Tenements+and+Toil

Most Italian immigrants lived in tenement houses. These houses are narrow, low-rise apartment buildings that were usually overcrowded by their landlords. They were cramped, crowded, and no indoor plumbing, and it was very uncomfortable. In 1890, almost 90% of laborers in New York's Department of Public Works were Italian immigrants. Shoe making, masonry, bar tending, and barbering were common jobs. In 1905 the Order of the Sons of Italy was founded to provide financial aid, education, and shelter to new Italian immigrants.