The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1899-10-23
imported FOR MARRIAGE
The Business Of Bringing Brides
to America.
The Immigration Authorities Mt
New York Discover Firm Which,
Trade in Supplying Foreign
Wives to Men Who Want Them.

NEW YORK, Oct. 23--The United states
immigration authorities some time ago had
called to their attention the fact that a
firm in this city is building up lucrative
business in importing wives. 1t has been
estimated that nearly 20 per cent of the fe-
male immigrants from certain foreign coun-
tries during the last year have been brought
over by this firm.
Foreigners of the lower class, especially
German and Italian laboring men, very
seldom marry American girls. They prefer
a wife from their native land, because such
a woman would better understand their
tastes and their manner of living than
would a girl born and brought up in the
United States. They also claim that for
eign born women are less extrayagant and
are better able 10 get along upon small
income than the others.
As a rule such men drop all their ac-
quaintances and correspondence when they
come to America After staying here four
or five years, if they have accumulated a
little money, they become tired OF single
life They think of the rosy checked maid
ems of the old country. The next step is to
order one of these girls imported. They
write to the firm which makes specially
of this business and the details are soon ar
ranged.
The greatest number OF wives are
brought over for Germans engaged In tue
PENNSYLVANIA mines, the mills in New En-
gland and on farms in the South ana west.
The advertising matter OF the wife import
ing firm is kept well distributed through
these sections of the country. The man
who wants wife from his native land has,
therefore, little difficulty in learning
where to place his order. Some of the men
realize when they first reach this country
that it is only question OF siort time
before they will want a helpmeet, ana
therefore on their way through this CITY,
stop at the Office OF the firm and leave IN
structions for them TO be on the .ookout
fof a suitable wife.
When a man indicates his desire Tor an
imported wife he receives by return man
a blank, which he ID requested TO MI OH.
He tells what particular part OF his native
country he wishes a girl FROM Also what
age woman he prefers, the color mar. ia
short. general description of the Kind o.
girl with whom he would like TO share MS
himself, tells what kind of wo-k he IS en-
gagged In, and makes statement as TO has
financial condition. He generally Winas
uE, by saying that he is a good man anq
that any womaa could get along AM De
happy with him
Upon receipt of the bank properly hi-e1
out. the IMPORTERS send the would -b9 tene-
dict an estimate of the cost OF obtaining
such wife as he desires. The schedule
reads:
Transportation to nearest steamer Port =
yoYsas sne.,Jinp money ... SEQ
Exchange ------''- =, -
Two cablegramS, at NJ 30. ....-.---.-.----. S-p9
kilograms Of arrival --...---.-.--...--.... -oo
Two days' board in New York .-....-..... 800
Ticket to inland point. ..-..---.....-.--.-.
The cost of the girls transportation to
the port OF embarkation depends, OF course,
upon the distance she has 10 travel. After
she arrives in this country secondclass
fare must be added to take her 10 the
home of her future husband. II he lives
in the Pennsylvania mining region the fare
will be about 81. If he lives in the vicini-
" of Chicago S13 will about cover it. while
if his residence is in the extreme western
part of the country the cost will be nearer
s65 The firms charge for importing a
wife is SIS.
If upon receipt of this estimate the man
still thinks he can afford TO order wife,
he RENTS the amount specified in the esti-
mate and then awaits, with such patience
as he can command, the coming of his
bride.
The impor ters have agents in various
part sof Germany, Sweden, France, and
Italy. They forward the order 10 the agent
most likely TO have in stock the kind OF
girl desired. The description of the man
accompanies the letter. The foreign agent
has a long list Of addresses OF women
who wish to come to America. He selects
from this list the names. of three or four
that he thinks will fill the bill, and sends
them a description of their longing coun-
tryman. Ii usually happens, therefore.
that the next steamer finds the blushing
bride on her way to the New World.
Before sailing she is given explicit in
structions regarding the questions which
will be asked her at Ellis Island and the
replies she is to make. She generally says
she is going to a brother, and gives the
name and address of her intended husband
If she has little money she Is admitted
without trouble, but if she is penniless
when she arrives the husband is some
times required to come to New York and
marry her before she is allowed to leave
the island.
In several instances the girls have be-
come frightened at the island and have
disclosed the fact that they have been i'm
ported by an agency to marry men they
have never seen. In many cases the man
comes to New York to meet the woman he
has ordered. If he is pleased with her,
they are sent to the city hall in charge OF
someone from the New York firms Office,
and there are made man and wife After
a day or two usually spent at hotel, in
which the firm of iInDorterS have an inter-
est, the happy couple set out for the little
home already prepared by the groom.
Aside from their regular commission of
SIS the importers make quite neat sum
on every person brought over. On the
$50 steerage ticket there is a commission
of from $3.50 to 50, depending on the line;
SO or 81 of the voyage spending money"
goes into the firms. Golfers, as does the 25
cents allowed for exchange. No cable
grams are sent unless absolutely unavoid-
able There is a commission of 81 on the
two days board in New York, and If an in
land ticket is supplied, there is further
commission on that. varying from So to
Chicago to $40 for points in the extreme
West and South. These commissions are
paid by the railroad companies and are per-
fectly legitimate.
The importers have an occasional mis-
fit wife left on their hands. Sometimes
when a man who has ordered girl comes
to New York to look at her before she is
sent to his home, he is not pleased and re-
fuses to marry her. In such case the firm
do the best they can for the maiden. They
find her employment, if possible, and if
they do not succeed in this, they keep her
on hand until an order comes in from a
part of the country where men are plenti-
full and women are few.