The Mexican village, whose inhabitants played such a part back in the powder plant days, was torn down just over ten years ago, but even today you can hear vivid stories of this settlement from persons who lived in Old Hickory at that time.

During the war the United States was forced to call on foreign labor to some extent for construction work, and when the Government started operations here, a good many of the darker skinned people from further south trekked to Middle Tennessee to obtain employment.

The Mexican village, where they settled, was located far behind the present plants and today all traces of it have vanished. Undoubtedly, there are people in Old Hickory today who do not know of the existence of such a community. The Nashville Industrial Corporation completed the salvage work on the little village about ten or twelve years ago selling most of the weather-beaten lumber.

By then the inhabitants had departed for their far-away homes or had gone on to other fields, for with the end of the war came an end to any need for their work here.

A paper published during the war for the thousands of people then living in Old Hickory ran the following article on the Mexican village:

Mixed Population

The Mexican village is on of the interesting places about Old Hickory. The village at this time has a population of about fourteen hundred men, women and children.

This includes about fifty Indians. Six of these Indians were accompanied to Old Hickory by their wives. They came here from the Indian reservation at Navajo, new Mexico. Besides, there are a few Porto(sic) Rico blacks and Porto Ricans. There is a difference between the Porto Rico blacks and the so-called "regular "Porto Rican".

Some Educated

These Mexicans have been employed mostly by the Mason & Hanger Company, although quite a number of them are in the employ of the du Pont Company. Among these Mexicans are some who are well educated in Spanish, and they are ambitious to secure an English education. It is possible that arrangements may be made for the establishment of a night school for the benefit of these people, though at this time nothing of this kind is being planned.

The Mexican has been a big help to the United States Government in the great war. While thousands of Uncle Sam’s boys have been forced to go to war many Mexicans have been available on different construction jobs throughout the country, and a great deal of work on the various ammunition plants and other war work over the United States has been done by Mexicans.

Heretofore the Austrian and Greek has been depended on to a great extent for all kinds of construction work in the United States, but under existing circumstances the Austrian and Greek have not been available for several years. The Mexican is about the only foreign labor that this country has had to depend on while Uncle Sam’s boys have been needed in the army and navy.

As a general thing, the Mexican, if he is properly handled, develops into a good man, and he can be put to most any kind of work. Numerous examples are to be found among the Old Hickory Mexicans of their taking advantages of opportunities. Quite a number of these men have worked themselves up from the common laborer to positions paying sixty-five and seventy-five cents per hour.

White Chief Was Judge

Thomas L. Shortall, of Chicago, is the manager of the Mexican village. Mr. Shortall has been engaged in construction work for more than twenty years, much of the time being spent in the Southwest, among the Mexicans. He understands their customs as well as their language, and in addition to this he has the respect of all the residents of the village, who do not hesitate to submit to him for settlement all their troubles, arguments and disputes.

Such matters as shortages and other adjustments are handled for them by Mr. Shortall, who sits as the arbiter in all matters in which the Mexicans are interested. He has their complete confidences in all of their affairs.

At the present time there are thirty-five buildings in the Mexican village including the village club house.

Fun and Death

The club house is a place where residents of the village are privileged to gather each evening where they can pass the time socially. Their native games are indulged in and as long as those attending the clubhouse are orderly they are permitted to visit the clubhouse regularly.

The club house is also used for other public gatherings and occasionally a dance, which is attended by the majority of the residents of the village, is enjoyed. The music is furnished by Mexicans and the dances are greatly enjoyed.

The Mexican village was hard hit by the "flu" recently, and there were a large number of serious cases among the residents. On this account, a Spanish priest, Rev. Leon Monasterio of San Antonia, Texas, was sent for and he spent a month at this place, administering both to the spiritual and physical welfare of the afflicted people.

While the population of the village at this time is estimated by Manager Shortall at fourteen hundred, it has been gradually growing. New residents have been continually arriving while there has been a large number of births in the village since its establishment.