The Opelousas courier., 1900-05-19
sweoEs IN NEW ENGLAND.
Census Indications Point to o Large In
crease Among Thesns

Census Indications Point to . Large ln'
crease Among Theins
By the federal census of 1890, there
were nearly 1000, 600 Scandinhvlans
in the United States, including 478,'
600 natives of Sweden, 800, 900 natives
of Norway and 132, 900 natives Of
Denmark, the Finnish natives OF
Russia then resident in the United
States not being separately enumer-
ated, and the natives of the two
Scandinavian provinces OF Germany
being secluded in the number OF ma"
tives Of Germany. OF those Scan
dinavians fully three-quarters were IN
the group of north central and north
western states which includes Mich
igan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, the two
Dakotas, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois.
There have been in recent years o
| number of Swedish residents on the
Pacific slope, notably in California
and there are many Norwegians IN
the state of Washington and a very
considerable Danish colony in Utah.
| In other parts of the country, par
ticularly in the south and in the New
England states, Scandinavians have
been few and the demand for their
labor has Leen slight. The last
federal census, however, showed a
considerable number of Swedes in
some of the principal New England
cities, $500 in Boston, 1400 in Provi-
dence, $500 in Worcester, 500 in
Lowell, 750 in Cambridge, 400 in
Lynn, 600 in Hartford, 1000 in Port
land, Me-, and TOO in Bridgeport.
1t has come to be an established
rule in New England that the first
immigrants go to the large cities. In
the city of Boston, by the census OF
1870, there were So, 900 natives OF
Ireland, but 20 years later that figure
has been increased by so per cent. and
the Irish immigration into New Eng
land has spread to the minor towns
within the next 10 years and it has
now extended TO the country districts,
many of the so-called abandoned
farms Of New England now being in
possession of Irish tenant farmers.
About 1880 the immigration into New
England of French Canadians began
seriously, and it has since extended
to nearly all the large cities of that
region and is now extending to minor
places. IN like manner there are
many reports of increased immigra-
ton into New England cities of Scan
d~inavians, but more particularly OF
Swedes, some of whom find farming
land cheap and available and offering
better opportunities than the north
west. The states of New England
offer to Swedish immigrants many at
fractions. The climate is not much
dissimilar from that Of Sweden. The
topography of the country is much
the same. The church congregations
and school systems are similar, and
the shipping interests of New Eng
land, always considerable, resemble
in many respects those which have fol
many years maintained Sweden as Q
maritime country. Moreover, the
New England states are more acces'
sible to Swedish immigrants than
those OF the extreme west, the item
of transportation across more n a
one-half of the continent by railroad
being worthy of consideration by
thrifty newcomers, aud the demand
for women iu domestic service, urgent
in many PARTS Of New England, offers
to Swedish girls an opportunity moi
to be found in other parts of the
country to the same extent. There
has been recently, too, in consequence
OF the Course of the Russian govern
ment, a large exodus from the Finnish
provinces of that country and a. con
siderable number of Firms have ar
rived and are arriving in New Eng
land. By the census of 1899. there
were SO, 900 Swedes IN the six New
England states, 16, 900 N~orwegians,
and a like number of Danes. From
present indications there will be re
turned by the federal census of 1900,
$50, 600 Swedes and Firms in thes'
six states.-New York Sun.
=#&&# #E Il.