The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-05
THE MEN WHO SHOVEL
| THE SNOWDRlFTS
Scenes at One of the Employment
Stations After the Recent
Blizzard.

II was a big stableliks building on
Twenty street There was little
window cut in the side. Along the street
near this window men stood in line with
spades, waiting to be paid.
There was a big door on the other side
of the window and at this door stood the
beginning OF line Of 700 men aitng Tor
IL To open 10 obtain the privilege OF shovel
ling the snow Some had been there since
noon, some three hours, some four. Those
who had been there since IL had frozen
look. for it was In the evening. They shui-
fed about TO keep warm, They Joked
little together. You think you're going TO
get a job?' asked an ou tsider Of boy with
thin white face, who was well up in front
The boy had achieved his poeition by
arriving at IL. Seven hours he,had stood,
II I'm born under a lucky star | VIII;
said he A sidebar buggy w,hirled noiselessIy
up over tho snow. II halted at the curb,
A big. broad man sprang down. He locked
over the line '.attsned aga inst the old blue
planks. extending 10 the corner OF the next
street. There was suddenly fierce surglng
toward the centre of the line, which at that
men gently tapped the offenders with clubs.
Stand back there" they commanded,
and fall into line A hat was thrown
into the air from the thokest part 1t was
the hat OF an Italian. The outsider stopped
Come, said he impartially, fair playl
They are giving the ginnies rs cents
an hour over on Tventy-iourth street;
declared a pale man with STOPPING Shout
ders and large feet wrapped In gunny-
sacks. Here they give us 20
The broad man vino had alighted from
the buggy. Joe Adams. driver extraordinary
to the superintendent, paused TO explain:
-rhe ginnes are the beat workers.
he said. They don't give ls half the trouble.
| light on them from every part Of the town.
When they think I'm at Elghty-third street
like as not am at Twenty-third. | catch
those loafing. | find the ginny always
at work. but these strike for the gin mills
every chance they get. Not all. but lot
nationality under the sun. What's the
difference The door showed symptoms
OF opening. II opened half way. Twenty
five men with big spades pushed through
Some bore scrapers, They are going to
snow at the docks the other men; then II
we don't send men down double quick
time to shovel it into the river back they
come at the superintendent.
The door had shut again, The crowd
pushed heavily forward. In the front 1t
was now a triple line. Suddenly man
was thrown out He sprang wild eyed to-
ward Adams, was in the front OF the
linel" he cried sThey have thrown me OUT
Adams shrugged his big shoulders help
lessly. while a tall policeman beat the man
What are we TO do?' he Asked We
haven't got time TO investigate and they
are all such liars suave .would-be
snow shoveller approached policeman.
BE kind hearted he begged. and give
me place in the front of the line The
policeman shook his facetious club at him:
Are you a near relative of Murphy?
he asked. Get, along with you!'
Again the door showed symptoms u
opening The blue boards shook The
crowd t.uahad fro fiCallv forward Some
fell Picking Themselves up they found
themselves outside the line.
The man who stood nearest the door
began to sing softly. He was sure of get
ried on by those who had stood the fewest
hours Those who had stood since IL and ?
were silent mostly.
The first that come said Adams, stay
inside. These are the ones that were not
so fortunate. We give four or FIVE hundred
Of them work at a time. We have since
the blizzard commenced, but Of course we
can't give it to all. We oan' Z help it. either,
IL they have 10 stay outside"
Then the door opened. 1t opened wide,
but not wide enough for the suddenly push
ing crowd, Frantically the men ran from
ali parts Of the line to the door, disdaining
rules, disdaining the cries OF the police
men They we're like nothing so much
az herd Of cattle stampeding..
The strongest won. They rushed wildly
in with mighty sound OF shutting feet.
The weaker were thrust aside.
Then the door shut and those left outside
faced the street blanky. There we're
800 Of them or more. Among them were
many who had stood in the front of the line
since IL Before the door had shut entirely
a voice had issued therefrom.
NO more work tonight, II had said.
NO more work tonight repeated the
tall policemen in chorus, and they began
gently padding the men into the street
xra TINT w not kind
Run along home, now they said to
them. "and come back at in the morning
We viii, give you work then
Urged by club, the boy with the thin
white face who had stood among the first
in line tilted toward the gutter.
Il wasn't born under a lucky star,
said he. They pushed me out