No general statistics are available as to the property holdings of recent immigrants. Undoubtedly a very large amount of business, residence and farming property has been acquired by representatives of the different races.

Mention has already been made of the movements of the southern and eastern Europeans to the land, of the success which they have had in agriculture, and of the extent to which they have secured farm holdings.* In the large urban centers and industrial cities, as might be expected, the acquisition of property has not proceeded beyond small business places on account of the high real estate values. In the smaller industrial towns and cities, however, wherever the opportunity has presented itself, the recent immigrants, the representatives of some races especially, have purchased homes and small business establishments. In the bituminous mining localities of western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and Alabama, the southern and eastern Europeans have not to any large extent acquired homes for the reason, as already mentioned, that the company-house system is found in all mining villages and there is no opportunity to purchase property. The same situation is found in a modified way in the copper and iron-ore mining territory of Michigan, Minnesota, and the South. In the Northwest and Southwest the company-house system exists in many villages, but not so extensively as in Western Pennsylvania and the South. As a consequence, a large number of immigrant mine-workers have purchased homes in the anthracite coal regions of Pennsylvania and in the bituminous coal mining communities of the Middle West and Southwest.

* See Chapter VI, The Recent Immigrant as a Farmer.

Even in the bituminous mining areas of western Pennsylvania the southern and eastern Europeans have purchased homes and places of business in the, urban centers around which the mining villages' cluster. As typical of conditions, the extent of the property holdings in Windber, Pennsylvania, a bituminous coal mining community of this character, may be cited.

In this city the Italians, North and South, show a) greater tendency to save than any other race. The majority of the South Italians save their money and send it abroad, while most of the North Italians buy real estate. Next to the Italians, the Slovaks save' their earnings and usually invest in real estate. The table on p. 296 shows, for the year 1909, property holdings of the foreign races in Windber. That the Slovak holdings are greater than those of the combined Italian races is partly accounted for by the fact that the Slovaks outnumber the Italians. The figures represent taxable property only, but may be accepted as exhibiting the order in which the several races in the community exhibit a tendency to purchase real estate.

The disposition to acquire homes is most noticeable among the North Italians, Slovaks, Scotch and Magyars. These races, in the order named, own the largest amount of taxable property in the town. Immigrants of all races invest in land, even the South Italians, who, however, send most of their savings to Italy to purchase land in that country, or to redeem mortgages and pay taxes on property which they already own abroad.

1 This table, to show accurately the relative holdings, should include the number of each race in the community. Unfortunately, such data were unobtainable, and the table should not be used as a basis for conclusions. The Slovaks, Italians, and Magyars, in the order named, are numerically the strongest in the community.

In the larger industrial cities and towns, where the manufacturing companies do not rent houses, the | ownership of homes is more common than in mining localities. In the New England textile and other manufacturing centers the acquisition of property by southern and eastern Europeans is not so extensive as in the smaller industrial localities of the Middle States, the Middle West and the Northwest and Southwest. As representative of the conditions in cities and towns, the statement next presented shows, for the year 1909, the aggregate assessment value of the property owned by recent immigrants in Steelton, Pennsylvania, an iron and steel manufacturing community with a population of about 18,000.

AGGREGATE ASSESSMENT VALUE OF PROPERTY OWNED, BY RACES, IN STEELTON, PA., 1909

The number of property holders of each race was as follows:

It will be noted that in point of property owned the order of races is quite different from that in the preceding table. The Hebrews as property owners come first in amount of property owned; then the Slovenians, Croatians, Italians; while the Servians, Macedonians and Magyars are near the end of the list. The Croatian population, it may be explained, consists of a minority who have been in the country for a long term of years, and a majority of more recent comers.

The former have secured property, the latter are still intending to return to Austria-Hungary.

In the second table the Italians and Hebrews are found tying for first place in regard to the number of property owners, with the Slovenians and Croatians not far behind. Referring to the population of these races a truer view of the progress that each has made in the acquisition of property is obtained.

The Italians stand easily first in the acquisition of homes, as the Hebrews stand first in the number of business places established.

Numerous other cases might be presented but the two mentioned are representative. In a general way the purchase of homes and the acquisition of property vary with period of residence, and the tendency toward home ownership does not become noticeable until the immigrant or his family has decided to remain permanently in the United States. Before that decision is reached all savings are accumulated in the form of cash or are sent abroad each month or pay period. As already pointed out, as a rule no personal property is accumulated, the clothing and furniture of the immigrant households and their members being confined to the barest necessities.

Immigrant business men, who are found in all for