Transatlantic Passenger Fares

[yvonne]

Am looking for information on the cost of steerage/third class passenger fares for adults & children for the period 1896 - 1913 from Galicia to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Have seen information showing the fares ranging from $110.00/adult to as low as $55.00/adult.
Thanks,
Yvonne

[Hannia]

During the Great Migration the average adult transatlantic steerage class fare for a Galician, was appx 70-100
Hapsburg kronen*** (equivalent to appx $10-$25), depending on the ship and the time. Then there was a
landing fee of appx $1.75, transportation to the interior of appx $9, and $5 covering cost of food for 12-15 days.

Calculate that on a inflation calculator and the equivalent TODAY would be appx $450, appx one yr's salary for the avg
then emigrant.

It took the family in the village about 6 months to prepare for the family member's migration. If the emigrant was
the first to leave, the entire village sometimes helped w/expenses. The first would serve as a kind of scout for others
in the village.

***Emigrants paid in their native coin.

[Tempo]

Interesting subject Yvonne. Let me add to the discussion. I found a receipt in my Grandfather's papers that may be of help. He and his friend went from McKees Rocks to downtown Pittsburg(h) in 1908 to the Ocean Travelers Bank to send funds back to Pavlokoma (Pawlokoma), Galicia to three individuals. The amount transferred was $290US or 1410 Kronen. My quess is that the money was repayment for their earlier passage in 1903-4 or for passage for for the 3 listed on the funds transfer receipt. If you divide the $290 by 3 you get roughly the amount of money that an individual would need to make the trip. The individuals had to show that they had a minimum amount of funds in their possession when they arrived at the US port of entry- $50US I believe. I found 2 of the 3 individuals arriving at Ellis Island five years later in 1913. As Hannia mentioned things did not happen overnight.

So far I have Identified over 300 individuals who made the trip from Pavlokoma to the Pittsburg/McKees Rocks area between 1880s-1914. At least 40 marked down "38 Stuben Street" as their final destination on the Ships Manifests. There must have beeen a note that circulated back to Pavlokoma by one of the earlier arrivals that told the later immigrants what address to use. There is a fine irony to this story. The 1910 US Census clearly shows that 38 Stuben Street was a vacant lot at the time.

[yvonne]

Hannia & Tempo,
Thank you Hannia - your amount is almost identical to the amount shown on the Ships List. The amount of $100.00 was taken from some local history books. I do have another question for you. I had read that males escaping the compulsory draft were usually charged double the fare. Is this information correct? The time of emigration was 1911.
Thank you Tempo for your story - very interesting.
I do have a passenger receipt for an 18 year old female that travelled from Lemberg, Galicia to Winnipeg, Manitoba through Antwerp in the year 1922. She travelled third class and her fare was $ 411.00. The breakout was as follows: European R.R. - $6.00, Ocean passage - $100.00, Canadian/R.R. - $35.00, Cash paid to customer - $20.00, Head tax - $250.00. Unbelievable that the head tax was so high.
Yvonne

[Hannia]

By 1922 the Great Immigration was pretty much done. During WW1 there was no commercial transatlantic
traffic because of the German subs. After the war the new Immigration Laws kept the numbers down. Prices
went up.

Pavlokoma, 1441-1945: istoriia sela - ISBN 0-9688703-0-9/0968870309

[wilko]

That's interesting. On the passenger manifests they also show how much money each person had on them when they arrived. I noticed that some of my cousins had as much as $100 with them on arrival.

[Tempo]

It seems that the immigration rules for the amount of money that an immigrant had kept changing. For instance:

A ship Manifest for the period:

1898 Manifest wording: "Whether in possession of Money. If so, whether more than $30 and how much if $30 or less"

1903 Manifest wording: "Whether in possession of $30 or upward, and if less how much."

1905 Manifest wording: "Whether in possession of $50 and if less, how much."

1911 Manifest wording: None

Some times you would see 2 dollar amounts listed on the manifest. Typically only one dollar amount. When this occurs you are left to wonder how much the passenger actually had in his or her possession?