CONCERNING THE TRANSPORT TO THE PROVINCES AND THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE
IMMIGRANTS
Art. 48.--The Employment-Offices or the Immigration-Commissions in
their stead, shall use their best endeavours to provide immigrants with
employment in such art, trade or calling as they may prefer.
Art. 49.--Such employment shall be procured if possible within five days
after the immigrant's arrival, and on as favourable terms as possible.
Art. 50.--The Employment-Offices or the Immigration-Commissions in their
stead shall, at the request of the interested parties, intervene in such
contracts for employment as they may make, with a view to securing their
fulfillment for the immigrant.
Art. 51.--Any immigrant who should prefer to fix his residence in any of
the interior Provinces of the Republic, or at any of its Colonies, will
be at once transported with his family and luggage to such place, as he
may select, free of all charge.
Art. 52.--In case of an immigrant going to the Provinces, he will be
entitled on arrival at his destination, to be lodged and boarded for
ten days by the Immigration-Commission. At the expiration of this time,
he shall pay half a national gold dollar a day for every person over 8
years old, and 25 cents for every child under that age, except in case
of illness, when he would continue to be maintained at the expense of
the Government as long as the said illness lasts.
Art. 54.--The immigrants can on no pretence whatever, profit by the
privileges granted by the preceding articles, to pass through the
territory of the Republic to a foreign country, under penalty of
repaying all the expenses that have been occasioned for their passage,
landing, board, lodging and transport.
[Illustration: Immigrants Hotel in Buenos Aires
Office for employment and free transport of the
immigrants to the provinces]
Reception of immigrants in the Argentine Republic.
THE IMMIGRANT INSPECTION AND ITS REASON
Each ship that arrives in the country bringing immigrants, 2nd. and
3rd. class passengers, according to Law, is visited and inspected by a
Commission comprising the Immigration Inspector, Board of Health doctor
and Coast Guard officer, who examine the hygiene and healthiness of
the ship, accommodation, provisioning during the voyage, supply of
medicines, and as to whether a doctor or chemist is carried; if or no a
greater number of passengers were carried than the accommodation allows;
if the measurements of the deck, sparedeck and of the berths are in
accordance with the Law; if there is sufficient ventilation, supply of
firehose and cooking utensils, life belts and life boats; if there are
passengers with contagious diseases; if passengers have been embarqued
at ports where there is an epidemic; if any part of the cargo is
inflamable or unhealthy, and, finally, receive any protest of the
passengers of bad treatment and obtain from the Captain the documents
he should deliver, showing cognoscence of the Immigration Law, and any
incidents that have happened on the voyage. This is done in the interest
of the immigrants.
RECEIVING THE IMMIGRANTS
The immigrants are carefully questioned and classified to find out their
trades and means, note being taken of those who do not wish to come
under the Immigration Law, their passports then being stamped "passenger
only", as also are stamped "former resident" the passports of those who
come under that heading.
Once the passports revised by the officials, those immigrants admited
under the Law, are handed over to the receiving officials of the
Immigrants Hotel who attend to them, placing them in trams, which take
them to the Hotel. The baggage is taken on trucks to the same place by
the Hotel porters.
[Illustration: Immigrants Hotel in Buenos Aires
Group of immigrants]
FREE LODGING
Arriving at the Hotel, the names of the immigrants are entered in the
Hotel register and they are given a lodging ticket valid for five
days, which can be prolonged in case of sickness. The immigrants are
comfortably lodged, the women and children in separate rooms to the
men. The baggage is taken by the Hotel porters to a deposit where it
is revised by the Custom House Officers, specially.
FREE BOARD
The rations given to the immigrants are of the best, and in the
following proportions per day, per adult: meat 600 grams, bread 500
grams, potatoes, carrots or cabbage (alternately) 150; rice, maccaroni,
or beans (alternately) 100; sugar 25 and coffee 10 grams; milk is given
to the children. The food is cooked by steam and is served by the Hotel
attendants in a large dining room.
MEDICAL ATTENDANCE
There is an Infirmary in the Hotel where patients are carefully
attended; children as well as adults can be vaccinated. There is a
staff of doctors, students, sicknurses, and a chemist's fully equiped
with medicines and disinfectants.
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT OFFICE
On arrival, the immigrants are questioned as to what part of the country
they wish to go, and are offered work by the Employment Office, in
accordance with the inquiries for workmen received, full information of
which, of wages paid and other conditions are carefully entered up in
books kept for that purpose. If there are no enquiries for workmen in
the particular trade of an immigrant looking for employment, this
Office undertakes to find him work by either directing him to Works and
Factories or by telegraphing enquiries to the Interior. Immigrants are
warned, should they wish to go to any part of the country where there is
no opening for one in their trade.
No persuasion is used to induce immigrants to go to any particular part
of the country, it is left to them to decide.
[Illustration: Immigrants Hotel in Buenos Aires
Group of immigrants]
FORWARDING AND RECEIVING FREE
The immigrants placed up country or who wish to join their relations,
are taken care of by forwarding Agents who remit their luggage properly
labeled, note down the immigrants so forwarded, provide them with
tickets and see them on to the train or river steamers.
ARRIVING AT THE PROVINCES AND POINTS OF DESTINATION
The immigrants who go to the Provinces or National Territories to be
settled, are met on arrival of the train by the Secretary of the Branch
Office, boarded and lodged for ten days until they are settled or leave
for some fixed destination. If they should have to change trains, they
are looked after by this Official in the same way as in the Federal
Capital, from the arrival of one train until the departure of the one
in which they continue their journey.
POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICE
For the better handing of the immigrants correspondence and in order
that the Head Office and National Employment Office can transmit without
delay, orders and instructions all over the Republic, there is a Post
and Telegraph Office in the Immigration Hotel.
STATISTICAL RETURNS
The four following returns, summarize the Argentine Immigration movement
from 1857 to 1903.
In those relating to the entry and nationality of immigrants, the
information corresponding to the years running from 1857 to 1903 is
given, and in those which refer to their trades and forwarding to the
interior, the information has been taken corresponding to the last
decade, this lapse of time being sufficiently demonstrative.
[Illustration: Immigrants Hotel in Buenos Aires
Part of the dining-hall]
IMMIGRANTS PLACED AND FORWARDED TO THE INTERIOR OF THE COUNTRY BY THE
NATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE DURING THE LAST DECADE FROM 1894 TO 1903.
--------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------
Provinces and | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899
Territories | | | | | |
--------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------
Federal Capital | 545 | 683 | 1.209 | 589 | 876 | 1.736
Buenos Aires | 3.071 | 4.212 | 12.028 | 8.471 | 7.503 | 9.991
Entre Rios | 2.345 | 2.129 | 814 | 1.190 | 1.184 | 1.575
Corrientes | 101 | 115 | 114 | 455 | 293 | 194
Santa Fe | 11.801 | 10.143 | 13.077 | 6.273 | 6.577 | 9.647
Cordoba | 2.413 | 2.198 | 2.995 | 1.958 | 2.659 | 3.951
Tucuman | 802 | 387 | 898 | 1.173 | 456 | 514
Santiago del Estero | 76 | 51 | 291 | 149 | 165 | 141
Salta | 19 | 36 | 47 | 237 | 345 | 224
JuJuy | 18 | 10 | 104 | 38 | 17 | 69
Catamarca | 11 | 29 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 14
La Rioja | -- | 25 | 12 | 20 | 14 | 43
San Luis | 46 | 91 | 183 | 207 | 95 | 129
Mendoza | 566 | 665 | 1.973 | 2.569 | 1.365 | 1.695
San Juan | 137 | 155 | 270 | 390 | 252 | 269
Chaco | 34 | 6 | 20 | 105 | 112 | 21
Misiones | 30 | 13 | 7 | 72 | 254 | 509
Tierra del Fuego | -- | 16 | 54 | 41 | 19 | 8
Chubut | 11 | 25 | 10 | 84 | 22 | 13
Santa Cruz | 11 | 1 | 40 | 44 | 18 | 24
Formosa | 47 | 5 | 13 | 116 | 50 | 16
Pampa Central | 7 | 17 | 63 | 160 | 93 | 117
Rio Negro | 1 | -- | 55 | 293 | 69 | 34
Neuquen | -- | -- | 27 | 13 | -- | 16
--------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------
| 22.092 | 21.012 | 34.323 | 24.663 | 22.446 | 30.950
--------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------
Provinces and | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | Total
Territories | | | | |
--------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------
| | | | |
Federal Capital | 3.077 | 2.739 | 635 | 449 | 12.538
Buenos Aires | 10.213 | 12.982 | 9.828 | 13.447 | 91.746
Entre Rios | 1.456 | 1.151 | 677 | 317 | 12.838
Corrientes | 117 | 225 | 118 | 46 | 1.778
Santa Fe | 9.336 | 12.628 | 7.440 | 10.115 | 97.037
Cordoba | 3.581 | 4.002 | 1.768 | 2.973 | 28.498
Tucuman | 590 | 1.576 | 366 | 366 | 7.128
Santiago del Estero | 99 | 132 | 82 | 73 | 1.259
Salta | 94 | 76 | 31 | 61 | 1.170
JuJuy | 41 | 273 | 72 | 216 | 858
Catamarca | 14 | 35 | 10 | 5 | 161
La Rioja | 22 | 20 | 28 | 25 | 209
San Luis | 129 | 159 | 124 | 76 | 1.239
Mendoza | 2.183 | 4.160 | 1.521 | 757 | 17.454
San Juan | 354 | 190 | 155 | 82 | 2.254
Chaco | 24 | 41 | 27 | 12 | 402
Misiones | 1.136 | 1.738 | 1.083 | 81 | 4.923
Tierra del Fuego | 9 | 17 | 7 | 17 | 188
Chubut | 56 | 75 | 153 | 239 | 688
Santa Cruz | 54 | 85 | 59 | 54 | 390
Formosa | 20 | 35 | 25 | 1 | 328
Pampa Central | 145 | 181 | 173 | 349 | 1.305
Rio Negro | 42 | 198 | 73 | 63 | 828
Neuquen | 17 | 29 | 39 | 11 | 152
--------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------
| 32.809 | 42.747 | 24.494 | 29.835 | 285.371
[Illustration: Immigrants Hotel in Buenos Aires
Part of the kitchen]
IMMIGRATION FROM COUNTRIES BEYOND THE SEA AND MONTEVIDEO
1857 to 1903.
---------+----------------+--------------+--------------
| Countries | |
Years | beyond | Montevideo | Total
| the sea | |
---------+----------------+--------------+--------------
1857 | 4.951 | | 4.951
1858 | 4.658 | | 4.658
1859 | 4.735 | | 4.735
1860 | 5.656 | | 5.656
1861 | 6.301 | | 6.301
1862 | 6.716 | | 6.716
1863 | 10.408 | | 10.408
1864 | 11.682 | | 11.682
1865 | 11.767 | | 11.767
1866 | 13.696 | | 13.696
1867 | 13.225 | 3.821 | 17.046
1868 | 25.919 | 3.315 | 29.234
1869 | 28.958 | 8.976 | 37.934
1870 | 30.898 | 9.069 | 39.967
1871 | 14.626 | 6.307 | 20.933
1872 | 26.208 | 10.829 | 37.037
1873 | 48.382 | 27.950 | 76.332
1874 | 40.674 | 27.603 | 68.277
1875 | 18.532 | 23.534 | 42.066
1876 | 14.532 | 16.433 | 30.965
1877 | 14.675 | 21.650 | 36.325
1878 | 23.624 | 19.334 | 42.958
1879 | 32.717 | 22.438 | 55.155
1880 | 26.643 | 15.008 | 41.651
1881 | 31.431 | 16.053 | 47.484
1882 | 41.041 | 10.462 | 51.503
1883 | 52.472 | 10.771 | 63.243
1884 | 49.623 | 28.182 | 77.805
1885 | 80.618 | 28.104 | 108.722
1886 | 65.655 | 27.461 | 93.116
1887 | 98.898 | 21.944 | 120.842
1888 | (a) 130.271 | 25.361 | 155.632
1889 | (a) 218.744 | 42.165 | 260.909
1890 | (a) 77.815 | 32.779 | 110.594
1891 | 28.266 | 23.831 | 52.097
1892 | 39.973 | 33.321 | 73.294
1893 | 52.067 | 32.353 | 84.420
1894 | 54.720 | 25.951 | 80.671
1895 | 61.226 | 19.762 | 80.988
1896 | 102.673 | 32.532 | 135.205
1897 | 72.978 | 32.165 | 105.143
1898 | 67.130 | 28.060 | 95.190
1899 | 84.442 | 26.641 | 111.083
1900 | 84.851 | 21.051 | 105.902
1901 | 90.127 | 35.824 | 125.951
1902 | 57.992 | 38.088 | 96.080
1903 | 75.227 | 37.444 | 112.671
---------+----------------+--------------+--------------
| 2.158.423 | 846.572 | 3.004.995
(a)--With assisted passages.
=General Total (including first class passengers) 3.685.430.=
TRADES OF FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS,
IN THE LAST TEN YEARS,
FROM 1894 TO 1903.
Agriculturers 312.723
Masons 8.500
Upper cutters 898
Surveyors 16
Architects 12
Fitters 81
Sawers 127
Barbers 1.332
Coal-men 99
Butchers 725
Carpenters 7.142
Coppersmiths 439
Cooks (male, female) 9.265
Confectioners 500
Merchants 30.996
Dressmakers 28.194
Tanners 691
Coachmen 149
Calkers 54
Quarry-men 255
Clerks 10.755
Gilders 99
Draftsmen 41
Joiners 604
Electricians 711
Bookbinders 77
Sculptors 43
Firemen 793
Apothecaries 352
Photographers 65
Cattle breeders 690
Engravers 113
Glovers 76
Smiths 3.546
Tinsmiths 548
Printers 38
Engineers 17
Workmen 118.223
Gardeners 923
Brickmakers 262
Lithographers 37
Marble-cutters 59
Sailors 7.739
Engine drivers 445
Mechanics 2.113
Milliners 6.051
Millers 605
Musicians 796
Miners 1.272
Physicians 41
Furniture makers 92
Bakers 2.382
Stone cutters 1.208
Painters 926
Laundresses 8.749
Fishermen 112
Teachers 12
Watchmakers 372
Tailors 4.985
Without trade (children) 113.433
Without trade (women) 8.111
Servants (male, female) 28.450
Hatters 501
Weavers (male, female) 6.546
Typographers 481
Coopers 316
Turners 103
Dyers 62
Harness makers 133
Viner, winemakers 403
Veterinaries 33
Plasterers 100
Shoemakers 6.094
Other trades 8.430
--------
751.366
========
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Transcriber's Note: To make the following table easier to read on |
| the screen it has been transposed to show Years as column headings |
| and Nationalities as row headings. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
NATIONALITY OF IMMIGRANTS FROM COUNTRIES BEYOND THE SEA,
EXCLUSIVELY, from 1857 to 1903.
Years | 1857-59| 1860-69 | 1870-79 | 1880-89 | 1890-99
----------------+--------+---------+---------+---------+--------
Italians | 9.006 | 93.802 | 156.746 | 475.179 | 411.674
Spaniards | 2.440 | 20.169 | 44.802 | 148.394 | 124.891
French | 720 | 6.360 | 32.938 | 78.914 | 40.544
Austrians | 226 | 819 | 3.469 | 16.479 | 8.681
English | 359 | 3.603 | 9.265 | 15.692 | 4.691
Germans | 178 | 1.212 | 3.522 | 12.958 | 9.204
Russians | | | | 3.837 | 15.665
Swiss | 219 | 1.562 | 6.203 | 11.659 | 4.875
Belgians | 68 | 519 | 628 | 15.096 | 2.654
Dutch | | | | 4.303 | 675
Portuguese | | | | 1.751 | 1.612
Danes | | | | 1.097 | 1.230
North Americans | | | | 1.094 | 794
Swedes | | | | 613 | 441
Others | 1.128 | 6.282 | 7.295 | 8.330 | 13.659
----------------+--------+---------+---------+---------+--------
Total | 14.344 | 134.328 | 264.868 | 795.396 | 641.290
Years | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | Totals
----------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-----------
Italians | 52.143 | 58.314 | 32.314 | 42.358 | 1.331.536
Spaniards | 20.383 | 18.066 | 13.911 | 21.917 | 414.973
French | 3.160 | 2.788 | 2.378 | 2.491 | 170.293
Austrians | 2.024 | 2.742 | 2.135 | 1.378 | 37.953
English | 421 | 439 | 405 | 560 | 35.435
Germans | 760 | 836 | 1.029 | 1.000 | 30.699
Russians | 2.119 | 2.086 | 1.753 | 1.429 | 26.889
Swiss | 355 | 363 | 267 | 272 | 25.775
Belgians | 117 | 117 | 148 | 174 | 19.521
Dutch | 43 | 35 | 37 | 72 | 5.165
Portuguese | 205 | 156 | 141 | 202 | 4.067
Danes | 121 | 175 | 187 | 139 | 2.949
North Americans | 89 | 151 | 132 | 93 | 2.353
Swedes | 10 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 1.127
Others | 2.901 | 3.841 | 3.134 | 3.118 | 49.688
----------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-----------
Total | 84.851 | 90.127 | 57.992 | 75.227 | 2.158.423