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Sharon Kaser
Starting member
USA
11 Posts |
 Posted - 22/10/2009 : 17:30:52
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| I have a few questions about understanding the information on the Digitalarkivet Emigranter fra Trondheim record. There are two dates, "Date of reg." and "Date." The first I'm guessing is Date of registration. Is that when they had the contract made up with the shipping line? What's the second date for? Next question, this record shows my ancestors' final destination as Fergus Falls. Does this mean their ticket for steamship and railway to Fergus Falls, MN was paid for at the time of signing the contract? Would they have had to pay for a railway ticket when they were in Castle Garden? In 1884, was it more likely they would have sailed out of Trondheim to Christiania or have taken the train through Østerdalen Valley to Christiania? In case, you need to see the record, it's on page 235, Erik Peders of the Digitalarkivet. Thanks for any help you can give me. |
Sharon Kaser |
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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1301 Posts |
Posted - 22/10/2009 : 19:17:29
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| That other date is usually the date of departure. In this case probably the departure from Trondhjem May 10th. The Thingvalla Line steamship which he most likely would then have taken was the Hekla (2) which departed from Christiania (Oslo) May 16th, 6 days after the given date of departure in the registers. Most likely they had a ticket made out for the railway voyage at the same time as the steamship ticket. It would have been possible to go by train from Trondheim to Elverum, then I think boat across the Mjøsa (lake) from Hamar to Eidsvold, and train from there to Christiania. I think this is how he must have traveled, but I am not sure. |
Børge Solem |
Edited by - Borge on 22/10/2009 19:19:18 |
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Lislcat
Advanced member
USA
692 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2009 : 05:57:33
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Would the travel from New York to Fergus Falls by railway, have been taken care of before they left Norway, or once they arrived in NY? I know that you wouldn't know in this exact circumstance, I'm just wondering how it was usually done.
Thanks! |
Lislcat |
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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1301 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2009 : 08:26:18
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It was up the emigrants them selves of course, but from the advertisements we can see that the ticket agents representing different steamship lines also sold tickets for the railway voyage:
Announcement from 1885
In a A Thingvalla Line promotional pamphlet 1887 the text can be translated something like this:
"Railway tickets
Passengers going to America, as well as Scandinavians living in America, who is buying tickets for relatives, are advised to buy the railway ticket all the way to the final destination along with the steamship ticket, as they will then in general be conveyed inland on the same day as they arrive to New York, and in that way will avoid loosing time and spending money during a stay in New York. Also passengers will in general be able to proceed their voyage together with their acquaintances from the ship, which for women and children often will be of great convenience."
In some cases we are able to establish that the emigrants most likely did buy their railway tickets along with the steamship tickets by studying the amount of money they payed for the voyage. This is some times, not always, given in the "police emigration records" , and by comparing the payment with other passengers' payments (those traveling by the same ship or line) you may see that they payed more then others, or a great variation in how much they payed. In 1884 the standard steerage fare from Norway to New York on the Thingvalla Line was 120 Kr. Erik Pedersen mentioned above payed 196 Kr. with indicates that he also bought a railway ticket to Fergus Falls
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Børge Solem |
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Sharon Kaser
Starting member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 25/10/2009 : 16:52:11
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Børge,
I'm writing a book about this line of my family, their voyage in 1884 from Västerbotten, Sweden to Fergus Falls, MN. I'm trying to be as factual as I can. When one doesn't have a lot of factual information to go on, other than dates, it's nice to to be able to place one's ancestors in the context of social history to make their lives as real as possible. Your information is very helpful with this. Thanks so much for your help.
Sharon Kaser |
Sharon Kaser |
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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1301 Posts |
Posted - 26/10/2009 : 18:10:32
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| Yes, some times we need to do quite a bit of research to be able to make qualified guesses to fill in the open spaces. The reason why I do not think they went by ship from Trondhjem to Christiania to get on the transatlantic steamship is that they would then probably have traveled via Christiansand rather then via Christiania. |
Børge Solem |
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Sharon Kaser
Starting member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 28/10/2009 : 16:19:34
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| It doesn't sound very efficient to take a ship to Christiansand or Christiania when there was a train going between Trondheim and Christiania at this time. Of course, if the ticket was less expensive to go by ship, I suppose that would be a good reason. My bet is on the train though. Just seems more logical. Thanks. |
Sharon Kaser |
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eibache
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
6495 Posts |
Posted - 28/10/2009 : 18:22:37
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quote:
It doesn't sound very efficient to take a ship to Christiansand or Christiania when there was a train going between Trondheim and Christiania at this time.
- well, there was not "a train", but possible transport was:
Trondhjem-Størenbanen: Opened 1864, operated from Trondheim to Støren - distance 51 km.
Rørosbanen Opened 1877, operated from Støren to Hamar - distance 382 km.
Boat across lake Mjøsa from Hamar to Eidsvoll (or possibly horse coach)
Hovedbanen: Opened 1854, operated from Eidsvoll to Oslo (Christiania) - distance 84 km.
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Einar |
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Sharon Kaser
Starting member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 29/10/2009 : 01:05:44
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| Do you mean there wasn't one train than went directly from Tronheim to Christiania in 1884, but several trains and a boat? So, they would have had to change trains several times on their way to Christiania? Thanks. |
Sharon Kaser |
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eibache
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
6495 Posts |
Posted - 29/10/2009 : 05:01:18
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| Yes, that is what I tried to convey. |
Einar |
Edited by - eibache on 29/10/2009 07:52:31 |
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Sharon Kaser
Starting member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 30/10/2009 : 01:38:25
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| Great information! Thank you so much. |
Sharon Kaser |
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Digitalarkivet Emigranter fra Trondheim Questions
