The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1913-02-28

axenent TO personal cleanliness The !
rows of coal sheds and outhouses stand |
near the alleys. There Is no sewer con-
nection to the toilets. The company"
man cleans these toilets.
The district is swarming with chill
dren. They tumble over each other
and the geese in the sand. many of
Thorn showing the effects of poor nour-
ishnent. How large part the lack of
brightness In their surroundings, the
great dreariness in their outlook plays
in this expression we can only conjec-
ture, for this is a quantity we cannot
measure In tangible terms.
Hammond No. 5 shows the front
yards of these homes--their outlook
The little shacks chicken cooTs
dog kennels. pigeon houses, geese
pens and such things. For these peo-
pie duplicate nearly as possible
their peasant life They are very fond
of animals. There are stacks of prai-
rde grass and some real hay In the
pens.
Hammond No. shows the rear doo-s
of the homes and the rows of out
houses on the alley. These are the
comforts furnished by this manufac-
turing company for the sum of ten
dollars month to the men 1t pays to
skilled workers, some not. One hun
bred dollars month income from each
row-s2.1o0 a month income from a
district six squares long by two
squares wide-might II nothing else
give plenty OF water In winter and
summer. sidewalks. and sewer connec-
ton for the outside toilets. Such lux
uries as plastering. painting and paint
ing might be foregone.
II was a rainy day when 1 visited the
district To the Polish woman who
came TO the door and answered my
questions I explained my interest
that 1 hoped something might be done
to get more comforts for the rent paid
She followed me out into the rain as
was leaving, begging. 20. misses. can't
YOU do something for US. Rent so
high, house SO cold. we get nothing"
And I had to tell her could promise
nothing. but would give what little
help I could to a bill which was to be
presented to our next legislature. Her
face frightened up at this-such is the
confidence of these people in those who
go to them and talk to them in frank
ness and sincerity.
East Chicago No. 2 and No. 3 show
a Hungarian home When I first went
was used as bedroom. kitchen, dining
room and living room There was a
sort of regularity-a sort of division
into compartments. In the front part
here there was only one room. This
of the room was the stove and the Ia
BILE and the other end of the room was
taken up by beds, and old-fashioned
wardrobe divided this room from the
central part where the family sat The
beds of these people may be interest
-tor, h avo mo-
them. The poorer foreigners have
very few blankets or covers on their
beds. but use feather beds to cover
--th exaselves and their children. Go into
one of these homes and see a cradle
piled high with feather beds. and 6
surprise awaits the uninitiated to heal
a sound from the depths of these and
on close examination see the pink ane
white Of a baby's face-1ust enough ex,
posed for the child to breathe To ont
woman who is very much Interested II
the theory of making Americans o.
these people, but does not know jus
how to go about 1t. I answered that /
she would just get the mother to cove
her baby with blankets and quilts In
stead of feather beds. j thought sh
would have gone far in her task.
When I first visited the home her
pictured. the pdDy IN tne mother arm
was not born The mother said: 81
stay in bed three day-with my othe
Eve I stay in bed two day 1 very muc
afraid Missis." Zone is always "Missis
to these people) 1t was in the dept
of winter and the weather was bitter
" cold The mother looked SO wor
out and discouraged. 1 asked her
she had clothing provided for the lit
tie visitor. She said: mo, Misses. Blu
my sister from old country send m
$3.50 to buy things Next week 1 blu
them" I have often heard it said tia
these women "hunkie women" they ar
called. are so strong they can easil
do mans work. Yes. many of thel
do, and a woman's work. too. But loo
at them. they are broken and old bs
fore they are thirty This mother
quite young. was married when ST
was about II. But she looks to
about sixty. AS many of the wome
of her class. she has goitre. This fan
lily are buying the little home and tn
summer have built on another roor
They have frightened up the yard ar
the appearance of the house with flow
ers and vines. They. as most of Il
familieso who come to US do. are pu
ting their savings into a home. B
the price they are getting should g
them more of a home" than this. TIL
are thrifty-of course at fearf
price--but what native born Americ,
family of a father. mother and s
children with an income of 81 a d;
would assume the responsibility of a
tually buying a home?
East Chicago No 4 shows the hor
of native born American family-d
scendants of our boosted desirable &c
man immigrants of some years ago.
mother. a father and Ave blue eye
curly headed children live here. T
man is a plasterer. skilled workms
making In his season about SIS ds
most of which went for drink, and Q
of his season refusing to work becau
he could not make high enough wag
In the winter time the mother a
children were almost without clothir
The mother came to the door to ts
one cold carving