The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-04
Statistics Showing the Increase of
Foreign immigration tothe
United States.
Carefully Prepared Report, With
Tables Giving Ages, Sex
and Nationalities.
Thc EARLY History of the Movemcnt-In
flux of the Past Ten iears-The
Greatest Contributors.

the bureau of statistics, Mai. S. G. Brock,
has Just finished a carefully prepared re-
port of the foreign immigration movement
to the United States, which will shortly be
printed and given to the public. This re-
port gives a history of immigration to the
United States from the time of the Revolu-
tionary war. You correspondent is per
mitted to give the following statements in
advance from the preliminary portion of
the report. which gives the analysis pre-
pared by the chief of the bureau of statis-
tics, and which embody the salient facts
that appear in the report:
At this time much more than ordinary in
terest is manifested in the subject of for
eign immigration to this country, and all
facts and figures IN relation to the large
and increasing arrival of immigrants from
foreign countries to the United States re-
csiye the marked attention of the public.
Carefully prepared statements are herewith
given. which show the arrival of alien pas
sengers and immigrants in the United
States during each year from 1870 to 1890,
inclusive. In these tabular statements are
given not only the number of immigrants
that have arrived each year during the
period mentioned. but also their nationali-
ties, sex, age, occupation and the ports OF
arrival.
No official record was made of the influx
Of foreign population to this country prior
to 1920. Although the number of imml-
grants to the United States from the close
of the revolutionary war up to 1920 IS not
accurately known. it is estimated by good
authorities at 225. 1000. The arrival of inn
migrants in the United States from 1921 to
1890 inclusive, as will appear in the subse-
quent tables, amounted in the aggregate to
1854 ,6S8.
In the early years the immigration to the
United States was small, but during recent
years the stream of immigration from for
eign countries has been steadily flowing to
our shores with an increased volume. From
1921 to 1880 the total immigration was
43,439, or an average OF 1854 per year.
The total immigration of the next ten years
up to and including 1910 was 500, 125. an av-
erage of nearly 1891 per year.
The total immigration from 1871 to 1850.
inclusive, was !, 713, 251; from 1851 to 1860,
2,598, PA; from 1861 to 1870 at was BAGS. 1852;
from 1871 to 1880, 2,944,695; from 1881 to
1880, 5,17G,212.
Il viii be observed That from 1861 to 1870
there was a slight decrease from the num-
Der of the prior decade, which was doubt
less due to the fact that the civil war existed
during this period. There was a marked
decline IN immigration during the years
1000 LODI du0 1COU, CtuA ~ CdOACA v LII
mum in 1861 and 1862, when the number of
arrivals was respectively SO, 724 and S9,007.
After the Termination of the war immi-
grafton Immediately increased, and has
continued to grow in extent and volume.
During the last decade, from 1881 to 1890
inclusive, there has been a remarkable in
crease in immigration, reaching the aggre-
gate of 5,176,912 for the ten years, or a
yearly average of 5l7,621. The volume of
immigration has become so great, amount
ing in the last decade to 33.0S per cent of
the entire arrivals in the United States dur
ing seven decades since 1921, that this sub
iect at this time possesses a great deal of
interest, and is attracting much attention
and comment.
The number of immigrants arriving dur
ing the two decades from 1871 to 1890, in
elusive, was S,120,9 7 or 51'92 per cent. of
the total arrivals from 1921 to 1890. These
totals do not include the arrivals from the
British North American possessions and
Mexico since July. 1885, of which there is
no available record, there being no law pro-
viding for the collecting of the statistics of
immigration from these sections.
During the entire period from 1920 to 1890,
inclusive, it will be understood that the
greater portion of this foreign population
has come from Europe. This proportion
has increased from $3.50 per cent. of the
whole immigration in the decade from 1921
to 1880, to 91.67 per cent in the last decade
from 1881 to 1890.
In the early history of the immigration
movement, while nearly all the countries OF
Europe were represented to some extent,
for the forty years from 1921 to 1860 inolu-
sive, over one-half of the entire immigra-
tion to this country was from England and
Ireland, and the greater portion of this
from Ireland. Since the latter date, from
1861 to 1890 inclusive, much of the larger
portion of the immigration from the United
Kingdom has been from England, and the
flow of population from Germany, Noway
and Sweden, Austria. Hungary, Italy, Rus
sia and Poland has greatly increased.
1t will be interesting to note in this con-
nection that the respective proportions OF
each of the leading nationalities of the
grand aggregate of 15,G41, 9S8 immigrants
that have come to the United States since
1920.
Germany ............ ..-......".,...... 4.55l, 719
Ireland 3,50l, b93
England =, 400, 034
British North American possessions. 49,. ] ,02g, 0s3
Norway and Sweeden. ............ 943. $40
Austria hungary. asa. J55