12 September 1906
BALTIMORE'S LITHUANIANS MAKE EXCELLENT CITIZENS;
ALL WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO BE REAL AMERICANS
The Baltimore Sun Newspaper 12 September 1906, page 16.
BALTIMORE'S LITHUANIANS MAKE EXCELLENT CITIZENS;
ALL WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO BE REAL AMERICANS
The chief requisites for the absorption of a foreign race into the life of another seem to be, on the part of the immigrant race, adaptability of temperament, sobriety and industry. Of these three attributes named the Lithuanians that come to America are very amply possessed.
The number of these immigrants In Baltimore is variously estimated at from 1,000 to 4,000. There is a wide margin between the two figures, but the truth will probably be found nearer the higher number. Whatever it may be, they form a distinct colony In Southwest Baltimore, in the neighborhood of West Lombard and I West Camden streets, near South Paca and South Eutaw streets. Of the many races that have settled in this city in the last 30 years they seem the most well-to-do and most American in manner. Individually they are of better class than most other immigrants and better satisfied with their surroundings.
Both of these facts may be due to a single cause - the Russian autocratic form of government under which, they lived at home.
About Lithuania.
Lithuania, from which these people come, is a country of about 100,000 square miles area, situated in that part of Russia and Germany bordering on the Baltic sea. It is contained in the Russian provinces of Vllna, Grodno, Kovno, Vitebsk, Minsk, Mohilev and Suwaiki and the German - state of Gumblnnen. Most of the country is low-lying timber land, marshy In places and little suited for cultivation. In the north is a small range of mountains. The history of Lithuania is rather obscure, and from the middle of the sixteenth century to the present time is involved in that of Poland. Prior to that time Lithuania was an independent and pagan state ruled over by tribal chiefs, concerning whom there are many legends, but no authentic information. At that time it became by treaty a part of Poland, and, forsaking its pagan ways, embraced' Christianity. At the end of the eighteenth century it suffered dismemberment with Poland and became, with the exception of a small territory in the West, the property of the Russian bear.
The Lithuanian, however does not consider himself a Russian. He sticks tenaciously, to his paternal customs and language in the old country, and permits little encroachment upon these by his conquerors. In appearance the Lithuanians do not resemble the Russian races. They are a well-built people of average height, blond, with white skins, blue eyes and light hair. They have thin lips and long thin noses.
The Lithuanians in this country are of a good Class. Most of them are tailors, though many go to Pennsylvania, where work Is found in the coal mines. The majority of them are in the big cities.
They Are Tailors.
In Baltimore tailoring Is the chief occupation of the people. All of them here almost without exception at one time or another have been engaged in this useful occupation.
As a people they are well Informed end agreeable and most of them can fluently speak English. They are keenly interested current events, and as far as is possible keep up with affairs by reading English newspapers. There are Lithuanian papers, too, of which the Zvaigale (the Star) seems e most read. It is said that the standard of morality among the people is very high, and is certain in that they are a sober, hard-working race, their names appearing very seldom on the police annals. They are however, a pleasure-loving people, taking their recreations in a quiet manner.
Most of them are Catholics and are members of the Catholic Church of St John, at the corner of Saratoga and Paca streets, of which Rev. T. Lietuvnikas is pastor. There are many church societies. The principal civil associations among them are the Grand Duke of Keistutis, the St. John's, the Kudurykos and the Copernlcus societies. The first of these is a national order of Lithuanians. The last three are associations of a beneficial nature.
In addition to these there is the Lithuanian National Pleasure Club, which has been formed for pleasure purposes. It is not national in character and its title is evidently a misnomer, but it attends to the arrangements for all local Lithuanian dances and other junketings.
The Lithuanians are not an essentially ambitious race. If a comfortable living is provided, they are content. There are, however, some conspicuous exceptions and the younger generation of Lithuanians seems to be turning to the professional pursuits of law and medicine.
A Woman Doctor.
A unique case of success In medicine Is that of a woman medico, Mrs. Czellvich, of Plymouth, Pa., who obtained her education in the schools of this city, notably the Woman's Medical College, about 10 years ago. Mrs. Czellvich came to this city when a girl of eight years from Pennsylvania where she had been born of Lithuanian parents. When she became of age she decided to become a physician, and for that end studied for four years. She married and moved back with her husband to the State of her birth. Her mother, Mrs. Thomas (the English of the name) is still living in this city at the home of a daughter at 215 South Paca street.
Among the American men of the Lithuanian race who are studying in this city or have studied here in medicine or pharmacy are John Schloop, now a pharmacist in Philadelphia; L. M. Kazunas, a druggist of Shenandoah, Pa.; J. Slupias,who studied medicine at the University of Maryland and is now in Philadelphia, and a young man named Matulaltis, who is continuing his studies here in the city.
Perhaps the leader of the Lithuanian colony may be found in the person of Nick Richensky, who keeps a large saloon on South Eutaw street, near Lombard. In a political way certainly Richensky take command of his people. His views of politics and politicians are quite interesting and at times amusing.
"The Lithuanian," he says, "Is an independent in politics. He will drink with the members of the different parties, but when the time for election comes he makes his own choice."
"On what facts?"
"Why, on the past record of the candidate. He cares nothing for the personality or the speeches of the man. He don't understand the speeches anyway and he knows that a personality is cultivated the politician. What he can learn, of the past life of the man he is to vote for is what decides him."
‘Do the Lithuanians hold caucuses?’
"Yes, secretly, immediately before election time and then they vote in a body at the polls. No foreigner is ever admitted to these pre-election meetings."
The Lithuanians seem to have a very simple and effective method of action here. They individually let the warriors of the different parties waste their ammunition, both mental and material, and then as calmly get together to decide the best man for the position.
Richensky has great Influence in their councils. He came to this city 25 years ago. When he arrived here there were, he says, in this city just eight families of Lithuanians. The arrival of others he explains in this way : Most Lithuanians come to New York when emigrating to this country, but New York is not a good city in which to live. Some few came to Baltimore, and they liked it here. The people were kind and good residences could be gotten here. They wrote to their relatives and friends in New York and these came down also. In this way the present large numbers were gotten.
Richensky is one who estimates his fellow-countryman’s numbers In Baltimore at nearly 5,000 persons.
Came Here As A Boy .
Richensky has had quite an Interesting life in the New World. He came to the country when a boy of 16. By this means he evaded the law that required a passport of emigration for persons of age. Kovno was the county that claimed his birth. When he arrived in this city, he had neither companions nor money. Friends also were for the nonce lacking.
Richensky reached Baltimore on Wednesday, and the following Monday was at work in a large metal-casting establishment at Curtis Bay. Here he stayed for nine months. Then he took up tailoring as an apprentice to learn the business. Nine months also he was in doing this. Then he obtained employment in the big wholesale clothing houses of the city. The rest of his life here may be summed up briefly and is a chronicle of uninterrupted success.
After two years' work in the factories he became walking delegate for the Lithuanian Garment Cutters' Union. Then, after a year's employment at this, he was made the general organizer of the association. His official duties continued for a short time further and then he gave up the labor organization business and went into tailoring again, with a custom shop at Eutaw and Lombard streets. Then, 12 or 18 years ago, he established the business in which he is now employing himself.
Richensky married soon after his arrival In the United States. His wife is of Lithuanian parents, but of American birth. He has two children, both boys, of 18 and 8 years respectively. Both attend school. Formerly they were pupils at St. Alphonsus School and Calvert Hall, but next year they are to attend the public school at the corner of Greene and Fayette streets. Richensky expresses great admiration of the Baltimore school system, and says that he wants his boys to become American in every particular. He himself will never be returning to his birthplace, he says. He likes his adopted country too well.
A Man of Wealth.
A consplcuous example of success In the New World through thrift and diligence is Joseph Olevlch, who conducts a grocery and has his residence at the northwest corner of Penn and Lombard streets. Nineteen years ago, Olevich came to this country with not even the proverbial red penny in his pocket. So destitute was he that to come from Philadelphia to this city he had first to work for two weeks at his trade, tailoring, to earn enough for the small passage money between the cities. That was 19 years ago. At present Olevich's financial assets may be conservatively estimated at $20,000, an average of more than $1,000 saved. In a strange country amid a strange and foreign people, for each year he has been here.
The story of Olevich's life is so full of interest and in many portions, especially in that concerning his leaving of the old country, is so full of the dramatic that a detailed account of it may be given here. He was born 41 years ago in the province of Kovno, Russian Lithuania, which is in the region of the Baltic sea. His boyhood he spent like any, other Russian youth, after tending the prescribed schools and doing the ghastly mechanical routine that makes uo the training of the Russian peasant. At 21, when be attained his majority, he found himself, in company with many others, commencing the prescribed course of military training. But, unlike others, Olevich had ideas of freedom and a liking for the literature of freedom. This last attribute combined with the first brought about the change in his life that finally ended in his residence in this country.
At the time of Olevich's youth there was no freedom of the press In Russia, and first of all on the list of proscribed books were those dealing with freedom of thought, freedom of action and so forth. Olevich had a liking for these and one time, in an interval of holiday, he made his way, into German Lithuania to buy some of the coveted volumes. He returned and on the frontier was caught red-handed by a party or soldiery. They put him under arrest and started toward the interior of the country. On the way, in the midst of a dark woods, the prisoner escaped and made his way toward the frontier.
Escaping From Russia.
For a while all went well. The Russian soldiers had stripped him of everything of value they could find, but in their hurry had overlooked a sum of about 25 rubles, that he kept in a breast pocket. On this Olevich managed to make his way. Walking all the distance, he headed for the German boundary, intending to go on through Belgium to some sea-coast port. He had no very clear idea after that as to just what he was going to do. Then his lack of passports began to bother him.
He reached the Belgium frontier and made his way over safely, when he was apprehended a day's journey the other side by a party of suspicious police. By them he was returned to the German boundary. This process was actually repeated four times, Olevich swinging back and forth like a rabbit doubling on its tracks. This shows some of the difficulties that beset the emigrant from the old countries.
Olevich was not discouraged, however. He put into practice the same principles of persistence that have brought him worldly fortune In this country and finally succeeded In getting to the coast by picking his way along the frontier of Holland, with the aid of a pocket map. Finally he landed at the ancient port of Rotterdam. The details of the thrilling escapes he had before reaching this, the promised country to him, cannot, for lack of space, be given here, but they are all sufficiently interesting.
He had friends in the port, and with them he remained in hiding, looking for an opportunity to flee the country in some friendly skipper's vessel. He found at last the boat he wanted In an English trading ship that was shortly to return to London. The captain became his friend and offered to take him to England for a certain amount of money. Olevich had all the amount but about 25 pfennigs, 5 cents in our money. The captain, however, rose manfully to the occasion and disregarding so small an amount, too his queer passenger anyhow.
Difficulties in London.
Olevich landed in the British metropolis with no money in his pocket and no friends to borrow from. The language of the people also was strange to him, his vocabulary Including only German and Lithuanian. His good genius in the shape of the captain appeared again however. "Here's a shilling for ye" said that visitant and the first of his troubles was to some degree removed. The second was for the while unconquerable. Olevich tells in an amusing way the studious manner in which he evaded the gaze of the English "bobby" and how badly frightened he was when an English officer once did venture to address him. .
This officer proved a unique person. He approached Olevich and inquired his name and address. Olevich answered in German that he could not speak English. The officer then began in German. Olevich switched off to Lithuanian and the officer began using that too. It sounds like a comic opera but It is all true. It finally transpired that the educated officer was a fellow-countryman of Olevich and had simply been attracted to him by his appearance, which was patentedly foreign and to the expert eye very apparently Lithuanian. Through the good offices of this person Olevich got employment at a tailoring establishment in Woolwich Just outside of London. He stayed there for about a year and boarded an emigrant ship that for the sum of 70 shillings brought him to this country.
His condition on arrival here has already been told. The Interesting part of Olevich s life can now be traced out in his rise from penury to fortune. It is a good example of the industry of the foreigner and shows the Lithuanian‘s peculiar power of adaptability.
The first year of Olevich's stay in this city he worked as a tailor in various big clothing concerns of the city at $7 a week and did odd jobs. He had no one to look after, and at the close of the first year of work had saved up $400 out of a gross earning of not more than $600.
Olevich's Struggles.
The second and third years of his stay brought sickness and trouble, and for 19 weeks at one time he was unable to work. This reduced his savings a great deal. Finally at the end of the fourth year he found himself with exactly the same sum in hand he bad when he finished his first year - $400.
Now he got married and set.about the purchase of a house. He chose the one at 586 South Paca street, and obtained it by means of a mortgage, paying $2.000 in all. In the course of the next two years be had paid off the debt on this purchase and set about for new fields to conquer.
He found them at the corner of Lombard and Penn streets, his present location, and then commenced the grocery business that has resulted so profitably for him. For the property he paid $2,700, with $l,000 for repairs. To obtain the sum he conspired with a building association and a mortgage. To an American this combination would undoubtedly have been fatal, but' it did not prove so with Olevltch, and he quickly made good his indebtedness in both directions.
Since he acquired the property it has advanced 50 percent in value. Olevich now found real estate so remunerative that he began investing all his profits in that form of property. . .
In April, 1905, he purchased a house at 665 West Saratoga street, for $2,500 and repaired it at a cost of $2,500 more. He then rented it to a large manufacturing concern, and by them it is still tenanted. At present Olevich is bargaining for a farm in St. Mary's county, and has offered the sum, of $4,500 for It. It is probable that he will obtain the property, and If so he intends to hold it In trust for his eldest son, who has announced a desire to become a farmer.
Olevich has four children, the eldest of whom is nearly 13 years of age and the youngest 8. All of them attend a public school No. 1 (English) school, at the corner of Greene and Fayette streets. The father expects to make a doctor of the younger boy. The girls he is giving a good American training to do as Americans do in an American world. He likes this country and has no thought or returning to Lithuania.
Two Successful Men.
The. careers of Joseph Levin, who conducts a Lithuanian saloon and gasthaus on South Paca street, and Franz Damukaetes, who keeps a like establishment on West Camden street, are very similar. Both left Russia when mere lads and both came to this city immediately after their arrival in the New World.
Levin was 17 years old when he left home, ills lire may be briefly summed up thus:
One year spent in New York, where he landed.
Two years In Pennsylvania in the coal mines.
Three years In Baltimore as a garbage-cart driver.
Three years here as a tailor.
Fifteen years, as a saloonkeeper.
Levin has been married twice, and has two married stepchildren. His own flesh and blood he is training to become citizens of the United States, and he announces his own intention of spending the rest of his days here.
Damukaetes is one of the oldest residents of the Lithuanian colony in Baltimore. He came here 27 years ago at the age of 17 years. For 18 years he employed himself as a tailor and then opened his house of refreshment on West Camden street. He has been married for 18 years, and has two daughters, both of whom are attending school. Damukaetes has a mother and other relatives living in the country from which he came.
Bachelors Are Scarce.
There are few bachelors In the Lithuanian ranks. One of these Is Anton Abromaitis, of 1003 East Baltimore street. Abromaitis is a clothing dealer and has several sisters in this country. Neither of these facts, however, does he present as a reason for his reluctance to join the ranks of benedicts. If pressed on this point he will mildly answer: "Oh, the wife she is too much trouble and I live better by myself,” which may be very true.
For all that Abromaitis has been a very long time in this city. He came to Baltimore 28 years ago, when a lad of 16 years. He liked the country so well that he wrote to his brethren and sisters in the old country to come over, and they obeyed his behest. Abromaitis now has four brothers and almost an equal number of sisters in this city. All of these are married and are engaged in various pursuits. Abromaitis’ own life may be chronicled thus:
One year as a tailor in New York, his place of entry to the United States.
Three years In Pennsylvania as a slate-picker in the mines.
Five years as "gents' furnisher" in Baltimore.
Twenty-three years as keeper of a clothing store.
He has a comfortable Income and will doubtless leave his small fortune in the event of his death to one of his married brethren. He owns no property.
"What’s the use," says he, "when one is not married"
Michael Buchness, who keeps a small grocery store on South Paca street, is an example of the comfortable, well-to-do Lithuanian. He has been in the city about 18 years and, like the rest of his countrymen, served a short probation in the tailoring shops of the city. Most or his life though has been spent in the business in which he now occupies himself. He is married and has several children. His eldest boy, a lad of about 14 years, is an interesting example or young Lithuanian America. He is straightforward, honest-looking little chap and gives the impression of good, inquiring mental power. He makes the statement that he would like to be a doctor or follow some such kindred profession. His father has the means and will doubtless gratify the little fellow’s inclination.