Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-12-13
THE CHRISTMAS EXODUS.
New York Tribune nth

THE CHRISTMAS EXODUS.
New York Tribune, 10th.l
If the average New Yorker were told
that during the last fortnight hundreds
upon hundreds of people had been pass
ing through this city on their way hone
for Christmas he would probably tell
his informant that his dates were mixed
and that this was the second week and
not the second day before Christmas.
III this same sceptical person Will take
a trip along the Steamship piers on the
North River and in Hoboken. however.
sometime In the next few days. he will
be easily convinced. He Will find hosts
Of merrymakers bound for homes across
the sea. and then he vii know that the
annual SCANDINAVIAN and ItalianChrist
mas exodus ii at its height
The first week in December sees the
beginning of the rush. In the far north
west. In Montana and the Dakotas,
the Swedish and Norwegian farmers
have been working over their crops for
months. AS any one knows Who has
been there large number Of the farm
ers inethe northwest are Scandinavians
They come from a wirfiry cline and
seem TO prefer the same conditions here
They are q hardy, big linibed race. and
are cut out for the mars work which a
great western farm requires. In the
carly spring they begin work on the
farns. and from then until the snow
and blizzartis sweep oNei the plains in
November and December ii is a long.
strong pun. Then. when the farm tools
have been put away and there Is no
work % be done. the stiiitsy farmer be-
gins to thing of his Scandiuavian hoine,
and II he is prosperous he perhaps
starts for the other siaa of the ocean
He comes 10 New York and as rule
takes Il steamer for f.mgl8ntl. When he
arrives there a train Mifisks him off TO
Girimsby or Hull or - ss.bly Harwich,
and from one Of those ports he journeys
across thr North Sea 10 the FScau{jnav-
Han peninsula, and thence inlandsto the
nome Of his fathers. He arrives there
Just jnstime for Christmas. and there he
spends the two months of deep winter
(which close UP tight the farms iii the
great northwest. The Christmas festi-
val is celebrated with oil friends and
with parents and relatives Ia his native
Village, and he falls hi agarl With the
quaint customs which mark his festival
ION the Norwegian or sWadisn country
side.
Mhen March comes and the Winter
negins TO break up he starts back 10 ms
farm III America wfet;s ne arrives ~
ti'ile 20 SOW al, carry crop ana max
| everything READY Tor ting hald %pik "
me summer. me chaiases are TIVE %
4 sshe IN az he mas renewed q boy, ana GIL
cove ~ ms native NiiiaEs. mas pssn
married by the viliass parson anti
l., IL 4.
\ pfinss paok 20 ms farlti ptlde. u Is q
1 general enaracteristic e the honeNaTe
bound ssandinayians that they are SIN
! gle men who came 70 lhis country With
nothing but strength ans determination,
ana Win these Two ql';ttiflss8 q $ ga iltal
succeeded OF course, @hple fannie ge
back every year and ss'ils Of them g
back 70 stay. some q tlle sifagle nler
4 60 p2ck 70 stay. out liitisi q thttn ie
turn to America To ii'isfSe more money
The PROSPERITY which 6tneg eXhltIt Wiilf
visiting tileirod honies generally works
on the minds Of The youths who arr ST
Tin their natiAfe Villages and those wht
4 rSnnw say that the big scandinavian
immicfation in the si,rlng Is difeetls
due to this Christmas hosns-goins In
tory Of the scandinavian farmer II
q -Anlsrica Is generally oiis q Success, as
1 ne IS fius AZ q g fiard wci,kins
II he ontging stestiaeis OF he last Nyeef
Il ~ have CARRIED fr9ifs this p'st sesiolss
cabins ana s. aefa ssts Tiled With hetlie-
bwald bound ScandinaNatis. ard y IS IS
.inlated that thsse 'hlis ttnss exodus VII
this year be III the ileighi9ni ilepeisoi o'v'
4 people. The steamship agents say this
lisa large number, and9lt y looked ul,pl
las good violence at me prospsil's
ing.
The Italians. who also follow This Gus
4 TOM az going home for Christmas ars
4 sailing for italy IN large nusnbets this
year and it is estimated that they MI
number about o.ono. The Italians ars
generally laborers. and theycoma from
4 all over the country They have ths
l. ri,''s s,,nny nome as the seandinavlan.
! e!o in the snowbounl north ana thes