USA > Indiana > Lake County > East Chicago > East Chicago, A Historical Description (1947) > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
Table |11
NATIVITY AND RACE OF POPULATION OF EAST CHICAGO
Nativity and Race
1910
1920
1930
1940
Native White
Native Parentage
3,013
5,954
11, 521
36, 165
Native White
Foreign Parentage
5, 748
13,893
18,994
Foreign Born White
10,195
14,663
13,793
12,338*
Negroes
28
1,424
5,088
6,101
Other Races
14
33
5, 388 10 33
Total
19,098 35,967
54,784
54,637
* Includes 1,358 individuals reporting Mexico as place of birth
# Includes 5,343 Mexicans
Mexicans started coming to East Chicago during the 20's. According to Table III, they constituted one-fifth of the population of the city in 1930. Subsequently during the depression quite a large number were returned to Mexico. A change in the method of taking the census in 1940 makes quite difficult the determination of the number of Mexicans here at that time. In previous censuses Mexicans, regard- less of national origin, were classed, among "Other Races" and were easily identifiable. In 1940 Mexicans were classed as "White, " and those who reported having been born in Mexico can be learned from the report.
A Historical Description
29
31
30
insanJava The Chinese population numbers about 28 today. these, twelve are native born and sixteen foreign bo There are at present three Japanese, who happen to be nat born, and two Indians in East Chicago.
The people who have come from a foreign country to United States naturally tend to associate with each oth They have organized churches, clubs, and other organi tions. For example, the Poles of East Chicago have South Side Civic Club and the Polish National Allian Local 362. The Rumanians have at least eleven organizati of which the Rumanian American Alliance of Democracy is important, and the Russians have two organizations: Russian Orthodox Beneficial Society and the Sokol. Italians have three societies: the Italo-American Natio Union, Local 27; Sons of Italy; and the Italian Twin C Republican Club. The Greeks have four: the Bachelors Cl the Icarian Club, Greek Democratic Club, and the Order Ahepa. The Slovaks have several, including the Natio Slovak Union and the Socol. The Yugoslavs have organi the Serbian-American Democratic Club, the Serbian Natio Federation, and the Yavore Club while the Mexicans have Hobreros Catolicos, the Sociedad Mutualista, and Sociedad Mexicana "Cuauhtemoc. "
Table III, in 1910 about one-sixth of the population were native born of native parentage. About the same proportion is found in 1920,By 1930. the percentage in this class had increased somewhat but probably included many grandchildren of Central European immigrants. The native Americans who came to East Chicago before the first world war came largely from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois although all states were represented. In more recent years there have been an increasing number of individuals coming from Kentucky, Tennessee, and other southern states.
The population statistics for East Chicago illustrate the fact that more men than women move into new communities. The figures are:
Year
Male
Female
1910
12,119
6,869
1920
20,926
15,041
1930
30,618
24,166
1940
29,019
25,618
The difference was most pronounced in 1910 when most of the inhabitants were newcomers but has not entirely disappeared today.
In many instances the names of many of these organ Other sections of this report will tell of contribu- tions made by members of these various nationalities to the government and religious life of the city, but brief accounts of the lives of lew representative individuals sidd tions indicate their purpose: some are social, others 3o di fraternal and insurance organizations, still others is spolitical. Some are purely local; others are branches national organizations. These various nationality organ should emphasize the peculiar way in which East Chicago was tions serve the useful purpose of helping to preserve developed. For example, in 1893 the family of Stanley national customs and interests of their members alth Wleklinski ,came to East Chicago where he was born on they may have slowed up the process of Americanizatio November 11, 1895, He attended the lobal, schools and was a some cases.
soldier in World War I. He helped in the founding of the East. Chicago Building and Loan Association and, at present, Although the city is and has been cosmopolitan, is affiliated with the First Federal Sayings and Loan always has been an appreciable number of native white Association. Through these organizations he has been a native parentage living in East Chicago. Accordin factor in the realty development of East Chicago, Frank
33
32
Migas came to East Chicago around 1906. He worked for t way of living. He came here about 1914 and began working as Charles Martin Baking Company and for the Inland Steca mechanic at the Edward Valve. After a while he went to Company. In 1909 Mr. Migas started his own dairy busine work for the Northern Indiana Public Service Company as and in 1918, while still in this business, he started assistant manager in the generator plant. Later he estab- candy manufacturing business. In 1919 he became a direct lished a wholesale and retail grocery business. He organ- of the People's State Bank in Gary. In 1930 Mr. Mig ized the First Italian Building and Loan and is now presi- accepted the job as chief deputy sheriff in East Chicag dent of the East Chicago Federal Savings and Loan. He was remaining in this position until he became mayor in 1939. elected to the city council in 1916 and afterwards served on the East Chicago Water Board for six years. Mr. Ferrini is
John Tenkely came to East Chicago about 1904. He walso president of the local chapter of the Italo-American in the grocery business at first but later started the co National Union and has recently been appointed supreme business which he still runs. He became city councilman chaplain of the national organization.
1913 and served for seventeen years, the longest term office for any councilman in East Chicago. He represent
These few sketches show in some detail that many the city at seven conventions of Harbors and Rivers. He windividuals have come to East Chicago from all over the the organizer of the Hungarian Catholic Church. He has beworld and have contributed in various ways to the develop- captain of the Community Chest drives in the Calumment of the community. Each culture group has contributed District for the last fifteen years. labor, customs, genius. The immigrant generation is dying out. Its sons and daughters frequently have intermarried so
Thomas Costino, now National President of the Rumanithat national origins have become blurred. The grand- American Alliance for Democracy, came to East Chicago .children forget their origins and properly think of them- began working in the open-hearth at the Inland Steel Compaselves as just Americans. Names are shortened or Anglicized. in 1902. In 1905, he went to Rumania returning in 1907 wiStill, the many people who have gone from East Chicago to his wife, Anna, and eight of his children. Mr. Costino in national fame are evidence of the increased intellectual a member of the committee from Lake County which went and physical vigor which results from uniting many peoples. Washington, D.C., to invite President Coolidge to dedica Wicker Park in 1926.
Charles Rajchinetz came to East Chicago in 1895 at age of eleven. 'After attending the public schools several years, he started as a clerk for a hardware ste and later became a foreman at the Hubbard Steel Found In 1910 he became the first policeman of Russian origin.
Of all the Italians to come to East Chicago, Lo Ferrini is the outstanding citizen because of having made possible for hundreds of his fellow countrymen to bec American citizens and to adjust themselves to the Ameri
Chapter : IV
OCCUPATIONAL, OPPORTUNITIES
Statements made in earlier chapters about the number and variety of local industries have suggested that East Chicago would have a very large proportion of the 17,452 occupations listed in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles published in 1939 by the United States Department of Labor. Because this is true, it is difficult in a few pages to tell about all the possibilities for employment which exist. Each of the large industries employs people for hundreds of different kinds of work including many which seem entirely unrelated to the industry itself. Occupations do fall into more less commonly recognized categories which can serve as bases for explanation.
Technical' occupations, such as chemists, electrical engineers, draftsmen, constitute one of the occupational categories. These occupations, as a group, require training in a university of technical school. Industries employ many technically-trained people 'to direct their operations. A steel mill will have metallurgists' in charge of the labora- tories and frequently the departments where steel is made. It will have chemists or chemical engineers directing the coke plant. The head of the electrical department and many Yof his assistants are likely to be electrical engineers. A structural or civil engineer may be made responsible for the construction department. An oil refinery or a chemical plant will have chemists and chemical engineers directing Ats operations. For example:
... A refinery ... requires a well organized, efficient laboratory. The functions of the various laboratories are to see that material progressing through the units is properly processed so as to produce the desired results, and that the finished product adheres to rigid specifications for the consumption of our customers. This is accomplished by a constant series
35
36
37
of tests made at regular intervals twenty- four hours per day, seven days per week. The tests and analyses vary from routine tests to more thorough chemical analyses. The more routine tests are performed by inspectors and testers: the more compli- cated by salaried chemists ...
While industries employ most of the technically train workers in East Chicago, a few find employment with the cf government in the health, water, engineering, and sanitatf departments, or in private practice as consultants. example, the 1916 telephone directory listed two architec two electrical engineers, and one industrial enginee Occasionally, technical engineers operate retail business as an electrical engineer may operate a radio or electri supplies store or a combustion engineer may sell fuel and oil heaters.
Closely related to the technical occupations are mechanical trades; machinists, plumbers, carpenter electricians, molders, etc. These skilled workmen spe three or four years as apprentices learning to do the work. Many mechanics and craftsmen find employment industries: bricklayers building furnaces; pipefitters stalling and maintaining oil, water, and steam line pattern-makers making and repairing patterns. Most of large industries have cooperated with the apprenti training program of the schools by which, since its est lishment in 1927, hundreds of boys have learned skills isthe job and learned related information in school. Here what one plant executive says:
The Mechanical Department consists of the following shops: Boiler, Brickmason, Carpenter, Electric, Garage, Machine, Paint, Pipe, Cranes and Trucks, and Labor. The personnel of each shop is made up of craftsmen or mechanics and helpers, The Boiler Shop, one of the largest shops, consists of boilermakers, layers out, riggers, tinners, blacksmiths, welders and burners. These mechanics are assisted by
helpers and second-class mechanids. The Pipe Shop, another of the larger shops, consists of pipefitters, pipe machine operators assisted by helpers. It is the function of the Mechanical Department to maintain. . . equipment in good working con- dition, to replace defective material and equipment and to periodically check and repair major units. ..
Other mechanics may work for private individuals or business houses, painting, repairing, building. When a person wants a new building erected, he usually arranges with one or more contractors to build it for him. The contractor then hires members of the building trades to do the work. Public institutions, hospitals, libraries, and city departments, also employ tradesmen; for individual jobs when the employer has a small place, or permanently when an employer like the schools is large enough to have constant need for such services. Twenty automobile mechanics, six plumbers, nine electricians are operating establishments serving the general public. While not a mechanical trade, tailoring resembles them in that ten individuals operate tailor shops while many others work in the trouser factories.
The third category of workers is made up of office workers. As reading the want-ads in any metropolitan paper will reveal, this category includes hundreds of vocations in addition to stenographers and bookkeepers of whom everybody has heard. For example, large offices employ dozens of persons as comptometer operators or as keypunch machine operators and lesser numbers as switchboard operators, addressograph operators, filing clerks. "he most frequent openings are for typists and for clarks, the latter fre- quently being employed for making records by hand. Stenog- raphy and bookkeeping require months of training while key- punch operators can be trained in two or three weeks. In small business or professional offices, one person may act as secretary, bookkeeper, receptionist, and filing clerk, while in large offices a worker may'spend his or her entire time doingajust one thing.
39
38
More and more occupations in industrial plants fal into the semi-skilled category. Such workers perform om operation time after time usually on or in connection wit some specialized machine. They are trained to perform thi operation by foremen, supervisors, or fellow workmen. Whil plants differ in the extent to which seniority is require for advancement, the following statement by the employment manager of a local refinery would apply to many of th larger industries.
. .. it is important for you to understand that it is the policy of this company that all meg employed in the refinery (except those employed as clerical, professional, technical executive or administrative personnel) must start their employment as laborers in the Plant Labor Department. As such they form part of a manpower pool which supplies the needed personnel to the various departments such as operating, mechanical, pumping, car, barrel house and guard departments and various laboratories. As mem are required in these departments of the refinery, it is customary to draw them from this "labor pool" by seniority. Conversely, when it is necessary to reduce the working forces in the various depart- ments the surplus manpower is returned to the labor pool and the younger men in the "pool" laid off.
You naturally will want to know what your chances are for advancement. The best. answer is that all our superintendents, foremen, and other supervisory people
started at the bottom. That's true of the women, too.
We at Inland know that management and workers are largely the same people -- only at different stages of their careers. Wherever you work here, your boss was once where you are now, having the same experi- ences, meeting the same problems.
Our company is always looking for capable employees for supervisory jobs. You' 11 find right through your steel career that you' 11 be given opportunity to fit your- self for the next step up.
Getting the necessary experience and "know how" to fill the better jobs takes time. You can't swing it overnight, and not everyone has what it takes. But there are real opportunities.
The refinery employment manager named six departments in addition to the laboratories: mechanical, which keeps equip- ment in operating condition; power, which supplies heat, water, steam, and power to the operating units; car, which keeps tank cars in proper condition; operating, which pro- duces petroleum products; treating, which purifies the various products; pumping, which transfers materials from one operation to another; loading, which loads tankers and trucks; and barrel house, where packaged goods are prepared for shipment. A large steel mill will have more; the Inland
When transferred to operating departments, workers alists fifteen operating departments: blast furnace, where usually given jobs as helpers. After they learn the oper ore is changed to iron; open hearth, where iron is changed tion and when they have acquired sufficient seniority, theto steel; two blooming mills, where steel ingots are rolled are promoted to assistants, then to operators and, possibly into blooms, billets, or slabs; a 28" mil. where blooms are rolled into rails and structural shapes; two bar mills, where billets are rolled into bars and small structural even higher. Of course, various jobs may have other nam than helper, assistant, and operator, and there may be mo than three jobs in one operation, but the procedure is tshapes; a sheet mill and two continuous hot-strip mills, same. Inland Steel Companys
Here is a statement of the promotion policy at twhere slabs are rolled even thinner, a tin mill and a galvanizing department, where sheets are coated with tin and zinc for protection; a bolt and rivet department, where rods are transformed into bolts; and a splice-bar and tie-plate department, where bars are made into supplies for railroads.
40
In addition, there are many service departments: transpor tion, cole, power, machine shop, etc.
Even though; East; Chicago is highly industrial w fewer stores than most cities its size, there are ma people engaged in saleswork in the city. Table IV shows number of retail.establishments listed in the telepho directory in 1948. While there are probably some duplic tions in the 468 places listed, there are also unquestid ably stores which are not listed in the telephone director Since few stores are operated by fewer than two people a many stores employ dozens of workers, it is apparent th there are several thousand salespeople working in Ea Chicago. In addition, East Chicago people work in stores Hammond, Chicago, and other cities. In small stores, o person may buy the merchandise, put the stock on' t shelves, dress. the windows, serve customers, wrap te merchandise, collect the money, and make deliveries, whi in larger stores a person may only do one or two of the activities. Retail stores are not the only type of mercha dising work performed by East Chicagoans. There a insurance salesmen and house-to-house salesmen of brusher vacuum cleaners, etc. All of the industries in town empl salesmen to sell their products. Sales representatives a among the most highly paid employees of industries.
The telephone directory lists almost two hundred esta lishments which might be classed as service occupation Included are 34 beauty parlors, 69 restaurants, 25 laundri and cleaners, 19 hotels, and 10 funeral homes. Mortician beauticians, and barbers receive their training in school although barbers also serve a short apprenticeship aft they have completed the course in the barber college befor they are admitted to examination. Taxi and truck driver are usually taught to drive by relatives and friends. addition to the more or less highly skilled cooks, restar rants employ waiters or waitresses and cashiers who usual learn on their first jobs. Laundries and cleaning firr also have many unskilled and semi-skilled jobs.
Table IV
NUMBER OF RETAIL STORES EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA
Number
Type of Merchandise
Number
Type of Merchandise
11
Automobiles
16
Foods, ready to eat
38
Gasoline, oil, etc.
5
Fruits & vegetables
6
Automobile parts
16
Furniture
3
Air conditioning
86
Groceries
6
Bakeries
14
Hardware
10
Clothing, men-boys
12
Jewelry
19
Clothing, women-girls
8
Junk
24
Coal and coke
9
Lumber
8
Confectionary
6
Meats
10
Delicatessen
4
Millinery
4
Variety stores
2
News dealers
7
Department stores
2
011 burners
16
Drugs
7
Poultry
1
Dry goods
15
Radios
5
Electrical appliances
15
Real estate
2
Feed stores
ยท 8
Shoes
8
Florists
65
Taverns
Members of professions,like the people engaged in the service occupations, sell services instead of commodities . The chief characteristic which distinguishes members of professions from workers in service is the requirement of long training in college. Another che acteristic is the respect other people have for those engaged in an occupa- tion, There are practicing in East Chicago in 1946:
3. accountants
32 lawyers
2 architects
4 optometrists
4 chiropractors 26 dentists
43 physicians
In addition, clergymen, nurses, and teachers are usually regarded as being professional people: Teachers and clergy-
.
41
42
men differ from the members of other professions in tha they are employed by institutions rather than being engage in private practice.Of course, most industries hir doctors and nurses and, there are many more accountant employed by business firms than are engaged in publi accounting.
Chapter V
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
An old proverb says, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. " There is little need for East Chicago Jacks and Jills to be dull because of lack of opportunity to play as a survey of local facilities for leisure-time activities will reveal. There are the usual variety of commercial enter- prises, theaters, bowling alleys, and the like; many parks and playgrounds supported by public funds; and innumerable social organizations operated by their members
The Tod Opera House at the southwest corner of Chicago and. Forsythe, completed in 1889, was the meeting place of pioneer East Chicagoans. On the second floor above the stores which occupied the ground floor was a theater in which travelling stock companies presented their reper- toires. Rooms on the third floor of the structure were used for religious worship, schools, and other gatherings. This building was destroyed by fire in 1907.
As the city grew in population and area, moving picture and vaudeville houses were constructed. Among the pioneers in the ownership and operation of these "picture shows" were George Brandt and Julius Nassau. George Brandt operated the Gem Theater, which was in the 3400 block on Michigan Avenue while Julius Nassau owned the Columbia, located at 3431 Michigan Avenue. The Columbis had a seating capacity of 472 and at times featured vaudeville entertainment. Other theaters, no longer existent, were the Family on Michigan Avenue, the Pictureland, in the 3300 block on Michigan, north of the Pennsylvania Station, the Liberty, on Guthrie Street, the New Home (now the Broadway) at 2205 Broadway, the Hartley (now the Forsythe) at 4608 Indianapolis Boule- vard, the Lyric (now the location of the Voge) at 811 Chicago Avenue, the New Monroe, 3906 Alder Street, the Twin City, 4826 Alexander Avenue and the Auditorium, 3436 Michigan Avenue.
43
44
.45
Eight theaters are now in operation in the city inclu ing the beforementioned Forsythe, Voge, and Broadway. Indiana, constructed in 1925 at 3468 Michigan Avenue with Seating capacity of 1,500 making it the largest theater the city, has been a "first" in the development of moy techniques and a pioneer in the introduction of many innow tions in the amusement field. Other theaters are Garden, 3612 Main Street, the city's second largest theate Seating 1,000, the Vic, 3525 Main Street, the Midway, Alexander Avenue in the Calumet area, and the American, 3621 Main Street.
Another form of commercial recreation in which hundred of our citizens engage, particularly in the winter month is bowling. Old timers will recall the old Lyric Alle located on the second floor of the building at 813 We Chicago Avenue, and the Apollo Recreation, now the Arca Alleys at 3451 Michigan Avenue. Other alleys, no longer operation, were the South Side Bowling Alleys at 1309 We
149th Street and the St. Stanislaus Bowling Alleys in to cial in character but which logically should be mentioned at Memorial Building at 4936 Indianapolis Boulevard.
Present bowling establishments in addition to the abo mentioned Arcade, are the East Chicago Recreation, 527 We Chicago Avenue, the Immaculate Conception Recreation Center 4862 Olcott Avenue, the Leo Peters Bowling Alley, 18 Broadway, the Sunbowl Lanes, 2302 East Columbus Drive, t Calumet Bowling Alleys at 4823 Alexander Avenue, and t Columbia Hall Recreation Center, operated by the Ho Trinity Hungarian Catholic Church.
Soda fountains, "coke" bars, and the like are anothe form of commercial recreation. Frequently liquid r freshments are sold in establishments which are engag in other activities, operating pool and billiard table or selling drugs for example,
As in other American cities, attending sporting events constitutes a major form of recreation in East Chicago. Naturally, many sports lovers attend big-league baseball, football, and hockey games in Chicago, but as far back as 1005 there was a local baseball team playing in "Sawmill" Park near the Graver Tank plant. An early East Chicago football team was known as the Dodgers. On the Harbor side a cigar manufacturer subsidized the Indiana Harbor Booster Club which had football and other teams. These names were revived in the 30's and used for teams which played a foot- ball game to collect funds for St. Catherine's Hospital. Out of this game developed the Calumet All-Stars, a football team which had much success in the years prior to the second world war. There are at present several baseball teams which charge admission best known of which is the East Chicago Giants. While high-school athletic events are not commercial enterprises, citizens pay thousands of dollars each year to watch local interscholastic contests.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.