The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1906-05-24
ITALIAN LABORERS.
AN ENaINEER's ESTIMATE OF
UNDERGROUND woRKMEN.
In . Class By Themselves and GIVE
Good ssrvics = Many Are
Thrifty and Eager TO
Learn.


They are a queer lot, those Guineas
Keep them at work underground and
they are perfectly satisfied. but give
one OF them a soft job above the sur
face and he will quit In week"
That was the way one OF the tunnel
engineers sized up the underground
workmen who have for the past year
been cutting their way through Capitol
hill II was after hours and some
OF the men who plan the work we're
sitting around a small table discussing
the men who do the excavating. These
we're the underground gang" made up
almost exclusively OF Italians.
They are class by themselves"
said one OF the engineers. "and don't
want any better workmen. They come
to this county, the most Of them. not
knowing n word Of English and pick
II up In year or less. don't want
to sound like singing their praises too
highly, but they will work without
watching, and that Is q good deal more
than you can say OF a lot Of the labor
you have to employ. There may be a
good reason for their not sighting
their work underground. They have
to go backward and forward under II
every day and II any OF IL falls they
are probably the ones that will be
buried. Yes. guess there 10 some
reason for their doing It well.
And save money! Well, wish
could do half az we'll. The most OF
them make pretty fair wages-Sz.7b a
day is not uncommon But know q
man who is making si.50 with a time
and quarter on the night shift. and
he has saved something over 5000
while this work has been going on,
and that 10 less than two years.
But the funniest thing ever heard
OF was the way one OF them helped out
the Jewel Filtration company not long
ago. when II was financially embar
raised. Some OF the workmen had
quit and come to the Office for their
wages. Il was late and the banks we're
closed and nobody in the ONCE had any
money. The chief engineer told them
they would have TO come around In
the morning after the bank opened
But one OF the workmen. who was not
quitting, asked him how much money
he wanted.
About 5000. said he. not thinking
for . minute the Guinea had that sum
with him.
:" All right, said the Dago. and
pulled out roll about the size Of Q
telegraph pole. He peeled on 5000 from
the outside and handed II over. ant
the chief engineer took II. too.
The Guineas seldom draw theil
pay. There is another OUTFIT workint
on this same job with us. and the,
pay by check. Usually the men Jus
deposit the check with the compan,
without endorsing II. and have q wad
OF money coming 10 them when the jol
10 over.
II know one man that has $500 OF
deposit with his company. They liv
on the average for six dollars month
and II a man spends ten dollars he
a high roller. They will pick up Ems
lish quick. too. l know one OF tn
men; he is young Italian who work
In the daytime. goes TO night schoo
and spends his noontime studying. Il
ten years | may be hunting a Job un
der him.
They do not often quit. They fire.
quently stay by Job till II is finished
and they will go from one piece OF en-
cheering to another all over the cour
try just the same as the engineers
They are expert underground workers
and l know a local crew OF laborer
could not have been trained IN tw
years to do the work those fellow
have done on the tunnel.
Drink? Well, yes; but not whisk,
They drink sour beer for choice; bu
II by the keg because Il is cheape
that way and bottle II and let II tur
before they use II. They very seldol
get drunk, and you can turn them OF
on night shift any time in the weel
know that Is not the case with
lot OF other workmen. One ~ thel
wants to work night shift to-nigh
and they simply can't set out the me
because this is pay day.
Take II altogether. l think they al
pretty good citizens. There is one on
NJ here that is working a lot OF higl
grade Austrians, but for my part ri,
me the Guineas."