The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-18

Rv THEY SHOULD BE fhEv1NrED NECESSITY FOB
CHANGE IN rHB LAWS REGULATING AGsSrs.
SUssEBs AND RMIaRAHr BOARDING. House
KEEPERS INDIFFERENCE OF TIE COMMISSIONERS
o. EMIGRATION TO rHs oUTaA0Es COMMITTED
UPON zMIaRANTs-sHoULD THE MAYOR BE PREsIs
DENT OF THE BOARD or COMkissIONKRsf ETo.
The following interesting document N relation to
the frauds ard irrositiors committed upon emf
arants on their arrival at this port, by runners,
boarding house keepers, s0called ticket agents and
others, was dIs vn mp by Mr. Lud Wig Semler, the
head OF the new department. lately organized by the
MAJOR for the protection Of emigr snts:-
OFFICE OF THE ExIGRANr DEP A2rMNr.
Mayors OFFICE, New York, July 3, 1885,
EhR Il irust you Will excuse ma Ii iodulge in
nv general remarks relative to the frauds prs ii ned
On emgrants in this city, before answering those
4ues'ic rs that you, on behalf Of the Emigrant Pro
seesive Society, PROFOUND to me.
That emigration which set in from Europe to
ne GSs with an a.
immense mass Of national wealth, dominion and
prosperity which now seem boundle 80 In ex.ent and
eaekss IN duration. The great majority OF thsse
e01GYants engage in agriculture aud mechanic arts
hsnce the united labor Of the myriads coming here
70 thrown Into those channels most productive to
national wealth.
The ssstistics lately published in Prussia show
Mas each fsDiy leavisg that country In 1854,
hse0ght with them about $500. The Praaisns are
by NO means "a wealthy 40 the inhabitants of Neck
esburg, Oidenburg, Holstein and the principal
double as much as the Prussians; bat the am ,uot
they bring with them ia insignih,au ZEN com.
pared with the wealth which their united lab u
aeeunulates in this country. The greater part OF
whore land and food is cheaper, aud lab1r better
paid but the shHt time they remain in New York
city they are subject to more frauds than thsy ever
suffered nom before.
They feel this treatment more sensibly bscau.e It
is directly contrary to what they expected. When
they lett their own country they looked for ward
whh hope TO this, aid regarded with impstiencs
tAs time when their own fortune would bs asso,is,
republic. The emigrant, in his saorAlce Of or
country and the people, regard che runaars a. par
sons authorised by law, and placs Implicit coaf-
Il 20 sooner has the slip cast aacaos than tasy BE-
SEQ him. and he is placed entirely at their mercy.
ne derrauded Of nis money, perhaps all he mas
with which 70 pay his way into the interior Of the
country, and being ucacquaintei in many instances
with our Ian g1age, he knows not how to apply for
gedfs sc. railroad ticket has been sold to him for
ssferen route from that by which he wishes to
I:a bis 6estinati ,n and it be applies for an other
person al abuse ard violence. II the ticket snic1
be has purchased is for St. LOUIS or any ohar die
tant place, he ods out a. some interme late point
and tina. he must either undergo the expsnss Of re-
tDIiDg or pay for new ticket before he ca1 pro.
esd en- his journey. Bus this Is no. al; 10: eveu
should be re1ace bis steps IL is more than probable
a,kes exchanged. Il would be we'll, h, wsvsr, 70:
The poor emiglsnt IL these were the only frauds of
which he had to complain. There Ia somstaiog
1stl worse which he has to suffer, and against wcn
% 60ds II impossible to obtain any protection.
ms 10 the fraudulent manner in which bis frsigh.
y weighed, and the excessive charges he Is com
rsEed 10 pay. That you may understand fully the
manner IN which these impostioDs are psrpesratsd,
short time previous to the departure OF tbs train
BY which they are to go, say half Al hour their lag
ssge, which ia in charge of tho forwarder, is weigh
tbsa is for all over fifty pounds, tbs amount aiowsi
70 each passenger free Of COST Tns most ex mbi.sot
charges are made fos the surplus weigh, which the
snarant il compelled 70 pay, bsinE unable to delay
proper autho' tiles Toe train is ready TO start bis
tekst is paid for, his luggage will not b. givsa
unkss he pays the see,t d sum- he Is confused and
ans'ly compelled to submit to VIVA: be feels and
knows is . fraud. The frauds prs,ti ed in the
Weighing Of baggage would often be ludicrous,
hey NOT revolving. Some time since an odl,ei do
get on the scsles and hold the baggage while i;
was being weighed. I. would be inp3 si5ls for m
u the brief space to which / must confde myself
p notice all the Injustice prsctiesd upon
ErAns. But there ia ono which ! mus. ao.lcs
n the hops that your worthy s.cisty may devise
.one nssx By wbi,h it can b abolished. a.iud,
- the sDsres which are laid for the seduction o.
yea must have been made ware hsf,re THE rough
~ nedium Of the public press.
IL would be wrong however to &C Ease the licensed
runner Of oil thess dishonest practices, wbl;b are
Heesed with tie emigians business, suca as b,y.
rage smsshcrs SPECTATORS, and other usushorizsa
persons, wh0Ne unable thr ,ugh the ireficiency sud
6psrfections OF the Law to m AXE 10 rstye living.
Our Mayor hes used oil the ensrgy AID p,fss7e
vance which hiss marked his official career TO pus
end 70 these evils; yet until the Legislature revise
and alter some OF tho existing lava on the so5jecs
81 smigrititn-uoui dock ID set apart exclusively
fM emigants, and until the Comniss ,ners Of
Emigration exhibit zeal corresponding with the
Aaycr's, it is impossible to accom- .lish 20 npess
Af0im.
I:is with Seslings Of delcs,y aad reluctance that
! aIlude to the ,mmissionsrs of e migration. am
aware from ex 2ereLce OF the dif hlsies in sur IA
doing SO, but mast say thsy have u ia thsle % v
10 pnt end To this revolving De ,usAt.on, by Ii
Thousands Of dollars .re every day taxi 30 from va
pockets Of fr,endess emisrants u. the oene Il. Of
these dishonest persons The B0 nd Of IN nissson.
sss Of Emigration was 1ns isu few years 81 s
q prevent those frauss nov c,mplsiasd Of. TIE
object o. he Legislature was worthy OF that Ell
bghsxnsd boiy, aud the laws which they pasas9
were excellent; out unfortunately tue means s0op-
ed to carry III m into execution were not equal 20
she purity Of thtir Intentions, AMI have not "a.
sweJed the eri desired. The organization Of toe
Board Of Commissioners Of Emigration Is 50 IN YER
T. 9, u Is Hls'ter Of wspaer that they did no. 30
niscbief ct vast ex pc We, instead OF usle god
- ~ tHturEko Gust. LIS O'ySCAoub W Luc DJGs
Sye three old
]. Foe q mmbsioDers have no salary; .he'
ties a,e srious and oBsrous, md they ace lgsd
in ether business with occupies sgrsat por.ion OF
theiY time. sg,s2
IA part Of the "a flrmarly were mershsa,s c,n
1ec.ed vita tie emig an trade" and con
sequepGY their p.iacioles we're IN c)nf;f
win thar Ia tsrest thrstose II tcus &, heir pil5
pss they were enemies % their iatsrest AID II tsus
90 their interest t1ey wers at wac WITH thsic pr IL
Pses.
Sd. Sinos the orgsIiz iti OF the ari thsre has
eply been one Commissioner a. q tims Who Wa.
abb 70 speak foreign TAU qua yss waio tb larges,
portion OF tue iyra1ts ~ho arrive ~ this p1rs
utterly iguorans Of E1eiisa. The aaus renssk may
Dcatd, very 10 of whom undefsiald any other Ian
auage than that Of this country.
In support OF these objections IL my hs a6 M ID
wi'hout feac Of sicton, tia. the Law Of ls4S
scr mo protection Of erniRrauts has neither bse }
enforced nor obsyed, bu. hiss ben opealS violated
every Cay since II AZ enacted.
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