The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-02
A WOND6REJl SIGHT.


| = Oreat Exodus of EmigTants from n.
Docks of the Mcrsey.
1t is to the great landing stages of
the Liverpool docks that we must look
to obtain an adequate notion of the
vast stream OF emigration, which -
ever flowing westward from or THROUGH
these islands. With the last few DAYS
we have published description of the
departure of emigrants from tn.
Thames; but in London these SIGHTS
are seen only on a puny scale, as com.
pared with the great unceasing exodus
from the Mersey. On Wednesday alona
no fewer than five great ocean steam.
ers sailed away from Liverpool, chief.
~ Tor Canada, the United States and
the Brazils. bearing with them nearly
four thousand human beings, most Of
whom that day must have taken leave
forever of the old world. The scene
OF preparation on the landing stages.
as described by an eye witness. was
curious, and not wanting in the ele-
ment OF the picturesque The Scandi.
navian races. we are told, prevailed:
but, besides these and the Irish
and English contingents, which
never fail, there were Germans.
Italians, Spaniards and Greeks. The
Swedes, Norwegians and Danes, bear.
their mattresses and culinar,
~ described as "mosty tall
Bows, With thews of bras
ana ARMS ~ STEEL" they were some
what bseteSa about and disheveled III
their journey to this port of deparg-
ure, via Hull, but were clad in a STYLE
that spoke of LONELINESS and substan.
TALLY. Side by side with these were
some 300 or 400 Herefordshire labor.
ers OF the sturdy British type bound
for the Brazils, there, it is to be
hoped. to meet with better fate than
has befallen some recent parties of
emigrants to South American shores.
Contrasting with these were men.
women and children in the character
istic dress of Polish Jews and
Greeks. 1t was scene for the brush
of Mr. Firth, whose artistic eye would
not have failed to note the presence of
a Liverpool detective, furtively yet
attentively scanning the motley crowd
as they swarmed up the gangways to
the tenders. The officers of the
Mersey docks and the Harbor Board
have experience in the management of
these great gatherings. with their
Babel-like mixture of tongues
and dialects, and they get them
away in an admirably simple and ef-
fective fashion; but it is impossible to
read the description of this stirring
scene, with its many touching episodes.
without feeling that it is, after all, not
the surplus population, but rather
some of the best blood of the old coun-
tries which the New World is thus
drawing continually away. The Irish
emigrants appear to have been the
only element which bespoke exile.
enforced by the stern admonition of
absolute want; but even these seem to
have been above the level of the aver
age objects of the eviction process and
the battering ram. They have re-
ceived help liz the shape of dollars
from the Land of the West" and
they spoke hopefully of the new home
across tie sea, whittier friends and
relatives had gone before them. 1t is,
however, at Queenstown where the
steamers on their way to American
ports have taken aboard during the
last six or seven Gays the enormous
nsmber of nearly four thousand per-
sons, that Irish emigration is seen
in its most striking aspects. These
multitudes again are described as
mostly strong young men and women
of the agricultural class. The old, the
weak and those who are burdened
with families are left behind. London
News