In a book on Ellis Island, I read that it was not legal for businesses to finance transport for potential workers. It was considered a form of slavery. That is why they asked where the traveler got his fare. I'm sure this practice went on for a while before this was decided. Irene ----- Original Message ----- From: singmore<mailto:singmore@gmail.com> To: poland-roots@rootsweb.com<mailto:poland-roots@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 8:59 AM Subject: Re: [POLAND] How Did They Get The Resources? In many towns in Galicia, there were the scouting offices which paid all the expenses in lieu of the future earnings. Those offices were also acting as the employment agencies - recruiting would be immigrants for the factories, mines or household work in the new world. So those who did not have the family to send them the money or could not finance the passage themselves would use the agency. Sometimes, it took years before they paid off their debt. Those agencies advertised their services in the local newspapers. ella ********************************* Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at Poland-Roots-admin@rootsweb.com<mailto:Poland-Roots-admin@rootsweb.com> ---------------------------------- Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list as long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: researching our Polish roots. ---------------------------------- Browse the list's archives here: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots<http://archiverrootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots> Search the list's archives here: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1<http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1> ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to POLAND-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:POLAND-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message