The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-22
RETURNING ENIIGRANTs.
Great Numbers of Foreigners Going Back to
Europe-Why They Go.


Great Numbers of Foreigners Going Back to
Europe-Why They Go.
Philadelphia Press.
DO you see them fellersl" asked the special
officer at the wharf of the American Steamship
Company pointing in the direction of a dozen
men IN unique costumes who were Just then
disappearing within the doorway of the emf
grants shanty. They're Italians-emigrants
he continued land they are going back home.
l guess they are tired of this country. 1 never
saw such a crowd of them going back as has
been sailing on every steamer for three months"
Hardly had the words passed from him before
another gang of Italians in characteristic
tunes turned the corner of Christian street and
made off toward the shed into which their com
patriots had just been gathered
1T must be a mighty bad time on the rail
roads" continued the officer, shouting to the
Italians to keep out of the way of the approach
ing train, when the Italians can't make liv
ing But a good many of these feers are re-
turning home in order to live through the winter
like gentlemen. / envy them, too for I've heard
they sport around Italy like dukes for six months
and all on $780, 1t must be nice to live in u
country like that" and the officer pulled nickel
out of his trousers pocket, held it close to one
eye. and gazed at it for a moment wistfully.
DO they appear to be glad to get backl' was
asked
Most of them can't get on board the vessel
last enough. When the agent opens their quar-
ters in the steerage they make a rush for the
boat tumbling over boxes and trunks and
another, and run up the gang-plank like
sheep I've been on this wharf many year.
but the way the English, the Irish, and
the other fellers is leaving the country beats me
They began to go away back in the summer and
the string has been kept ever since Once
asked an Englishman, since the election, whether
he was afraid because Cleveland got 1T He
shook his head and said 1 guess therell be
plenty Of work at home for me now, and you
may look out next year for more freight than
passengers. l didn't believe him, but two or
three Englishmen have told me that The Irish
they just say, 'BegorraE I'm going, and they're
gone, without explaining matters to anybody.
A good many Of the Irish that goes over is
middle-aged men, and has considerable baggage.
The Italians and the other fellers from Den
mark and Hungary, and the Poles, they carry
next to nothing at I'll. All they want is a ban
danna 'herchief and broomstick to hang it on"
THE exodus of foreign laborers has been
greater during the last six months than for sew
eral years" said the gentleman in charge of the
emigration department at the Office of Peter
Wright IL Sons During one week there sailed
an average of 125 of these persons each of tho
seven principal English lines of steamers, Most
of them went home because of scarcity of
work in this country Among the number
were many skilled English artisans who were
thrown out of employment by the shutting
down of the mills in the various branches of
trade During the summer" and the official re-
freshed his memory from a redribboned docu-
ment that lay before HIM on the table, "over
5000 Danes, Hungarians and Poles returned on
the steamers to their native countries They
came many of them, from the interior mining
districts OF Pennsylvania. They had all saved
sufficient money to pay their passage. To
great extent these three nationalities have
ceased to leave the country, although numbers
of them go out on every steamer"
The exodus is now, for the most part con-
fined to the English and Irish who have been
thrown out of work. l suppose the average
number of foreign laborers who are leaving this
country is 1000 per week. During the same
period the influx has been at the rate of 1000
per week. The last steamer that left Philadel-
phla, the Lord Cough, took out 1875 Storage
passengers, and the British Prince will carry,
perhaps as many more. About one-third of
those who return to Europe are women and girls,
although the proportion varies greatly. In three
months in the summer over 10000 Italians most
ly railroad laborers left our shores"
will all these people remain on the other
Side!" was asked
''Not by any means" was the reply. IA great
many of the Italians who come to this country
make practice of returning home every Au-
tumn, and spending the winter in their native
land. They find it cheaper to do this.
You see, their average wages on the rail
roads are $l25 per day. That makes
about $50 month. 1t cost them not over SO a
month to live During the six months of spring
and summer they thus manage to save from $15
to $40 per month The passage from Philadel-
phia to Naples is $3l. After they get that far
they are practically home. Then they have
enough money left to spend the winter in com
fort under italian skies. In the spring they re-
turn. The number who have gone back from
this city has averaged 200 per week-more than
for many years The English and Irish, of
course, patronze the English steamers, while the
Italians, Poles and the other continental ma
tives 60 by way of France or Amsterdam. Among
the skilled laborers who have been driven from
the country by lack of work are many Scotch
men and Weshmen Do / think the election or
politics has had much to do with the matterl A
few assign that reason, but | don't think that