IMMIGRATION AT THE PORT OF NEW YORK. Usually the winter season is not very propitious for immigration, but the figures for the quarter ended December 31, 1899, furnished to this Bureau by the Hon. Thomas Fitchie, Commissioner of Immigration at the Port of New York, show an increase of no less than 17,914 arrivals at that station over the preceding quarter, and 23,012 more than in the last three months. of 1898. In the latter quarter the arrivals numbered 51,880; in the same three months of 1899, 74,892, and for the quarter ended in September, 1899, 56,978.

Comparing the returns for the closing quarter of 1899 with those of the corresponding period of 1898, it is seen that the largest proportionate gain of those races recording at least 2.000 arrivals was made by the Slovaks, whose increase was 3,418, or 121.7 per cent. The Polish race was second, with an increase of 94.2 per cent, or 3,105 in number; the Croatians and Slovenians being third, showing a gain of 1,045, or 85.4 per cent. The increases among other races were: Hebrew, 3,903-63.2 per cent; Scandinavian, 1,286-40.8 per cent; Northern Italian, 1,046—33.8 per cent; Southern Italian, 3,038-20.1 per cent; Magyar, 2,017— 20.1 per cent; German, 558-10 per cent; Irish, 60-1.6 per cent. In point of numbers the Southern Italians still retain the lead in immigration, the arrivals of that race being nearly one-fourth of the total. There were 18,149, or 24.2 per cent, of that class who landed during the quarter which ended last December. Next in numerical order come the Hebrews, with 10,076, or 13.5 per cent; then follow the Poles, with 6,401, or 8.5 per cent; Slovaks, 6,226, or 8.3 per cent; Germans, 6,118, or 8.2 per cent; Scandinavians, 4,436, or 5.9 per cent; Northern Italians, 4,140, or 5.5 per cent; Irish, 3,746, or 5 per cent.

The proportion of male and female immigrants who arrived at New York in the last three months of 1899 did not deviate much from that of the corresponding quarter of the previous year. In the first-mentioned period the male arrivals numbered 45,843, or 61.2 per cent, while in the same three months of 1898 29,045, or 56 per cent, came. There were 29,049, or 38.4 per cent, females reported for the three months ended on December 31, 1899, and during the like period of 1898, 22,835, or 44 per cent. Of the principal races noted in the arrivals during the

closing three months of 1899 the greatest disparity in the proportion of sexes was among the Northern Italians, 72.7 per cent of them being males and 27.3 per cent females. The Hebrew race showed the smallest proportional dissimilarity-56 per cent males and 44 per cent females. In the Irish and Scandinavian immigration the females continue to predominate, the proportions being, respectively, females 62.8 per cent, males 37.2 per cent; females 55.6 per cent, males 44.4 per cent.

The tabular statement is as follows:

The number of immigrants arriving at the port of New York during the quarter ended December 31, 1899, was 74,892. Of this number four-fifths were destined to the States composing the North Atlantic Division, of which group the State of New York, being the leading industrial commonwealth, received the largest number. Of the total number of arrivals, 32,049 (42.8 per cent) declared their intention to locate in New York State, 14,356 (19.2 per cent) in Pennsylvania, 4,596 (6.1 per cent) in New Jersey, 4,479 (6 per cent) in Massachusetts, and 2,361 (3.2 per cent) in Connecticut. Of those favoring the North Central Division for their destination 4,008 (5.4 per cent) went to Illinois, 2,355 (3.1 per cent) to Ohio, and 1,869 (2.5 per cent) to Michigan. To the South Atlantic Division only 1,003 (1.3 per cent) were bound, while the number destined to the South Central Division was but 629 (0.9 per cent). The avowed destination of 2,386 (3.2 per cent) was to the Western Division.

The detailed statement follows:

TABLE SHOWING THE AVOWED DESTINATION OF IMMIGRANTS WHO LANDED at the PORT OF NEW YORK DURING THE QUARTER Ended December 31, 1899.

STATE FREE EMPLOYMENT BUREAU.

Report of the Superintendent.

The quarter ending December 31, 1899, closes the most successful year of the Bureau since its inception. The months of October, November and December covered a period of the year when people have returned from their summer homes and have settled down permanently for the winter. During this period there is not so much likelihood of changing help as at other periods of the year. And, as a consequence, most of those who found employment at this time found a permanent situation.

As has been stated heretofore, the demand for girls as general houseworkers is far in excess of the supply. The reason for this is found mainly in the fact that many employers are doing away with the subdivision of labor. Many are now living in apartments and having the domestic labor performed by one servant.

I have been informed that many of the private employment agencies do not look with favor upon women who act as general houseworkers. The reason assigned is that where two or more are employed in one house the intelligence agency receives a fee for each girl, while, as a natural consequence where but one girl is kept in the household but one fee is paid to the keeper of the office.

It has been the custom of such agencies to state that people who place their labor on the market through this bureau are of an inferior class, and yet, when one employer made a statement of this kind to us, and was shown the confidential returns filed with us from former employers it was at once made evident that as competent, reliable help could be found here as at the best agencies where large fees were charged for such.

The newspaper press of the city has given considerable attention to the bureau recently and focussed the public vision on it. As a consequence the general public know more about our methods of doing business than heretofore, the result being an increase of patronage, which we are satisfied will continue to increase in proportion as a thorough knowledge of our work will be disseminated.

This bureau was not able to find employment for many males on the quasi public works in the city. The reason for this is to