The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-24
HEBREW IMMIGRATION.
The Great Influx to This Country, and How
the Needy Are Cared For.

The Great Influx to This Country, and How
the Needy Are Cared For.
New York Special
The Telegram gives the following interesting
information concerning the great Hebrew i'm
migration to New York. 1t SAYS: Less than ten
years ago the Hebrew population of this city,
according to statistics, was less than fifty thou
sand. Everybody knows blythe frequency of
Hebrews in public view that now it largely
ceeds that number But few have any idea of
the great rapidty and proportions of the in
crease. From the annual report of the Board
of Relief of the United Hebrew charities, which
has just been published it appears that the
number of Hebrew immigrants landed at Castle
Garden during the year, which ended on Octo-
Der l. was q, 1868, which is more than one tenth
of the whole immigration received there. In
1885 the number was 1885. 1t also appears
that only G. 135 were bound for other points than
New York. Thus the accessions to the local
Hebrew population in a single year apart from
natural increase, was by foreign immigration at
this single landing place 21,2l3 Most of them
came from Russia and Austria, religious and
race persecution stimulating them to the adven-
ture No less than H. 796 were Russian subjects
and 1856 Austrian. There never was great
an accession to the population of the new world
in single year, from those impulses-not even
in the time of the Puritan colonization. OF the
remainder. ], 534 were Roumanains also driven
forth by persecution, and 857 were Germans.
Then the schedule suddenly sinks to English
subjects, fifty~nine: French, eight; Dutch, seven:
Turkish and Danish. each fve and Swedish,
one. There were 6,992 children and 20,3T6
adnlts; and were distributed between the sexes
III the proportion of b. 723 men to 6,653 women.
Besides these poor Hebrews who entered New
York through Castle Garden. there were hun
dreds positively or comparatively wealthy, who
came in through other avenues. The report of
the United Hebrew Charities, to which we have
referred, is marvellous record of the skill, the
patience, the munifence and the intelligence
with which the elder Hebrew population of the
city dealt with the thousands in this vast influx
of poor people of their race and faith, who be-
sought aid in some form, The difficulties were
immense -unacquaintance with the English Ian
guage, ignorance Of other trades and arts than
peddling by which to gain a livelihood, aimless
ness OF purpose, mental stuntedness, physical
squalor Still, however positive these ugly
factors were, it deserves to be said of the He
brew immigrants that relatively to others re-
ceived at Castle Garden they were well up to the
standard. There is some public misapprehen-
sion on this point. But the fact that the Emil
grafton Commissioners of the State returned to
Europe during the whole year only twenty
seven paupors is conclusive on that point, The
United Hebrew Charities, however we're the
means of wisely sending back IA unadapted
by any possibility 10 thrive in this country, and
of these they provided free transportation on
cattle steamers" for 682 men, who applied to
be returned owing to their inability to find en-
ployment here. their unwilingness to do
manual labor, they having no trade or profes
son." For many thousands they found employ
ment. They have an industrial school for girls
and have opened q technical institute for edu-
cation in mechanical arts. They provide medi-
cal attendants and nurses for the needy, lying
in relief for poor members. and burial for the
poor dead. And in all this there is over-sen-
timentality. Practical business sense distin-
cuisines all the Hebrew phalanthropic enterprise.
The board predicts an even greater Hebrew i'm.
migration for the year that will end next Octo-
Der, and beseeches helpers to deal with it, 1--WE
have no fear says its Executive Committee, 'of
the pecuniary aid of the public. 1t is the ener
getic presence and cooperation of ladies aud
gentlemen who will warmly interest themselves
in our work that we need and earnestly solicit"