My grandmother, who arrived in the United States in 1883 said her parents waited until their sons were also working and could help with the money saving. (she was the youngest). They made their way up to Germany for the boat by wagons and a supply of foods that would not spoil and their most precious and very necessary belongings. They also worked for food along the way since they could not spend their boat money. They knew where they were going (Chicago) and how much it would cost for the whole trip (boat and then train to Chicago) and their money could not be used for anything else. It was a long and difficult trip but they achieved their goal and Chicago seemed like paradise after what they have lived through. They all worked very hard, my grandmother worked in a laundry at the age of 12. I admired her then as well as her father, who lived to be 97 and her mother who died much sooner than that. What guts!!! And we complain about small inconviences. Sophie On 6/27/08, Judy <judybevans@sbcglobal.net> wrote: > > I would like to read your publication, how do Igo about to get it, is it in > English? This article is so interesting, thank you for providing it. > Judy > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Fred Hoffman <wmfhoffman@sbcglobal.net> > To: poland-roots@rootsweb.com > Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 11:06:26 AM > Subject: Re: [POLAND] How Did They Get The Resources? > > Hi, > > Mike Stupinski asked: > > > It is 1882 and, as a resident of Southeastern > > Poland, you have decided > > to go to America to pursue your future. > > Unfortunately, you live in a > > small village and are poor. How much would it > > cost you (US currency > > stated at then-year dollars is the preferred > > economy) to get from your > > village to a seaport (by train, I would presume) > > and then to book > > passage (assume steerage) to America? By what > > means would you be > > likely to accumulate the money (assuming no rich > > uncle is around!)? > > > > The question seemed almost trivial when he first > > asked it but, based > > on the current cost of making that trip, it > > poses a dilemma. > > Wouldn't the cost to a peasant have been out of > > reach? > > Well, it wasn't easy. But when you feel something > is a matter of life and death, you find a way. For > a lot of people who emigrated, there really was no > choice. They could stay put and starve, being > ruled by foreign *!#s who never missed a chance to > grind them down, or they could risk everything for > a chance at a life worth living. As the poet said, > "When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to > lose." > > Iwona Dakiniewicz wrote an article on "The Journey > to America" in the Spring 2008 issue of _Rodziny_ > (PGSA's Journal), and she talked a little about > this. I don't think anyone would mind if I quote a > few paragraphs: > > ========== > > The first obstacle to overcome was collecting the > necessary sum of money: for the trip to the > railroad station, then for train tickets, ship > tickets, other expenses on the road, and a minimum > to help them get off to a start in their new > country. The total cost of the trip could range > from 150 to over 200 marks or rubles, depending on > where the trip began. > > How difficult it was to save the necessary funds > is illustrated by the situation of a typical > married couple living in a Prussian village with > several children in the 1840s. Both husband and > wife, employed in physical labor at the nearby > manorial farmstead, could not hope to attain a > combined income of more than 40 dollars annually > (the equivalent of about 120 marks later). At the > most, they could save perhaps 10 dollars a year. > > At first, several families would contribute to buy > a single ticket to America, in the hope that the > one chosen to go would quickly find work and repay > the loan, thus providing financial assistance to > those departing subsequently. > > As of the years 1888-1889, a ticket from Bremen to > New York cost 150-200 rubles, or 120-200 Austrian > crowns, and about the same amount in German marks. > A trip from Poznan to Chicago cost 30 dollars in > American money, by the rate of exchange at the > time. The firm Red Star offered a competitive > price: 21 dollars for a trip from the Prussian > partition to many American ports. > > The Polish emigrant often had a tragic view of the > price of ship tickets, for he was sure that they > wanted to cheat him. Although the prices were > fixed, he felt he would not waste the money and > would be very cautious and frugal with it. > > ========== > > It seems to me Iwona researched this pretty well, > and I think her observations are worth reading. Of > course, if you want to read more, you can always > join PGSA and get _Rodziny_, and Iwona's column, > four times a year. > > (Oops, apparently I just made a shameless plug for > one of the publications I edit. I am a naughty > boy....) > > Fred Hoffman > > ********************************* > Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at > 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 > Search the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > POLAND-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ********************************* > Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at > 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 > Search the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > POLAND-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >