The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-05

isuperior to negro labor From ex-
| perience we have had here with negro
| labor, we should say that there is no
| comparison possible.
| Much the same sort Of testimony IS
| given regarding the use of italians in
| public works at Kinston \. c., where
a system of water works is being III
stalled. Mayor \. j. Rouse writes as
| follows:
: My opinion together with my
| limited experience here with ltallaiS
| leads me to the conclusion that the
| situation warrants q further lntfo-
! duction Of Italian labor as mill hands
general laborers and for employment
on truck farms But | would suggest
| that care should be exercised IN the
selection of the individuals, that IS,
| that they be obtained through some
! reliable party resident in the city from
which they are procured. they can
best be managed by foreman tltal-
ian) whom they nominate To be
| padrone. This padrone is captain Of
! the force and usually has charge OF
| the shanty occupied by the squad,
| managing also their commissary.
| Further concerning the employ
mcnt of italians at kinston, Superin-
lendent Rogers. OF the West Cdnstruc-
| tor Company has this 10 say:
| I much prefer the Italians at an
81
want to work; they want the money;
will work overtime-every day and
| Sundays too. or whenever called on
| steady as a clock. The negro works
to earn only enough money to live on.
| You give him Il dollar day, he Will
work three days week; you give him
! two dollars a day, and he will work
only one or two days n week. The
proper way TO do is to engage
| padrone at q salary Of say $500 a
month to look after the men and keep
| you supplied with them. You give
| him the privilege of nominating the
boarding houses for the men and col
| lecting his BOARD bin out of wages due
| them Italians are used exclusively
| today by the New York. Central. the
| New York. New Haven & Hartford,
| the Delaware & Hudson, the Erie Rail-
| road, and practically all railroads run
ming into New York as We'll as by all
| contractors on public works. The rail
| roads find that they make excellent
| section men. In fact, they are good,
and l consider them best, on all works
| OF chat character.
Near Wilmington, y. G., q number
| Of Italians were last year employed
during the fishing season at the factGIy
of The Cape Fear Fisheries Company,
Ireplacing the inefficient and unworthy
negro labor formerly used there
| j
| padrone) could speak English, their
employment seems to have been high
/ " satisfactory. The Wilmington star
of November 22nd says:
q 1T is learned that the experiment
of working Italian laborers here was
highly satisfactory that they are more
reliable and more energetic in the dis
charge OF their duties than the ne
groes, many of whom We're enclincd
to work q day or two and knock off
until necessity forces them TO return,
regardless of what were the demands
upon their efforts at the factory. ltl
Is furthermore stated that it is entire
/ ~ within the range of probability that
even 4 larger colony Will be brought
next season and that some effort may
be made to colonize many of them
here, SO that their services will not
only be available during the fishing
season but that they may supply other
local Industries all the year round.
After 4 few years residence in COM
munity, it is said they make good citi-
zens and as unskilled laborers they
are reliable and energetic. gentle
man from the country, while in the
city about ten days ago, took occasion
to inquire into the result of the expert
meat with the Italians at the fish fac
tory with q view to introducing thell
same class Of labOrers into:the cotton
/
erS having suffered considerably dur
ing the past season owing to the in
adequacy of the supply Of negro labor
and the utter unreliability of large
percentage Of II. Al experiment with
italian and Portuguese labor at several
lumber mills near New Bern is
said TO have resulted Nely satisfac-
toriiy recently
Other experiments in the employ
fnent Of italian labor have been tried
: 10 4 less extent at various points in
, Eastern North Carolina during the
past year or two, and all With practi-
ca!ly the same results, as are indi-
Gated above, In some cases. OF course,
there have been SCnC dissatisfaction
on both idcs. but the consensus OF
opinion seems TO be that indicated in
the letter of Mr. Richardson, OF Dover,
That ii the Italians could be settled
here with their families, they would
help us to overcome the labor ques-
! ton.
THE Rowland Improvement Com
pany has for sometime had in its en-
| ploy about thirty Italian and Hun
garians who are being used in its
construction work. So far, they have
made very satisfactory laborera and
become more and more cortented and
useful as they grow better acquaini-
ed with the country and the people.
| 1t Is the purpose or this company TO
| further enlarge this force and TO do
! all in its power to encourage Italian
| immigrato of the best class to this
section
| ITO 2 vely limited extent. expert
mcnts have been made in this line
| by individuals with Firms, Poles.
! Portuguese and Hungarians. OF these
| the Firms have proved most salts
| factorily. AS yet, however. very few
! have been brought here. Senator
Simmons has four on 4 farm near
| New Bern; two of them having been
| there for two years; the other two are
| more recent Corners. He is delighted
1 with them as laborers and attendants
/ and is preparing to try to induce a
! large number of families from that
1 country to join those he already has
| employed.'
A nsswa $mr ne4INns a