Leaving Asturias in the early 1900's

[jbarbo]

I believe that many of us are interested in learning how our families left for America. What ports from Asturias did they use to go to Liverpool, England or Le Havre, France? What were the costs of the passenger tickets? What did it cost the children? Many travelled 3rd class. What were there quarters like? What food was offered on board?

Tomas Barbao left Asturias in 1905 from Gijon to Liverpool, England and then aboard the SS Baltic to New York. His wife and 5 children left in 1907 from Santander to Le Havre, France and then onto New York on the SS La Touraine.There were many friends traveling together. This ship had increased 3rd class to 1000 passengers and had reduced 3rd class fares from 1903- 1910. I have read some web sites that list the price of tickets at $100 for adults, $50 for children and no charge for held babies.

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La emigración de Asturianos en los primeros años de 1900

Creo que muchos de nosotros queremos saber como emigraron los familiares de Asturias para America. ¿ Qué puertos en Asturias usaron para llegar a Liverpool, Inglaterra o a Le Havre, Francia? ¿ Cuánto cobraron para los billetes de salida? ¿ Cuánto cobraron para los niños? Muchos viajaron en tercera clase. ¿ Cómo era tercerca clase? ¿ Qué tipo de comida les ofrecieron?

Tomas Barbao salió del puerto de Gijon en 1905 para Liverpool, Inglaterra y luego en el barco, SS Baltic para Nueva York. Su esposa y cinco fios salieron en 1907 del puerto de Santander para Le Havre, Francia y luego para Nueva York en el barco, SS La Touraine. Habían muchos conocidos viajando juntos. Este barco ampliaron la tercera clase a 1000 pasajeros y bajaron los precios de billetes para la tercera clase durante 1903-1910. He leído por el internet que los precios de los billetes eran $100 para los adultos, $50 para los niños y grátis para los bebes en brazo.

[Terechu]

Very interesting info. I didn't know there was a ship line from Santander to Le Havre in those days.
Thanks

[Pruvia]

Paezme que vi, nun se onde, qu'un billete dende'l puertu del Musel (Xixón) pa Nueva York nos años venti andaba peles 500 pesetes.
Nun se si yera en primera clas o tercera, o si el barcu faía tersbordu en dalgún otru puertu.

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Trans. Is

I think I saw somewhere that the price for a ticket from the port of El Musel (Xixon) to New York City in the 1920s was about 500 pesetas. I couldn't say if it was in first or third class, or if the boat stopped somewhere along the way.

[Art]

Encontré en un artículo por Blanca Sánchez-Alonso:
The Other Europeans: Immigration into Latin America and the International Labour Market (1870-1930)
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I found this in a paper by Blanca Sánchez-Alonso:
The Other Europeans: Immigration into Latin America and the International Labour Market (1870-1930)

Code: Select all

Transatlantic Passage Fares, 1850-1914
(in current $)
                Spain-Brazil Spain-Argentina Spain-Cuba Britain-USA
1850-1860       n.a          45.18               33.32         44ª
1870-1880*     50.71         52.30               36.70         26.55
1881-1890**    45.54         46.60               32.10         20.40
1904-1914***   31.20         35.19               34.21         33

Sources and notes: Spanish data refer to passages from Galician ports. Vázquez González, (1999).
Britain-USA data refer to passages from Liverpool to New York. Sacerdote (1995)
* For Latin American countries, 1872-1880
** For Spain-Cuba, 1881-1886
*** For Spain-Brazil, 1906-1914; for Britain-USA, 1904-1912
ª Fares were exceptionally high for the years 1850-1851. Average fare for 1852-1862 were $ 36.9

Link to article (Sorry. This link won't work in the forum. You'll have to copy and paste it.)
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Eslabón para el artículo (Lo siento. Este eslabón no funciona en el foro. Hay que cortar y pegarlo.)

http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:z3 ... clnk&gl=us

[Art]

I've been looking for exchange rates. This is a little early, but it indicates that 1 peseta was worth about 16 cents in 1889.

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He sido buscando el cambio. Éste es un poco temprano, pero señala que en 1889 1 peseta se valorió 16 cents (US).

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List of Foreign Gold, Silver and Bank Notes Exchange Rates - 1889

Their equivalent in American money, intrinsic value, without regard to rate of exchange.

SPAIN.

GOLD.
    * Four Piasters, $3.88
    * Pistole, $3.87
    * One half Pistole, $1.93
    * One quarter Pistole, $0.95

SILVER.
    * Spanish Dollar, $0.75
    * Five Pesetas, $0.80
    * Twenty Reals, $0.75
    * Ten Reals, $0.37
    * Pistareen, $0.16
    * Half Pistareen, $0.08

Link - Eslabón

[jbarbo]

I like your prices better Art. I remember my grandfather using the term " reales". He said 20 reales equaled a US dollar. I always felt that the 3rd class ticket was a lot less than what I quoted previously. How could a family in those times afford to travel? My grandmother recounted to me the long train trip to Clarksburg and how happy they were to see family and friends.

Also, I was told that many asturianos would spend time in Liverpool, England before leaving to America and would learn some English to do their travel papers for the passage and immigration to Ellis Island, New York.

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Prefiero los precios tuyos, Art. Me acuerdo de mi abuelo usando " reales". Me dijo que 20 reales valían un dolar. Siempre he pensado que el precio de un billete de viaje en 3 clase era mas barato. ¿ Cómo pudiera comprar el viaje una familia en esos tiempos? Mi abuela me contó el viaje en tren pa' Clarkburgo y la felicidad que tenían a ver a la familia y a las amistades.

Tambien, me contaron que muchos asturianos pasaron varios días o
semanas en Liverpool, Inglaterra antes de salir pa' America aprendiendo algo de inglés para los papeles de viaje y de imigracíon en Ellis Island, Nueva York.

[Art]

I appreciate your sharing your data. It's possible that a few of our families didn't travel 3rd class. Gavin Gonzalez in the book PinnickKinnick Hill claimed that his family didn't.

I was wondering what inflation has been since then. I found this:
"... since 1913 we have seen 1929% inflation." (http://inflationdata.com/inflation/Infl ... lation.asp) That's a factor of about 20. So the things that cost $30 in 1913 would cost about $600 today. Well, have you priced a plane ticket recently?! Amazingly, it's still about the same cost to travel between the US and Spain.

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Te agradezco por compartir estos datos. Es posible que algunas de nuestras familias no viajaron por 3er clase. Gavin González en el libro de PinnickKinnick Hill alegó que su familia no lo hizo.

Me pregunto sobre cuál nivel de inflación ha resultado desde esa epoca. He encontrado esto:
"... Desde 1913 se ha visto 1929% de inflación." (http://inflationdata.com/inflation/Infl ... lation.asp) Eso es un factor de alrededor de 20. Así las cosas que cuestaban $30 en 1913, costaría alrededor de $600 hoy. ¿Pues, has visto el precio para un billete de avión recientemente? Sorprendentemente, sigue siendo aproximadamente el mismo costo para un viaje entre los EE.UU. y España.

[Terechu]

One Real was 25 cents or 1/4 of a Peseta, so that 20 Reales amounted to 5 pesetas. I don't know what the exchange rate was then, but it would seem that a dollar was well over 100 pesetas.

[Art]

Hi, Terechu, the chart would agree with you that 1 peseta = 4 reals.

The chart claims that 1 peseta = 15 or 16 cents US in 1889. Jim Barbo's grandfather's saying would make 1 peseta = 25 cents, but the exchange rate probably varied depending on time period.

Maybe someone can find an exchange rate closer to 1910?

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Hola, Terechu, el gráfico está de acuerdo contigo en que 1 peseta = 4 reales.

El gráfico dice que 1 peseta = 15 o 16 centavos EE.UU. en 1889. El abuelo de Jim Barbo dicho lo congelaría en 1 peseta = 25 centavos, pero es probable que el cambio sea una función de la época.

Tal vez alguien pueda encontrar un cambio más cerca de 1910?