Bridgeton pioneer., 1905-11-09
IN THE BERRY
field AND BOG

Careful investigation has been made
OF the annual migration of Italian
families to the New Jersey berry
nelds and cranberry bugs. The re.
suits OF these Investigations, covering
the social aspects of the conditions.
have been set forth in an interesting.
comprehensive and exhaustive article
by Nina O. Ginger, of the Newark
Associated Charities, who made the
investigation at the request of the
Consumers League of Philadelphia
and New Jersey.
Writing of the system by which the
farmers and berry growers make their
contracts with the Italian padroni for
help to gather the crops, Miss Ginger
says:
For this service the padroni receive
from $l.5o to So a day, and the priv.
lege OF bringing their families to work
with the rest of the party. The bosses
then make house to house canvass of
the Italian districts, picturing to
everyone the astonishing sums which
can be gained so easily and pleasant
~, In return for small outlay. Each
WORKER is promised free shelter, straw
TO Nil his bed tick, cheap fruit and
vegetables. The padroni assure him
that the season will afford him a
net profit of from $3.50 to 5000, and that
large and Industrious family will
readily clear from $400 to 5000. With
such promises borne out by testimony
OF those who have gone to New Jersey
in past years, there is no difficulty in
securing workers. AS each family
binds itself to labor under particular
boss, ne exacts fee of from fifty
cents to one dollar per member, which
he considers fit charge for his trouble
in securing summer employment for
them.''
VI the conditions of existence dur
ing the picking season it is said: slim.
mediately upon their arrival they take
possession of the Fresh Air Home
supplied by the farmer. In the straw.
berry sections this is usually shed
built for the purpose. an old barn, or
the loft OF stable. Here they remain
as long as their work in the region
lasts. Their mattresses are laid on
the floor in solid rows. Trunks and
boxes are opened, and the odorous con
tents OF cheese. bologna, wreaths Of
bread. strings of onions and toasted
bread are suspended from rafters.
Packages OF rice, macaroni, sardines
and tomato paste are in evidence
everywhere among the clothing and
bedding, and later these stores are
supplemented with heaps of fresh veg
etables. fruits and various weeds used
as green's.
"This beginning of an outdoor life
for a tenement people, which insures
fresh air and plenty of sunshine for
the children during five or six months,
may seem an alluring picture to stu.
dents OF social conditions. Unfortu.
nately, however, the housing condi
tions are so wretched on a majority of
the fruit farms that the resultant over.
crowding is often worse than in the
congested city districts from which
the people come.
Many lofts visited in the straw.
berry sections averaged not more than
IA by 25 feet, with tiny window a
one end and door at the other. Men,
women and children herd together in
these partitionless buildings.
"a glance inside these sheds on
rainy afternoon reveals promiscuous
horde of men, women and children.
unpleasantly suggestive of cattle in
freight car. Even the fields filth ac
cumulates, which must be menace to
the health of the farming community.
Typhoid fever broke out this year in
the Little Italy OF Cumberland county
among people as ignorant as the Ital.
ians in the villages of Louisiana, who
have trebled the danger of the spread
J 0f VaIInU fouors A.