The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-12-26
.LABORERS
ARE HERE
Porto Ricans Came on
The Rio.
ONLY IS OF 1874 HIRED
Those Seen Seem Contented and
Hopeful Of Happiness in
Hawaii,

(From Mondays Daily.)


ON the cabin deck OF the Rio ycster-
lay as she swung slowly against the
Pacific Mail dock were the much-talkc J.
Of Porto Rican laborers and their fam
lilies. one and all, men, women and
children leaned over the rail and We're
AS Interested in gazing upon the shores
OF their new Island home as were the
globe trotters who were their fellow
passengers.
True, the Porto Ricans are not pre-
possessing lot of people. Porto Rico Is
not noted for physical beauty in it's
men and women. Amongst the labor
ing classes there beauty Is not an at
tribute The Porto Rlcans aboard the
Rio show their mixed racial character
stics in face, figure and expression.
They are poor people; they were poor
in their own land, and those in the
band of fifty-six which came yesterday
said that Hawaii was to them n land
# promise. and not one of terror as
rhe San Francisco Examiner had pa mt
ed in hysterica articles relatiV" t"
these people.
Few of them have much of the worlds
Goods In their possession. Few of them
ever knew what it was to possess NOR"
than one suit of clothes. Coming from
=, warm insular climate and suddenly
striking into a cold country during
their railroad journey across the Main
land they were little prepared to with
stand its rgors.
,j,t, ,tat, n,,Yr oh IInnnlIll
the lnborers seemed to take on new
lease of life and they We're in happy
GOOD yesterday The Rio was DELAYED
"nr. n short time awaiting the arrival
VI these laborers The vessel waited
=, the stream Mt San Francisco while
, tug brourht them from the railrond,
The tug pitched up and down and the
-reatest difficulty was experienced in
--ettlng them aboard. While this pro-
,ass of changing was going on some
e the discontinued spirits among the
>orto Ricans induced nearly half of
.Nem to keep off the steamer and re-
fuse to 20 to Hawaii. The Rio finally
nd to leave them.
Major Potter. who came on the Rio,
avs that the stories which have been
.-rIrted of the terrible trials" of the
,orto Ricans are untrue. The discon-
.ented ones among the band were made
20 by Examiner agents who went
Nmong them on the train bearing then
cross the continent. Even while The
'ohorers were crossing the bay to The
Dio an Examiner launch steamed close
NrSldc II and the statements that TIT
men were and would be slaves in Ha-
oil were reiterated until many OF
'Nem became frightened by the alleged
rrnspects before them and abruptly
"nre to n determination to remain be-
"ind. There was everything to dlscour-
the Porto RiCans. They had n
"0urh trim of It from the very start
Nud the shipping facilities were not OF
we hest at any period en- route. The
"arv had weather encountered in Cali
'Orria discouraged them stll more.
ON the passage down on the Rio the,
"eemed to he conterted. Through ar
'rterrretor an Advertiser reporter
earned from one Of them that he was
ceiling we'll ard was not alarmed nj
he prospect before him.
"DO Won feel that YOU arn to engage
~ work that YOU cannot do?"
mo. seror. I am certain that the
0narTc from NV country TO this will
Nereft me ard my family"
DO YOU believe that Won nre to be n
7,avc. as some people told you in thu
Nrtted States?"
NO senior. Some of our party did
Nut do not. THE wnres I nm to 70.
ooivn ore more than | could get In my
. native country"
As soon as the Rio dOclSod the Iehua
oor,e alorrside nrd one nv one the
00rtO PicarS We're transferred 10 tho
, 'itt'e Island steamer which had hoer
Nurared to take them to Maui They
7Nottcd pleasantv with the stewards
! ord others who understood their Ian.
b ~uo"e and bade them affeCtIonate fare
wells
Twontv-thrce Italians rrom BOSTON
View York, Washington and Chicago
were also among the lahorers who
came on tho Rio They are to 20 /,
Snrcckolsville, Happy and Contented
these hrawnv sons of Italy. broad nj
shoulder and deep 81 chest. We're n con
u ir7et 10 the Porto Rlcuns. They wHr,
9 clothed rouChlv and for more rigorous
y weather than they win encounter n
4 lowOli "A the steamer was dOCkini
e these rough mon gathered on the decl
G md sanr the airs ~ italy with voice
y whi"h had a sincere RING NJ plonsur,
in them. one or two had spleual,
a 'u'Dos Hnd their solo work was greatly
n 0'WIr1d hv mo crowds on the dock
when transferred On the Iohun IN com
n1uv witch mo Porto pnnus hnv r1th
rcd into mite groups ana sAur hutnely
appearances count f0r lnythlug Thea
wnka sUlrntli Wnrkmen
ha following IFS % lnftrr written o..
Examiner Ht Fan Fr1urisn1 hy T.