Once Upon a Time Strong American Men Worked in the Quarries

 

 

Then they went on to work better paying jobs, those foreigners who came in, why they could not speak English, they could not understand the obligation of an agreement. They were men of different nationalities, and the larger number, having an imperfect knowledge of English, were obliged to transact business with one another through interpreters. Their meeting places were widely separated, and communication was difficult. — from Public Documents of Massachusetts, Annual Reports of  Various Public Officers and Institutions for the year 1906.