CHAPTER XVI.

SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

Conjugal condition of mine workers-Location of wives of foreign-born mine workers— Age classification of employees-[Text Tables 263 to 266].

CONJUGAL CONDITION OF MINE WORKERS.

Information was received from 2,987 mine workers in Community A as to whether they were single, married, or widowed. The data thus collected are presented, according to age groups and general nativity and race, in the table on the next page.

503

TABLE 264.-Per cent of male employees 16 years of age or over in each conjugal condition, by general nativity.

Of the total of 104 native white persons born of native parents who furnished information, as seen in the foregoing tables, 71.2 per cent are married, and of the total of 62 persons native-born of foreign parents 32.3 per cent are married, indicating a much lower percentage of married persons among the second generation than among the native-born of native father. Of the total of 2,821 foreign-born, 55.5 per cent are married, showing a smaller percentage of married persons among the foreign-born, as compared with the persons native-born of native father or the total native-born persons. As regards the tendencies exhibited in the different groupings according to age, 2 persons out of a total of 29 native-born persons who are 16 to 19 years of age are married, as compared with 2 persons out of 246 foreignborn in the same age classification. In the group 20 to 29 years of age, 47 per cent of the native-born are married, as compared with 37.2 per cent of the foreign-born, the conclusion being that a greater proportion of the native-born within the age limits mentioned than of the foreign-born are married. Of the 55 native-born who are 30 to 44 years of age, 85.5 per cent are married, as compared with 88 per cent of the foreign-born persons in the same group. Of the native-born persons 45 years of age or over, 87.5 per cent are married, as contrasted with 91.6 per cent of the foreign-born. Of a total of 935 Magyars, 55.6 per cent are married; 45.5 per cent of the Poles, out of a total of 583, are married; 47.9 per cent of the North Italians and 45.9 per cent of the South Italians are married. Of a total of 735 Slovaks, 478, or a percentage of 65, are married. Of the total number of English, Irish, Scotch, and Welsh, only 18 per cent are single.

LOCATION OF WIVES OF FOREIGN-BORN MINE WORKERS.

In connection with the conjugal condition of the foreign-born, the location of the wives of those who are employed in the mines of the community may be noted. With this purpose in view, the following table is submitted to show whether the wives of the foreign-born married employees are in the United States or abroad.

Of the 1,507 foreign-born persons furnishing complete data, 54.1 per cent report that their wives are in the United States, while 45.9 per cent report that their wives are abroad, thus indicating a more or less temporary connection with the community on the part of those whose wives are not with them, or the lack of sufficient money to bring their wives to this country.

TABLE 265.-Location of wives of foreign-born employees, by race of husband.

In the above table it will be noted that of those races having 50 or more husbands reporting complete data, more than 50 per cent of the North Italians, South Italians, and Magyars report wife abroad. The North Italians, with 58.2 per cent reporting wife abroad, shows the highest proportion. On the other hand, about 60 per cent of the Poles and Slovaks report wife in the United States.

AGE CLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES.

As regards the age classification of the mine workers in Community A, the following table shows, by general nativity and race, the number of male employees of each age or within each specified age group:

TABLE 266.-Number of male employees of each age or within each age group, by general nativity and race.