Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-08-01
A WONDERFUL sight.
Great Exodus o. EmIgrants froEa to
Docks OF the Mersey.


Docks OF the Mersey.
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 Is
ever flowing westward from or through
these islands. With the last few days
we have published description Of the
departure of emigranSs fr0'n i;s
Thames; but In London the B
are seen only on puny scale, as COM
pared with the great unceasing exodus
from the Mersey On Wednesday alone
no fewer than Eve great ocean steam
ers sailed away from Liverpool, chief
" for Canada, the United States and
the Braziis. 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, Nogwegians and Danes, bear
ing their mattresses and culinary
utensils, are described as mostly tall,
well-built fellows, with thews of brass
and arms Of STEEL" they were some
what beaten about and disheveled in
their journey to this port of depart
ure, via Hull, but were clad In o style
that spoke OF homelineSs and substan.
TALLY. Side by side with these were
some 500 or 400 Herefordshire labor
ers Of the sturdy British typo 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 aud children in the character
istic dress Of Polish Jews aud
Greeks. Is was a scene for the brush
OF Mr.. FIRTH. whose artistic eye would
not have failed to note the presence of
Liverpool detective, furtively yet
attentive,y scanning the motley crowd
"a they swarmed up the gangways to
the tenders. The officers of the
Mersey dock; and the Harbor Board
have experience in the management Of
these great gatherings, with their
Babel-liko mixture of tongues
and dialects, and they get them
away in an admirably simple and Of
fective fashion; but it is impossible TO
read the description OF this stirling
scene, with its many touching episodes,
without feeling that it is. after all, not
the surplus poPu'a alton. but rather
some of the best blood OF the old coun-
tries which the New World is THIS
drawing continually away. The Irish
emigrants appear to have been the
/ only clement which bespoke exile,
enforced by the stern admonition Of
| absolute want; but even these seem 10
have been above the level of the aver
age objects Of the eviction process and
the battering ram. They have re-
ceived help ir the shape OF dollars
from the Land of the West" and
they spoke hopefully of the new home
across the sea, whittier friends and
relatives had gone before them. IFS.
however, at Quecnstow4 4he:s thS
steamers on their way to American
ports have taken aboard during the
last six or seven days the enormous
number 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 woneh
of the agricultural Glass. The old, the
weak and those who are burdened
with families are left behind. -London
News, ...,z-..