Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) Research Paper No. 16. Housing Shortage, 1960 Style

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR AND CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS HOUSING SHORTAGE, I960 STYLE I. Introduction The housing problems and related problems associated with California’s intensive, large- scale agriculture first attracted widespread attention late in the summer of 1913* Nearly three thousand farm laborers and their families had been attracted by handbills and other advertisements to the Durst hop ranch near Wheatland. There were approximately 1,000 too many pickers. Earnings averaged only a little over $1.00 per day. Yet, the principal grievances of the workers stemmed from housing and sanitation conditions. Carleton Parker’s subsequent report to the Governor srd the President stated, A great number (of workers) had no blankets and slept on piles of straw thrown onto the tent floors. These tents were rented from Durst at 7 5Ф per week. .. .Before these... accomodations were ready many slept in the fields. One group of 45 men, women and children slept packed closely together on a single pile of straw... Perhaps the most vicious sanitary abuse was that of toilets. There were... nine of these for the 2,800 people.... These toilets accommodated two persons, and were crude boxes placed over a hole of 2 feet in depth. About half the toilets had no boards with the customary holes cut in them, but had a single scantling nailed across. There was no toilet inspection or cleaning... By the end of the second day the seats, scantlings and floors were covered by a serai-liquid mass of filth. The stench, under the great heat, became so nauseating that many instances of vomiting have been recorded. Lines of 15 to 20 women and children fre¬ quently formed awaiting their turns at the toilet, and since dy¬ sentery had become prevalent, I have heard of instances of women humiliating themselves before passing men. Children were seen about the camp in an unspeakably filthy condition, since it was not possible for them to use any toilet without befouling them¬ selves. • • . The wells... were absolutely insufficient for the camp. Two of the wells were often pumped dry by sun-up....... despite the great heat of this week, no water was transported to the pickers (in the fields). Despite the easily forecasted garbage problem that would of necessity arise in a camp of nearly 3»000 people, no real pro¬ vision was made to take care of the garbage. Food and refuse were thrown out beside and behind the tents, and even in the paths. The toilets were used as garbage receptacles. ...This absolute want of garbage disposal without doubt accounts for a dangerous epidemic of dysentery which had run through the camp by Saturday of that week. On Sunday, August 3» 1913» Durst' s workers gathered at a protest meeting. Durst summoned local law enforcement agents and a posse. A deputy sheriff fired a shot into the air "to calm the crowd." In the ensuing disorder, the District Attorney, a deputy sheriff, and two workers were killed, and scores of persons injured. The riot attracted nationwide attention,