They were now in steerage, their prison for the rest of their ocean journey. Only steerage passengers were processed at Ellis Island. But steerage was enormously profitable for steamship companies. For most immigrants, especially early arrivals, the experience of steerage was like a nightmare. The conditions were so crowded, so dismally dark, so unsanitary, so foul smelling, that they were the single most important cause of America's early immigration laws.
Dining rooms are rare and if found are often shared with berths installed along the walls.
The ventilation is almost always inadequate, and the air soon becomes foul. All of these conditions are naturally aggravated by the crowding. In spite of the miserable conditions, the immigrants had faith in the future. Rumors about life in America, combined with stories about rejections and deportations at Ellis Island, circulated endlessly. There were rehearsals for answering the immigration inspectors' questions, and hour upon hour was spent learning the strange new language.