New-York tribune., 1905-06-25
JEWS As BUILDERS.
The Hetreso Filling a Nese Role an
Nesc-York Life.

Almost any day one may see a group of men
of type new TO the park standing or loiling
the benches on the walk in Seward Park, at
Hester and Essex sis. Many of them have
saws and hammers in their hands. Planes
stick out Of their pockets Others wearing the
dusty white overas of the pasterers have
trowels carefully wrapped in cloth. One who
Is seated may hold in his lap bundle of large
nIeces OF irregular shaped window glass The
glass is dirty and looks If Ii had been picked
up from the wreckage Of some house
ash barrel At his feet the cement walk is
pail containing a supply of putty and the
implements for putting glass in windows Others
have bags containing tools slung their
backs Some have kinky boards and all bear
some Of the facial characteristics of the Jew.
4 relatively we'll dressed man approaches the
group Immediately the men who have been
lightly resting their weight their per-
NIT the blades to resume their shape and
round the stranger. They elbow each other in
their desire TO get next" They argue with
each other over the point
eJob?" asks one who knows few words of
English. The others eagerly watch the stran-
gers face.
mo. no." the stranger replies.
Those who cannot understand English turn to
those who can. and talk in Yiddish. Apparently
they are saying. What does he say?" He
shakes his head and they turn away. All in
terest in the stranger has evaporated.
This is a Jewish labor market. Its presence
here is the evidence of the entrance of a
class Of labor in the New-York market, and is
largely due to the Russo-Japanese War. 1t is
only short time ago that the market for the
sale Of this sort of labor established itself.
When the broke out large numbers of the
Russian Jews began to look across the to
the new land. Deprived of their civil rights
they still might be drafted into the army. They
did not fancy fighting for country which op-
pressed them. SO they came hither.
The Jew a skilled workman in the building
trades is becoming a factor in the construction
OF certain classes of buildings in New York.
one is accustomed to think of the Jew as a
worker on garments, engaged in specula-
tive trading. Many Of the tenement and apart
ment houses of the city are being erected for
Jewish owners by Jewish contractor employing
Jewish labor One may the Jew laboring
on buildings in Madison-ave., above S6th-st.; in
Lenox-ave., above 140th-st. and on Washington
Heights. He does the carpentry work, decoretes
the house, puts in the electric wiring, furnishes
ana ereclS the oIIaiiehtdI sHeel IRON
the roofing, the fire escapes, etc He puts the
glass in the window frames; he puts in the
stairs.
The Jew practically controls the supply of
constructive sheet metal work, such as cornices.
skylghts. roofing. etc, for tenement and apart
rnent houses The Jew and the Italian divide
the stucco and ornamental plaster relief work
between them. The Jewish laborer does in the
building trade just what he does in other lines
OF industry He is willing to work for less than
others, He cuts prices
According to DR.. David Blaustein the super
iQteHdenI OF the Educ2llOnal Alilance, lne per-
centage of Jews engaged in trades and doing
manual labor for living is greater in New
York than in any other city in the world out
Of half million Russian Rumanian and Gala
tan Jews he estimates that $4,000 skilled
and unskilled laborers. while the remainder are
engaged in the speculative avocations Whlch
usually associates with the Jew. ut is diff
ferent the other side" he said. There the
figures are exactly reversed. Here the pushcart
men 90 not increase in such numbers as
would expect, judging by the number OF imni
grants know many are going into the build
inc dos ha0a 2 hat nd hon
Morally, don't think this tendency, so con-
trary 10 their habits abroad is good When they
observe the requirements OF their religion.
When working for others they cannot do this,
and they become despondent'
The applications for removal from NewYork
which made TO the Jewish Industrial Re
movai Office. at No. ia 2d-ave-. give some in
olcatlon OF the number OF Jews who earn their
living in this city by trades. The society which
conducts this office assists in the removal from
the city to other parts of the country about
applicants for aid to move away are ironwork-
ers, machinists. carpenters, tinsmiths, lock-
smiths, cabinetmakers, masons and bricklayers.
There are many blacksmiths. workers in iron,
brass and copper paperhangers and painters
not few wood turner's and wood carvers, and
a small amount Of plumbers OF those sent
away, % per cent are accustomed TO their
living by what described miscellaneous
trades. These trades include GLACIERS and box
makers. The unskied labor amounted to 81
per cent.
Where do the skilled Jewish Iaborers come
the Baron de Hirsh School. but large pro-
portion Of them learned their trades in Europe
In 1902 the total number Of skilled Hebrew la
borers who came to this country 1881
Last year the total was 40 100 At least two
thirds OF these made New-York their first stop
Probably most of them stayed here. Among
those who came to this country last year were
S26 blacksmiths. 407S carpenters and joiners,
las ironworkers. 1887 locksmiths, 296 masons
1870 GLACIERS and painters. IA plasterers, %
plumbers, q stonecutters and So timers
There were more skilled Jewish laborers than of
any other single nationality. Ranking next to
them We're persons of Italian birth. There were
GAGS from Northern Italy and 24,247 from
Southern Italy. Less than half of the Italians
came TO NewYork The Hebrews are not cred
tied with doing their work rapidly the
skilled laborers of other nationalities. The
Irish said to object decided
ly TO the Hebrew entering the trades of
bricklayer, mason, etc Their religion in
terferes with the pursuit of their trades in a
measure. The Christian who employs them
naturally wants them to work Saturday and
does not need them the Christian Sabbath
But as Jews becoming extensive dealers in
real estate building large number of the
tenement houses Of the city and entering
largely into the contracting business, there
openings for the employment of many Jewish
artisans
TRADE IN CHICAGO