ZajednicÌŒar = Fraternalist. [volume] (Allegheny, Pa.) 1894-current, 1956-07-11
Croatian Immigration
To Allegheny County
BY STJEPAN GAZI, Member Lodge 20
Copyright applied for Rights of republication resered
BY STJEPAN GAZI, Member, Lodge 20

THE CROATS IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY
T he first Croatan newspaper in America Napredak,
(Progress), published by A. G. skrivanc in Hoboken,
New jersey in 1891 advocated the necessity of tempo
rary organization of all Croats
Nikola Polio journalist and former member of the
Croaan Parliament, had immgrated to Chicago Illinois,
where he became the founder of the second Croaan
paper Chicago in 1892 He too urged his compatrots
integrate themselves into the American society," To that
end the immigrants had to learn English and were
couraged to apply for American citizenship soon
possible
The next year, 1893 Pittsburgh more precisely Allie
gheny City, became the center of series of hot debates
this question The Croats from Allegheny County fin
ally outlined plan after which to organize the future life
of Croatan immigrants in America.
At this time approximately 5000 Croatian people
believed to inhabt Pittsburgh and it's surroundings
Yet not of them had distinguished himself by promot-
ing ideas showing initiative in regard to
their collective needs The former peasants did not find
time and enthusiasm enough to rise above the level of
their ordinary daily joys and troubles
great change in the social life of the Croats in
Allegheny City occurred in 1885, when Petar Pavinac
who emgrated in 1885 to Chicago to establish him
self in Allegheny City.
The year BEFORE another Croat Franjo sepic had
arrived from that city. The two planned to organize
the Croas in Allegheny County They sent article to
Chicago in 1898 describing in it the plight of the Croaan
colony Allegheny County, In conclusion they proposed
all Croats in Pennsylvania be united into association.
Nikola Polio editor of Chicago, employed at that
time Zdravko Valentin Muzina his assistant. Muzna
young student native of Reka, and sent to Amer
lea in 1892 by his family 1t not very long before
disagreement with his employer caused him to leave Chi
cago and to Pittsburgh, December 1893.
After his arrival in Pittsburgh, Muzna, with the help
of his friends published the first Croatan newspaper in
Pennsylvania. The first number of Danica, C1Ornng
Starr, appeared in Pittsburgh January T. 1894. Muzna
acted editor, while the printer Sovak named
Rovnanek Their publishers office located at 1874
Penn Avenue
Through Danica Muzina and his friends advised the
Croats to organize themselves purely Croatian basis
in view of their early return to their native country In
the first number of Danca he outlined his program
" to form Croatian associations in all localities where
Croats settled and to ntegrae these into power
full union; thus shall promote the moral and material
interests of the Croatan people. "'
This campaign of Muzina, Pavlnac and Sepc
from the beginning strongly opposed by other Croatan
newspapers like ChicagoSloboda of Nikola Polio and
Napredak of A. c. Skrivanic.
Obviously the numerous Croats Of Allegheny County
had to be organized way the other The labor unions
and diverse social beneficial societies did not accept
them neither did the Catholic Church offer them any
pensaton The Germans of Allegheny County, with their
already existing fraternal and cultural associations had
set example to other minority groups who began to m
tate them in forming their associations The Croats
could not but follow this general trend
sDana January 1884, Danca September Napre-
November