122
THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM
assessment plan with certain variations. The com
mon method of conducting the society is that of a
mutual organization with a fixt payment or assess
ment for death or other contingencies. Usually the
payment is a death benefit sufficient to cover funeral
expenses.
As an illustration of the character of the various
immigrant fraternal and other organizations the table
on page 123 which sets forth the societies among the
alien population of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, may be
presented as typical. Similar organizations are to be
found in other industrial localities and the situation
in Johnstown may be said to be representative of the
country as a whole.
Immigrant Business Establishments
Aliens of recent arrival in the United States, in the
smaller industrial cities and towns as well as in the
larger cities, are engaged in all branches of small
business undertakings.
In some of the immigrant localities of recent origin,
such as those in the different mining districts or in
the comparatively recently established glass or steel
manufacturing towns like Granite City, Illinois, large
immigrant mercantile houses have been established to
cater to the wants of the newcomers. They are usu
ally a combination, consisting of a general store, saloon,
banking and steamship agency, and rooming house, the
upper rooms being used for the last-named purpose.
Some of these establishments recently investigated by
the Federal government represented capital invest
ments ranging from $25,000 to $40,000. These mer
cantile houses, however, usually disappear after the