Excerpts from a book by V. K. Rackauskas, 1914 About 250,000 Lithuanians went to the United States between 1899 and 1914. Based on their immigration experiences, V. K. Rackauskas wrote a 290-page manual for the would-be future immigrant. These excerpts are representative of the book. (V. K. Rackauskas, �Amerika Arba Rinkinys Ivairiu Faktu�, New York, Tevyne Press, 1915.) The most convenient time to travel Traveling to North America, that is, to the United States and Canada, is best accomplished in the spring. It is very hot in the cities of the United States in the summer. Our people are not acclimatized to this heat. Traveling in the winter months is not recommended, because the journey itself is uncomfortable. Another reason for not going in the winter is the fact that the factories in many American cities have a work slowdown. Many people are out of work during winter and suffer from want. If you come in the winter you can be sure of two calamities: you will fall into adject poverty dragging your family into it as well, and secondly, you will contribute to the hardship of other unemployed immigrants. Coming in the spring is another matter. If you cannot find work in the cities, you will still be able to survive; finally, it is not difficult to find farm employment in the countryside during the summer months. The best time to journey to South America, that is, to Brazil and Argentina, is in the summer, because that is the rainy season. During our winter months in Lithuania, South America suffers from the hot summer season. Where Should One Purchase The Shipcard. Hundreds and even thousands of agents and representatives are making a living out of the fact that people are traveling from Europe to America. There are agents who send their representatives to the frontiers and try to cajole the people by all manners into migrating to America, promising them not only work, but mountains of gold as well. While hoodwinking the people, they represent only their own selfish interests and seek profit. Therefore, one must not trust these soft-talking systers. It is adviseable to go directly to the offices of the shipping companies or to a trustworthy Lithuanian agents firm. It is best to approach acquaintances or relatives in America, asking them to provide the shipcard and send it to you in Lithuania. If you do not have friends or relatives in America, it is advised to write a well-known Lithuanian steamship ticket firm in America. A directory of such firms is provided at the end of this book. It should be fairly simple to choose the best firm. We are able to indicate the following Lithuanian agencies as being the oldest in America:
1. A. Olszewskis, 3252 So. Halstead St., Chicago, Illinios;
2. J. M. Tananevice, 3249 So. Morgan St., Chicago, Illinios;
3. J. J. Puakstis and Co., 120 Grand St., Brooklyn, New York;
4. �Keleivis� Agency, 28 W. Broadway, So. Boston, Massachusetts and others. The above-mentioned agents publish their own newspapers: A. Olszewskies - �Lietuva,� J. M. Tananevice - �Katalikas,� J. J. Puakstis and Co. - �Vienybe Lietuvninku,� etc. Thus, these agents are also civic leaders in the Lithuanian community. They are trustworthy people. We repeat for your convenience, that one can approach the shipping companies directly. Persons traveling through the port of Libau can contact the Russian-American Steamship Company office in Libua (Kurhaus Prospekt No. 2). 6. A List of Shipping Companies. Traveling through Germany, the best shipping lines are the following: North Deutscher Lloyd and Hamburg American Line. Traveling through Holland, the proper line is the Holland-American Line. The Red Star Line should be taken from Belgium. If you want to travel on a British ship you can purchase a steamship ticket in Libau because several British lines maintain offices there. Below is a list of several shipping companies with information about the port of leave; furthermore we list the central offices and/or agency addresses:
1. The Russian-American Line (Vostocno-Aziatskoje Parochodnoje Obscestvo), travels between Libau and New York. Address: Kurhaus Prospekt No. 2; In New York - 27 Broadway.
2. North Deutscher Lloyd, travels between: a) Bremen and New York; b) Bremen and Philadelphia; c) Bremen and Baltimore; d) Bremen and Galveston; and e) between Hamburg and New York. American offices: 5 Broadway, New York, New York and 42-45 Broadway, New York, New York.
4. Holland-American Line, travels between Rotterdam and New York. Office - 39 Broadway, New York, New York.
5. Cunard Line, travels between Liverpool and New York. Office: 21 State Street, New York, New York.
6. American Line, sails between South Hampton and New York, Liverpool and Philadelphia. Office: 9 Broadway, New York, New York.
7. Anchor Line, travels between Glasgow and New York. Address of the office: 17 Broadway, New York, New York.
8. White Star Line, travels between Liverpool and New York, Liverpool and Boston. Office: 9 Broadway, New York, New York. 7. The Cost of Steamship Tickets. The cost of steamship tickets often changes, but the changes are not great. Therefore, one can get a fair estimate from the figures given below which should be indicative of the fare to America. We quote the third class steamship fare (steerage):
From: Libau Antwerpen
(in Roubles) (in Marks)
To New York.................. 82 170
To Philadelphia.............. 88
To Boston.................... 82
To Quebec, Canada............ 82 150
Buenos Aires, Argentina...... 88
From: Rotterdam Bremen Hamburg
(Marks) (Marks) (Marks)
To New York.................. 160 160 150
To Philadelphia.............. 140
To Baltimore................. 140
To Galveston................. 140
To Quebec, Canada............ 160 160
Buenos Aires, Argentina...... 200 180 200
Second class passengers, to be sure, pay more than those traveling third class. Generally speaking, a second class shipcard costs from 115 Roubles and up. For infants under one year the fare is 15 Roubles. Children to 12 years of age pay half fare.
TABLE #1. LITHUANIAN IMMIGRANTS TO THE UNITED STATES
Year Men Women Totals
1899 5,291 1,567 6,858
1900 7,683 2,628 10,311
1901 6,499 2,316 8,815
1902 8,576 3,053 11,629
1903 10,721 3,711 14,432
1904 8,854 3,926 12,780
1905 13,842 4,762 18,604
1906 9,429 4,828 14,257
1907 18,716 7,168 25,884
1908 8,522 5,198 13,720
1909 10,284 4,970 15,254
1910 15,360 7,354 22,714
1911 10,473 6,554 17,027
1912 8,098 5,980 14,078
1913 16,069 8,578 24,647
1914 12,282 9,302 21,584
Total 170,699 81,895 252,594
TABLE #2. LITHUANIAN IMMIGRANTS BY AGE
Year 0-14 Years 14-45 Years Over 45 Years
1899 448 6,276 134
1900 790 9,347 174
1901 712 7,986 117
1902 949 10,479 201
1903 1,137 13,078 217
1904 1,317 11,279 184
1905 1,474 16,875 255
1906 1,270 12,765 222
1907 1,563 23,928 393
1908 1,256 12,173 291
1909 1,088 13,694 472
1910 1,813 20,381 520
1911 1,382 15,331 314
1912 1,186 12,635 257
1913 1,760 22,438 449
1914 2,040 19,059 485
Total 20,185 227,724 4,705
TABLE #3. IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR TRAVEL SPONSORS
Self-Paid Paid By Paid By
Year Fares Relatives Others
1908 7,967 5,639 114
1909 10,692 4,460 102
1910 14,004 8,538 172
1911 9,259 7,688 80
1912 7,221 6,784 73
1913 13,833 10,681 133
1914 9,182 12,259 143
Total 72,158 56,049 817
TABLE #4. STATES WHEREIN THE LITHUANIANS SETTLED:
1899-1914
State # Lith. State # Lith.
Alabama 13 District of Co. 8
Alaska 16 Florida 138
Arkansas 14 Georgia 9
Arizona 14 Hawaii 3
California 232 Idaho 9
Colorado 280 Illinois 47,339
Connecticut 15,952 Indiana 1,996
Delaware 17 Indian Territory 105
Iowa 973 North Carolina 11
Kansas 109 North Dakota 118
Kentucky 20 Ohio 4,841
Louisiana 15 Oklahoma 162
Maine 2,234 Oregon 125
Maryland 3,896 Pennsylvania 70,019
Massachusetts 37,049 Rhode Island 861
Michigan 3,427 South Carolina 6
Minnesota 387 South Dakota 44
Mississippi 52 Tennessee 15
Missouri 901 Texas 54
Montana 50 Utah 17
Nebraska 315 Vermont 530
Nevada 2 Virginia 147
New Hampshire 2,023 Washington 574
New Jersey 12,656 West Virginia 2,014
New Mexico 9 Wisconsin 4,045
New York 37,912 Wyoming 21
Total 252,594
TABLE #5. LITHUANIAN IMMIGRANTS BY PROFESSIONS:
1909-1914
Professionals:
Lawyers 5 Writers 18
Actors 2 Teachers 37
Architects 10 Musicians 61
Doctors 6 Editors 4
Electrotechnicians 12 Scupltors/Painters 8
Engineers 18 Other Progessions 32
Clergy 37 Total 255
Craftsmen:
Stonecutters 29 Millers 59
Brewers 11 Machinists 114
Miners 3,160 Mechanics 112
Textile workers 42 Woodworkers 28
Weavers 70 Metalworkers 32
Goldsmiths 10 Butchers 86
Saddlers 49 Dressmakers 11
Barbers 49 Masons 276
Cigar-makers 2 Stokers 60
Carpenters 1,845 Wheelwrights 26
Gardeners 60 Sewers 2,285
Tanners 44 Garment Workers 542
Pattern-cutters 2 Women Garment Work. 320
Photographers 13 Tinsmiths 51
Iron-workers 455 Printers 27
Sailers 156 Cabinet makers 143
Furriers 8 Locksmiths 546
Blacksmiths 707 Plumbers 10
Bakers 150 Tobacco-pickers 10
Hatters 25 Tobacco curists 4
Clerks 244 Upholsterers 9
Bookbinders 17 Painters 132
Shoe-makers 775 Plasterers 2
Watchmakers 32 Other artisans 223
Shipwrights 3 Total 13,185
Locomotive Eng. 78
Other Occupations:
Agents 3 Farmers 593
Bankers 1 Farm Laborers 79,059
Laborers 71,485 Teamsters 20
Manufacturers 12 Fishermen 6
Merchants 174 Others 241
Saloonkeepers 4 Non-laborers (women &
Servants/Manuals children included)
41,884 45,672
Total 239,177
Grand Total 252,594
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