The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-29
A TOWN IN NEED OF WOMEN.
Vancouver Village, Where the Fair
Sex Is in Great Demand.

Sex Is in Great Demand.
From the San Francisco Examiner
There is a city in the western part Of
Canada, close to the Pacific ocean, which
is named by all who visit it the most
desolate spot upon the face of the earth.
Its climate is good, its natural resources
excellent, its houses fair, its streets well
paved, yet within this town there is an
air of forlorn detection that strikes the
most careless traveller that comes within
its boundary.
1t is on Vancouver Island, a sweet fair
spot. And its desolation is caused by one
thing-one thing only The lack of wo-
men and girls.
This particular town is scarcer of the
product than any of it's locality There
are many towns upon the island, but this
one lacks women so sadly that in a recent
census Of the place it was found nearly
10000 short. This number includes a count
of serving women, women to do the work
Of the house, cook, wash, and iron. 1t
also includes working girls and women
who are not expected to marry. And, OF
course, 1t took in the queens of the city,
the fair matrOns of the homes and the
mistresses of the pretty establishments.
To-day the doOrsteps of these houses
yawn vacantly and the vines fiuttering
over the portals seem to say: She comes
not yet"
1t is not to be expected that such a con-
diton of affairs could exist without be-
coming known. The thrifty 'longshoremen
of the place and the WOOdmen, the miners,
and the merchants have written east
about it, and few days ago the mayor of
the place was surprised and delighted to
receive letter containing a suggestion.
1t was that, as women were too numerous
in the east to find the homes they desired,
he, the mayor, should devote a part of the
funds of the town to sending east for
car load of manageable young women to
come out and settle in the vacant homes.
The letter suggested that as the young
women were not in affluent circumstances,
most of them living with married sisters
or supporting themselves, it might be
good thing to provide each with a small
'dowry" with which to equip herself 10
come out to the frontier coast and marry
one of the needy men.
The letter so impressed the mayor of the
place that he laid it before committe of
men and women, for There are a few wo-
men there, and they decided that nothing
could be better. Their fertile brains hit
upon the expedient of fitting up a hotel
or home" for all the new arrivals, and
they suggested a reception committee of
men and women to meet them. when
they get off the train" said the chairman
of the committee, I'VE will approach them,
shake hands with them, and make them
feel at home at once, men as well as wo-
men being there to say, How do you do?'
The scheme at last reports was being
in the east were being filled with the small
belongings of femininity, the same that
were TO transform that corner of Vancou-
yer from the most desolate place upon the
earth into a paradise.
In other countries, especially those of
Europe, women are so much more plenti-
full than men that certain inducements
are held out to men to marry. These peo-
pie can hardly believe that there is an FL
Dorado for women, where woman needs
only wedding gown and bouquet to be
taken possession of by a delighted and
worthy man.
In these European countries the men
have been thinned out by emigration
They have gone out to Australia, have
gone upon the high seas, have come here.
But the women have stayed at home
Hence the dover question became impor-
tant, and grows more and more so every
year. In France the poorest girl must
have her dot, and If her parents cannot
give it To her she must work until she
gets it, Here a girl, If she be poor, works
only to give herself a trosseau, and is
very fortunate if she comes to her hus-
band with So bill in her purse. Women
OF America do not know how like queens
tries.
There are places upon the frltier Of
the United States, villages SJrdering
upon recently opened places territories.
and upon the limits of cultivation, where
a woman Is worth her weight in gold and
a great deal more. There is a genuine
bartering Of women constantly taking
place.
Let a woman from the city go there
and the "courtship" begins Immediately.
and great rivalry there Is for her hand
The men have gold ore to oner. thy own
claims" they have partly worked farms.
and they want a good home to live in
They will hire Cinnamon or haif breeds
anything TO do the hard work, IL oniy q
good-looking woman viii light the parlor
lamp at night and sit Ia the window and
wait for them to come home.
The price" for a pretty woman Of good
education and family in q newly con-
structed town is great enough 10 establish
a man In business IN the city and intro
duce him to society The agent Of a natri-
monial bureau in Chicago, who, as much
out Of curiosity as for business, kept him
self in touch with frontier needs received
q letter from q wealthy miner Of a certain
desolate territory. Il need q wife" wrote