The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-01

Mayor Wood I'm the Boari-The Annual Re-
port-Thc sartlinian Paupers and Criminals.
regular meeting Of the Commissioners Of Emigration
was held yesterday, at 4P. NJ, at their rooms in
Anthony street. Present, Commissioners verplanck,
wtthaus, Garrigan, Crabtree Kelly, Dunlap and
Purdy.
Mayor Wood, who Is . Commissioner er-ofci0 was
also present, and participated in the proceedings
Commissioner Verplanck occupied the chair. The mi
nutes read and approved after which the annual
report read Some discussion ensued to the oms
sion of certain moneys from the German and Irish Emil
grant Societies. III appears it has been the habit when
remittances were received other than the usual
source, account taken Of the Mayor Wood
strongly objected to this proceeding 1t left the Com
mission open to suspicion.
Commissioner WITTHAUs moved the following which
was adopted
Resolved That the annual report Of this Commission
shall hereafter make mention only of such moneys az
actually received by the Vice President are duly
accredited by the bookkeper the regular book Of
This Commission.
The report then adopted, after having been duly
corrected The following is the document
ANNUAL REPORT OF TiK COMMISSIONERS EMGRArIoy-N-
IERsTlSG FACTS IN REFERENCE FOREIGN EMIGRATION.
The year 1854 being the eighth Of the operation of
this commission, was marked by many circumstances
and events highly unfavorabe to the multitude OF om
grants who arrived here during that period. Their
Der much exceeded that of any former year The pre-
vaAence OF disease the countries they had let
which often broke out shipboard Immediately
after their arrval-the uncommon number of ship
wrecks and accidents at ting the passengers in
state of restitution upon shoresthe appearance of
contagious disease in this aad other citesthe failing Of
the customary demand for labor from the arrangement
Of business as well as tho high price OF provisions from
the short crops the year. and the unusually early
severe commencement OF the present winter, all n
bned to throw upon this Commission vast amount OF
labor, responsibility and expenditure.
Similar circumstances in the years Immediately pre-
the formation of this Commission and also in
q hon was a1
with hospitals and other OF assistance, and its
funds were embarrassed by refusal to REORGANIZATION,
and consequent htg alton, alhough the immigration at
hs port hardly half of that OF the last year,
productive Of intense distress among the emgrants and
the spreading OF disease ana alarm in all directions not
sply this city and neghborhood but along all the great
lines Of int rnal communication throughout our land
mainly due to the effect of the laws OF the
State relative to alien passengers arriving In the port Of
New York. that whatever may be the mperection OF the
system or the defects or errors OF its administration
yet the evils which otherwise must have existed to
ncalculable extent have been checked aleyiated,
that the approach and spread of pestenta disease
long avered and when it appeared that ample provision
made for the largest class of sufferers without bur
den to the city treasury, well for reimbursement to
The counties when the duty providing this class of
poor fell first and Immediately upon them Crowds of
destitute persons who would otherwise have swarmed
forwarded to distant places where they found
ployment and support whilst the diseased and entirely
helpless provided for aud relieved without adding
TO the taxation of city or county.
The immigration to this port in 1854 much greater
than in any former year. The whole number OF alien
passengers who arrived here, and Tor whom commute
ton money received during the year $40 223,
being S421S than in the preceding, and even
exceeding the emigration of 1852 he largest record
by 1881 This increase occasioned entirely By the
augmented number of German emigrants being 5342 Tor
about one-hait more than in 1861 and about thrse
times the average Of preceding years The number Of
emgrsnts from Ireland continued to decrease being in
1864, 3os62 less than in the year preceding and ST.
42S nearly half less than in the remarkable year
Of Irish emigration 1851. The emigration from the other
countries Of Europe has also increased but not any
large proportion, except that from Switzerland which
has risen from GA in 1858, to 1888 in 1854
The number of patients sffe cted with contagious
i1ctious diseases and received at the Marine Hospital
A Quarantine less than in the two preceding years.
bat larger proportion suffered under the attacks Of
Asatc cholera and other diseases On the other
hand the aggregate number of the diseased helpless
eived at the hospital and refuge on Wards Island
still increased, it had for some years past being
about onetenth in 1854 than in 1858. This
partly from the larger emigration of the
year. and in part from the number of in
arm or destituts who had become
btle3 to the benefits Of the communication
fund during the last FIVE years.
The number OF vessels employed in conveying
citizens and alien passengers ........... 1906
Number conveying citizens only ............ 525