The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-02
Queer Scenes Among Build
ers of Grafton Extension.


one of these glorious fall afternoons,
mount your wheel or if driving is your
taste, hitch up your team and go out
on the North Grafton road, where the
extension of the Consolidated road is
under construction, if you would see
sight rather novel TO the majority of
people.
just this side of the Boston and AL
bany Railroad crossing in what is
known as the old Clarity place, is the
headquarters of, the gang Of italian la
borers employed on the roadbed of
the line that is to bring the neighbour
ing town of Grafton in communica-
tions with the heart of the common
wealth..
The structure in which these sons
or Italy make their headquarters is a
large red barn on the right hand side
of the road and hard to miss Sur
rounding the fbarn are a number of
shacks,s orr cook houses, formed of
brush I'm these simprovised shelters
the food for the gang, of about 100 la
borersi is prepared and in the shaclAs
may he seen one of the most Interests
ing features in connection with the
colony. adt
Sunday is perhaps the best day in
the week to look over the settlement,
providing you have no scruples in u.s.
ing q part of the day for sight seeing.
Inc Sabbathis the only day when the
entire gang may be seen about their
temporary home and the picture is in
deed one of more than passing inter-
est sG1 10y HOOD g5T - t--
5Ailasorts of specimens of the race
go ITO make up the settlement. Some
are old, some young some fat, some
lean, but as whole they are a hardy
set cef men and good workers The
Spy man called at the camp of the da-
goes, as it is designated in the neigh
borhood,s and spent an hour studying
their mode of life, under the guidance
OF p. A. ePonti, who has charge of the
men. cf As1irB saIe
PontI is an italian, although from
MS appearance and conversation 1t
would not be suspected. He was born
and brought up in Boston and en-
braeed the opportunity offered to avail
himself of considerable education
which places him In position to look
after the interests of his fellow-coun-
trymen
Although many of the men that go
to make up the population of little TIA
ly are much older, Ponti is looked
upon as the governing spirit, and woe
to the man who digresses from the
rules governing law and. order in the
little colony. Aside from acting as
head of the gang, Ponti presides over
the little store (which is stocked by
the company who employ the men,
and from Which all food, with the ex-
ception of bread is supplied.
The staff of life is bought in Wor-
. eester, and taken to the camp by the
CARLOAD. The loaves are nearly round
q u, IL,
than the ordinary. The men claim it
is better than a finer grade, for the
reason that it digests slower and by
this reason they get more nourish-
ment from it..
Should you be so fortunate as to get
q peep sfnsideS the building used as a
store; wliiehoiby the way is a 2small
ifefstluetiTe, standing near the red
barn spoken of before, you will find
an arrayiof food stuffs that would not
appeal to the ordinary housewife as
anything available for her culinary de-
partment.
A barrel of beans, another of mac
caronf cut in fine pieces, & few pieces
of cheese, that look strong to say the
least, a big basket of onions, salt pork,
smoked sausage, sardines and an as
sortment of smoking tobacco and a few
cases of eggs makes up the stock in
trade. From this stock the workmen
draw their rations, which are charged
Up to them and deducted from their
pay. The average cost Of each mans
food is 20 cents sasday.
A mixture of boiled beans and mac
caroni forms the principal item in the
bill of fare. The only meat except
On ivef5Irare occasions, is the smoked
sausage spoken Of and pork, the lat
ter forming a part in the mixture OF
beans and macoarOni.
One manHserves as cook for a cer-
tain number of his comrades and pre-
pares food for his particular mess.
The cooking is done III brush covered
shacksTs where a small fireplace like
structure is built Of stones and a piece
of the broken top of a stove placed
over them, if such a thing can be
found and over these improvised
stoves the dark-skinned cook prepares
dishes that would be viewed with con-
siderable suspicion We're they seen APP
preaching the table of the average
American citizen.
At the meal hour there is a busy time
in the vicinity of the shacks The
men crowd up to the various cook
houses, cIamoring for their food and
on relieving 1t, seat themselves at the
most convenient point and proceed to
refresh the inner man without the
slightest regard for tables or chairs,
only the naost crude of cooking utensils
being used.
THE large barn which serves as a
lodging house for the colony is the
most Interesting place, however, for
here it is that 100 men In various stages
OF cleanliness disport themselves at
night without the orlality Of remov-
ing their outer clothing.
AS Mr.. Penti unlocked the barn door
for the reporters inspection. he re-
40
sweet4scentede as some hostelries, but
considering the number of inmates, it
isn't 10 be wondered at Here's
where they sleep, remarked the guide
as tfle door rolled open, and to the
startled gaze OF the scribe, there I'M
folded Al TRULY novel dormitory.
-r,r one side of the barn there is a
row Of stalls occupied at one time by
horses or cattle. sSThese stalls have
been made into upper and lower
;5arttfs. by the introduction or a sort
of shelf about four feet from the floor.
=TheAower berth or floor of the stall is
filled in q majority Of cases with loose
hay, with the open end OF the stall
boarded up With the exception Of a
small sopening large enough to admit
the BODY Of a man, looking much like
dog kennel.
aFbs ilps,sr berths have an apology
for & mattress, in the shape of a bag or
old tick. filed with hay, On other
sides fws4fle barn are constructed
shelves In the form OF upper and lower
l5a,,thsss on which are placed the mat
tresses of the. various sleepers. Lad
ders formed by mailing short piece
of board to-fhe beams at the side of
the barn. allowing the ends to pro-
trude- on either side, afford means
of gaining the upper deck.
On the beams Just over the sleepers'
heads and IN many cases on the mat
stresses may be seen loaves of bread,
rticlae OF cIc.f