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Texans from Norway

Submitted by Mary Achterhof

Galveston News
25 March 1870

Texans from Norway

Transcription by Abby Balderama

  TEXANS FROM NORWAY.--Mr. C. A. Reierson, of Prairieville, Kaufman county, designs visiting Norway, his native country, this spring, starting, probably, about the 15th of April, for the purpose of bringing out a a shipload of emigrants.  He thinks that Norway, Sweden and Denmark offer the best field for obtaining laborers.  In a recent letter he says:
   Laborers are what the country needs, white laborers.  Negro labor can never develope this country.  Chinese labor I conceive to be still worse; and if introduced to any considerable extent would affect society with moral leprosy, and fetter upon it an incubus not easily removed.  White labor can be supplied from the Eastern States, but observation teaches us that nearly every white man who comes into this country from the States aspires to farm on his own account, and while they may consent to become tenants, they have no disposition to become common laborers for any considerable time.
   Mr. Reierson feels confident he can secure any number of industrious laborers in Norway, Sweden and Denmark for $8 a month, and is willing to bind himself to furnish them at that price.  He will also contract for mechanics and house servants, if desired.  It will be necessary for those who wish to procure Norwegian laborers to advance money to pay transportation, sums advanced for this purpose to be deducted from wages.  Forty dollars cash and ten dollars on delivery will be sufficient.  The usual price of passage from Norway is one hundred dollars, but Mr. R. thinks that by hiring a ship for New Orleans or Galveston direct, much can be saved.  Mr. Reierson does not expect to bring out more than 250 or 300 laborers, as that is about as many as one vessel will be allowed to carry.  But as he seems to expect that even more than this number will be taken in Kaufman county alone, we suppose he would engage more than one ship and bring out a large number of emigrants, if arrangements were made with him for that purpose by people in different parts of the State.  Information can be had by addressing Mr. C. A. Reierson, Prairieville, Kaufman county, Texas.




Created on May 13, 2009
Copyright © 2009 by Abby Balderama
Coordinator of the Kaufman County, TXGenWeb Project site
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