurs. The
down town districts, however, are free
from restriction, and each piano player is
allowed full swing on any street he desires.
There are no regular rates, but cent
piece generally warrants the playing Of
about ten selections. Washington Star.