Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1881 — THE TIDE OF IMMIGRATION. [ARTICLE]

THE TIDE OF IMMIGRATION.

[From th* New York Tribune.] The renewed prosperity of the nation, and the hardships of military service in Europe, are regarded as the principal causes for the increasing tide of emigration which is now setting toward these shores. In 1877 the number of immigrants who came to thi* country was less than 150,000. Last year the number reached 457,257. Of these 827,871 were landed at the port of New York. Judging from the arrivals at Castle Garden so far this year, Superintendent Jackson estimates that the arrivals at thi* port this year may reach The arrivals at this port for tne first four months of last year, and corresponding period of this year, with the countries from which the immigrants dome, as shown by returns made to the United States Treasury Department, were as follows: Four Four months months i ending ending May 1,.* May 1, nationalities. 188<>. 1881. England ....11,224* 10.574 Scotland 2,667 2,319 Ireland .17,639 11,006 Germany ~..23,113 53,293 Austria... .'.... 2,118 2,763 Sweden 9,982 *,850 Norway.... 1,976 1,680 Denmark 1,897 1,769 France,............... 1,068 1,098 Switzerland 2,653 8,112 Italy 8,399 5,*18 Holland 1,200 8,835 Belgium 270 502 Rnasia 728 79* Poland «91 «23 Hungary 1,58* *,29* Other countries s*l 1,393 Totals 82,648 109,123 The rate of increase this year is nearly 33 per cent. This would give a total Immigration of over 600,000, of which about 450,000 would be ,due at this port. The rate of increase for New 'York, however, according to estimates of the .Commissioners of Emigration, will probably Be greater, as, owing to the backwardness of the season this ydat, and the late dates at which the Scandinavian ports were opened, the tide was kept back. In the first ten days of the present month 27,893 immigrants arrived at Castle Garden, and it is estimated that 70,000 will arrive this month, against 45,578 for the same time last year. On Monday of this week 6,521 immigrant* arrived, the largest number on any day yet this year. Yesterday the number of arrivals was 3,203.

The greater part of the immigrants arriving consists of men under 40 years of age, who would b* subject to military duty it they remained in Europe. Of the 109,123 immigrants who arrived, in the first four months of this year 72,778 were men and'36,350 women. In the same time last year the men numbered 54,985 and the women 27,861, the proportion being the same each year. The number of immigrant* arriving at this port last year—B27,ooo—wa* greater than in any previous year. In 1854, 319,223 immigrants arrived—th* largest number in any year previous to 1880. The arrivals at Castle Garden for eleven years past with the five leading nationalities were as follow : Total GerYear. Arrivals. Trish. mans. 1870 212,170 65,168 72,350 1871 229,634 66,506 88,601 1872 ....294,581 68,747 132,705 1873 266,818 08,612 104,214 1874 1*0,041 35,908 *6,302 1875 84,5fiC 19,924 25,559 1876 68,26* 10,31* 21,035 1877 54,536 8,221 17,753 1878 75,847 18,01* 23,051 1879 135,070 1880.. '....327,811 &i,3»9 104,264 Year. English. Slredes. Italians. 1870 88,3*0 11,551 2,081 1871 86,985 10,749 1872.. #6,999 10,978 1878.. 83,189 8,Q90 6,847 187*. 30,112 3,1*3 5,034 1875 11,180 .3,803 2,675 1876 ....i 8,4*7 3,698 2.618 1877 6,652 3,710 2,831 1878 9,344 4,162 4,208 1879 21, 56 12,394 7,220 1880 33,768 35,217 11,190 The total number of immigrants brought into this country since the establishment of the Union, not including those arriving in 1880, was 10,188,750. Of this aggregate Ireland and Germany furnished about 3,000,000 each, England 900,000, France 313,000, Sweden and Norway 306,000, Switzerland 83,000, and other countries ranged from 70,000 for Italy to 613 for Turkey and 383 for Greece. Very few immigrant* now come from Spain, Portugal or Turkey. The German immigrants nearly all bring considerable money with them, estimated on an averag* from SSOO to $2,000 each. Each immigrant is estimated to add* at least SI,OOO to the wealth of the country, in addition to the money he brings with him. At this rate the United State* wul have over $600,000,000 added to it* wealth this year by means of emigration. The poorest class of immigrant* come from Austria—the Sclavonian*. Many of them arrive here utterly destitute. The tradition is current in Philadelphia that Dr. Jtames. the distinguished preacher and ccanmentator, always went to bed st 9 ofcfock aPnight, he Yose at 4in the morning for study. The tradition adds that he sometimes Excused himself to company invited by his wife, and left her to entertain them. A New York gentleman of the last generation used to tell a similar story of Gen. Washington, for the truth of which be could vouch, as he was present when the incident occurred.

Gen. Washington was living in New York after his first election to the Presi"dency, and on New Year’s day, 1790, a great number of citizens called on him, in accordance with their custom of keeping the day. IJe received them with great cordiality, and afternoon and evenmg passed pleasantly. When the hall clock struck 9, though a^-large company were still present, Lady Washington «>se with dignity, ape 1 , looking round the circle with a smile, said: ” The General always retires at 9, and 1 usually precede him.” The announcement was startling, but the house was sooit emptied. The New Yorkers. 4<>-npt keepjsueh hours to-day, and few ladies have the social courage of Lady Washington.’ • Many great public men, on whose shoulders rftsfthc weight Of a nation’s government, have found it absolutely essential to be regular in their hours of sleep—an example that all may well follow. - ’ “Is there a letter here in a scented envelope for my wife ?” he asked the Postmaster, while the green fires from his, eyes .made the office look like a leafy forest. “ Yes, sir,” answered the Postmaster, and he handed it out The jealous man tore it open at once, when, lo and behold ! it was the milliner’g hili for SSO. No succeeding chapters. 1