Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-11-25


much Johnson We white men were
entire failures at picking and shovel
ing and the negroes said We only had
to get used TO it. Many of them only
three days a week, few six days. The
old Professor OF our party. wonder
fully active man. determined to sue
coed, dropped his pick, threw up his
hands and fell over like bird shot OH
its perch before Il O'Clock the first day
and ] got kicked by giant white mule
that afternoon. The old man got sun
struck. He was taken aside into the
shade, but 1t looked as if nobody but
US cared whether he recovered or not.
We had a lively sinner and struck a
big blast and these things seemed TO
give him, as we ran past him, an idea
that no one cared whether he died or
lived He hobbled away and at Il one
OF the boys went back to the shack
with him. Next day none of US work
ed. Several of US were crippled.
Next day We didn't go to work for
we had notice to quit. At least all of
US had found that we could not make
out on s1.30 per day. |, however, re-
fused to strike, but Just as / had made
up my mind the contractor said all
but two of US were discharged. He
declared he had not written to John
son for men. He never got men from
Johnson, and began to curse and swear,
saying he reckoned he would be taxed
$3.50 a head for our transportation
The other fellows took French leave
for fear they would be held in bondage
FIR ar RI 20 hli =
transportation. Three OF the men said
they would fight before they would
work another lick, but the bosses out
there had revolvers attached to chains
and were men not to be fooled with,
so we came to the conclusion that we
had better have no trouble with the
bosses at all.
Il was so sore that l asked to re-
main over night. My request was
granted cheerfuly. The Virginia ne
groes were very conslderate of me.
Several came over and asked if | had
anything to eat and said if remained
they would see that | did not starve.
Most of these men were Disguised with
the surroundings. Yet they said they
got only 75c to S1.00 a day working in
brickyards Here they were getting
$1.30, but had to live like a Chinaman
to save on that
These men played cards and craps
and had disputes, but / never saw the
least sign of fisticuffs. The entire life
out there was like unto life on a GER
tain plantation twelve or fifteen years
ago. | saw considerable of smallpox
conditions il Alexandria city two
years ago, and it would lead me to be-
leye that the unsanitary condition of
these camps are more to bame for
smallpox than the men from any GER
tain State or locality. There was less
washing done amongst the whites than
amongst the negroes. In the shacks,
which were never scrubbed or washed
out, the hunks were filled with dirty
straw, and some of these shacks were
so plugged up that when the cold wind
blew and the dews began to stiffen
ones joints the big natural gas stove
was turned on ana the place became
veritable sweatbox. The scent of
these shacks in some instances was
sitting, indeed, and loud, indeed.
have been in foorless Cuban barri-
coons amongst, perhaps, 300 negroes
nearly naked, yet the stencil therein
was aromatic BESIDE that of several
OF these out in the West Virginia
Short Line railroad diggings.
The Italian quarter was in many
respects worse. These men would not
associate wkith negroes, hardly speak
to them. They lived an easy, con-
tented life and never growled. They
had way of making a mess of mac
aroni, cabbage, meat and stale bread.
that favored limburger cheese and
they would set it in the centre of a big
table and dip the steaming stuff out
with a spoon in way that would re-
mind one of feeding friendly dogs"