Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-07
LEAVING THEIR HOMES.
Newfoundland People Fear Much Dis
tress During the Winter


Vow York. Dec G-From Newfound-
land come stories Of poverty and distress
that have only been limited at beioie'
The condition Of the people OF that III
fated country has gone from bad to worse
sInce last year, and the result Il thae d
Wholesale desertion Of the island 10 IN pro-
cress. and no one knows whtrs IL VIII
stop.
Almost everyone who can get together
money enough to pay for passage Is leaV-
ing Newfoundland, and 10 attempts arc
being made by the leaders Of the people
To prevent this assertion, As there will be
fewer mouths to I'll during what promises
TO he a severe and trying winter.
The steamer Portia, Capt. W j. Farrell
arrived at Pier Z, Brooklyn, Thursday ana
among the passengers was Andrew j.
Thorbourn, son Of OK Premier Thorbourh,
who Ia making short tour OF this coun-
try He has been resident Of Ne1found-
land for many years, and has gone about
among the fishermen and the poor fainiieh
Of the island 10 q great extent
This winter promises TO ne a haru
one. said nc in conversation with Mail
and Express Reporter. and do not thlhk
that the reports that haVa been clfcnla'e'i
about the destitute condition q tue coun
try have been exaggerated Newlound-
land is really in II deplorable condltlhIi,
and the fishing industry has practically
been paralyzed owing to the low price OF
fab. There is no lack Of fish. The people
have been very successful, this year, ana
there have been no more boats iOSt IMAM
usual, but the price for the fish has gone
down so much that great distress has io!-
lowed.
Fishermen who have hitherto traded
with dealers by giving them their fish IN
return for supplies have given up this
system of barter, for the reason that the
dealers will not give them enough in re
turn to enable them to 1--we through the
winter Fishermen who have hitherto
done a cash business have not been able 10
sell their fish at IA good price, and the re
suit IL that one half Of the fishery firms
have closed up altogether and have given
up business.
This state Of affairs coming as 1t does.
after the severe financial panic OF last
year, when the banks went to pieces, and
when the government had to curtail ex
penses, has prevented any favorable reac
tion this year, when it WAS expected that
Newfoundland would be able to recover
herself to some extent. Before the winter
Is over there u i'll be the keenest sufferiD &
unless something turns up in the meat
time to improve the condition OF the coun-
try.
The retrenchment policy Of the gov
eminent and the fact that the usual
amount for roads, bridges and other pub
lie works has heen withheld this year has
ant pf sv
The method of relief committees, which
was instituted last year to keep the peoplt
from actually starving to death, will have
to be carried on this year, but the amount
of money to be devoted TO this object is y,
very small that the work Of these COM
mittecs cannot be of mucb use. Where
last yc, r families were allowed SO a month,
they get only 81. 80, and this pittanoe doe :
very little where family of six or sever
are dependent upon it for support.
AS result Of this Impoverished con
dton of the country, people are leayin =
Just rs fast rs they can get the means AMI
the transportation. When the Portia left
St. johns she had on board 100 girls, wht
were bound for Halifax to 90 into service.
They can get much better wages thcr,
than they can at home. Every steamer
that leaves New foundland is crowded with
people.
They know what the experiences of
last winter were. and they do not want to
20 through with the same sort Of trouble
II they can help It, The people who leav,
are mostly steerage passengers. Many OF
those who leave hope to return when rs
condition of the country improves, apd
when they have accumulated money il
Canada, Nova Scotia and in the tniteo
States.
The chief cause of the lack of develop
meat Of the resources of Newfoundland j.
lack of capital The coat mines and tn,
silver mines which have already hson par
TALLY worked offer u rich ID if enough
capital could be g'tten together to work
them properly. Bus tirsy will remain idle
until next spring when it is hoped the,
will b. worked sufficiently to give employ
mcnt tn n large number of mcu.