The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-06-20
THEIR GOAL.
Gtamuede Of italians Sweeps
South Italy Bare.
BEAUTIFUL LAND NOW WASTE.

VA. Districts Depopulatsd by Frantic
pn.b 20 United States After Dollars.
whole Villages Left Without an In
b,bitant-Farms Go Begging.
rho White Star liner Cretic, Captain
an which arrived in New York re-
antly from Mediterranean ports and
be Azores, brought nearly $500 pas
ppgers. Of whom 2,117 were in the
.oarnge. says the New York World.
The Rev. William B. Farrill of the
.burch of Our Lady Of Loretto, Hemp
,osd \. Y, and several others Of the
Nratic's passengers had been travelling
.,ourh southern Italy, where most of
IA italian immigrants who have come
America recently had their homes.
Mo stories told by several of the re-
prning voyagers of the desolation Of
Dnthern Italy would make compan-
In niece to Oliver GOldsmith's The
deserted village"
Until about three months ago the
nmipra ZION from southern Italy was
ust about normal. Then, as one of the
a,,encers expressed 1t, ''the scream
the eagle on the American dollar
rss heard in the land" and whole
amilies began disposing of their
Aousebold effects and soon after set
an for America. Stories Of great
vealth that shortly could be acquired
the United States were circulated,
nd soon what was at first small pro-
ession became an army marching to
be sea.
Those who were left took advantage
their opportunity and bought farms
Or almost nothing, so eager were the
yuers TO reach the land of plenty,
there they were told "silver dollars
Olsd around the streets" Soon after
ard the recent purchasers Of these
arms felt the gold fever" and they
turn sold out. Soon there were more
arms than those who remained could
manage. Village after village became
populated In this way.
About a month ago still more won
erful stories Of the great prosperity Of
merIca were spread. With this dream
wealth before them those who were
1T fastened to board the first ship
New York. This rush soon became
Stampede. 1t was like that In which
hllren followed the piper Of Hame-
most of these people did not even
to sell their farms, for there was
me left to buy. Even when they
med at the large cities they made
attempts TO dispose of their prop
h, fearing it would entail loss or
me-
Now that part of southern Italy,
hlch is described as a magnificent
Duntry, with soil of the richest kind,
hose farms yielded crops in abun-
anee. with prosperous, well filed vii
ges every few miles, is a scene OF
ISOLATION. In some of the villages
ere was not a living soul. Houses.
It'll their doors and windows left
pen, were deserted as though their
nants had fed from a pestilence. In
ENAS Va hllGA1 thC hfAA NV O~SH
ven cleared OF the remains of the last
ZEAL In nearly all the household fur
iture had been left. In some OF the
ones stray dogs prowled.
On many OF the farms plows had
zen left In the burrows, with here and
here coat or an old hat hanging or
be handles, as though the owner had
sen suddenly called away and hat
I'd no time to return. Crops were lief
pening in the fields, no hand beinl
II to harvest them. In several places
Ofses were seen grazing in the mead
VS., their owners probably 1900 milsi
way.
This great emigration has become I
latter of serious concern to man.
fominent Italians, who ask, 'Wh'
III take the places of those who ar
Oney"