Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-26
WORK ON TERMINAL
Many Foreigners Employed
in the Construction.
ARE LOCATED IN CAMPS
RESPECT THE LAW AND SAVE
THEIR EARNINGS.
Police Displayed Warning Posters
Sole Desire is to Earn and
Save Money.

When the determination to construct the
big terminal railroad station in this city had
been reached and it WAS announced that
hundreds of foreigners would be brought
mere to assist with the work several ofii-
Gals entertained doubt whether the local
police would be able to cope with such an
element CAMPS were established about the
CITY until more than five hundred of the
supposed Objectionable strangers were quar-
tered in that manner. Six months have
passed, however. and very little trouble has
been experienced with the railroad work.
men. 1t is said in police circles that the
presence of the foreigners has occasioned
less supervision than the presence Of
any similar number of residents of
the city who have lived here all
their lives. Every precaution was taken
by the police department to meet emer-
gencies, and an officer who can speak
Italian was detailed for camp duty He
has not yet made an arrest According 10
the records one assault only has been com
mitted by an Italian anI an arrest has been
made in a "speakeasy' matter. In the lat
ter case. it is stated. the offense was due
to ignorance and not because OF desire TO
violate the law.
Former Sergt. Lombardy and Policeman
Tom Oriani are the only members of the
police force who understand and speak
ltaIlan, ana stney nave DDSI dS5iti lieu ny
Major Sylvester to work in connection with
the camps. The former visits the camps at
intervals and makes reports to Major Syl-
yeSter of the conditions as he fndS them A
report made by him a few days ago was
forwarded to the District Commissioners in
order to convey to them an idea of the num-
Der of inhabitants of the camps ana OF the
manner in which the latter were beng con-
Quoted The report showed a total of about
500 persons in three of the camps. At the
Fairview camp near Ivy City the popula-
ton numbered 10. while there were eighty
Italians in the settlement beyond the re-
form school. Sergt. Lombardy explained
that about 10 men occupied quarters at the
camp in Garfield Park. while about 300 We're
actually employed on the railroad work in
that section. There are only eight men In
the Congress Heights camp. reference was
also made to the camp at Magruder,s sta
ton, Just across the District line, IN Prince
Georges county, Nd At that camp. the ser
geant stated, there are great many tor
egnerS of different natiOn3lities, but no Ell
fort was made by him to learn the number
While the report dealt with the several
camps within the District limits, the num-
Der of Italians and other foreigners at pres
ent employed about the city, was not men
toned 1t is understood that they number
fully LEGO
Warning Posters Displayed.
The question of how to deal with the for
eign element referred to was fully discussed.
AS the inhabitants of the camps were unable
to speak or understand the English Ian
guage it was decided to have a number of
warning posters placed in the camps to ad-
wise the strangers of some of the laws they
would be required to respect and obey.
These posters were printed in Italian Inter-
preted they set forth.
TT being probable that great number OF
Italians, who are unfamiliar with the En-
glish language, Will be employed in tbs city
for an unlimited time the superintendent or
police deems it advisable to call their at
tention to the fact that the law is violated
whenever a person is guilty or
81 Carrying a pistol knife or other dan
gerous or offensive instrument.
80 Profanity heard in the street.
20. Disorderly conduct
~. Nuisance.
''5 Destroying private property.
&c. Destroying public property.
II. immortality.
"S Resisting a member of the police force
80 Interfering with a policeman
40. Indecent conduct
I'll. Threats of violence against another
person.
impera lively that the sanitary laws of the
District be observed. and consequently the
special attention Of the authorities is gwen
to the structures occupied by number of
persons, especially where there are no MOD
ern improvements.
'"rhose in charge are, held responsible Tor
the tnsanitary conditions. The occupants,
In reference to their own 1nQlVldudl care,
should conform to the regulations observed
by soldiers when in quarters or in camp.
1.-The superintendent of police suggests
that all persons referred to should not offer
resistance to the authorities in the execu-
ton of their duties nor be the aggressors
in tumults or combats. and hopes they will
conduct themselves according to the laws,
and they will avoid finding themselves in
volved in any disturbance
To Earn and Save Money.
There seems to be no desire on the part
of the Italians in question to become Amer
lean citizens What they alone want is to
earn money enough to pay their living ex-
penses send home enough to their families
TO support the latter and be able TO save
little in addition each month In this way
the workmen hope to accumulate sufficlent
funds with which to support their families
for several years after they return to their
native country. Living expenses in Italy,
1t is stated do not amount to nearly so
much as in this country, and after several
years of employment here the men are able
to return and live we'll for long time on
their savings. In a colony of nearly three
hundred Italians here only two. 1t is stated,
are American citizens.
Each month since the railroad work was
begun several of the foreigners have re-
turned to Italy for military service. Some
of these men expect to come back here
when they have fulfilled their military OBJ
legations at home. The laborers are paid
81 so for days work, and many of those
who proved their ability to do mechanical
work have been transferred to positions
paying them as high as $3.50 a day. Some