The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-13
TIE COMMISSIONERS OF EMIGRATION.


The Abuses Practised ON Emigrauts Mt Castle
Garden.
ToNrKmsvLLK Richmond county N T., Oct. s. 1857
To the Hon. COMMISSIONERS or EMIGRATION for the State
OF New York
GESrLxMxS-Having waited Q reasonable time for .
reply to my communication Of the 26th ult, and
reaching me, present to you and the public the follow
ing statement relative the abuses frauds and mpos
prsctsed the smigrants in the Castle Garden
Emisrant Depot. Ny only object laying this nior-
nation before you and tho public is that the abuses may
corrected and 10 the future prevented.
will pass directly the irregularities OF former
years. when the railroad officials admitted Emil
grant depot compelled charge extraordinary
high tariff OF prices TO tho travelling portion
OF the emigrants for the tickets purchased
therein, in order to dsfray tho large expense
put upon them by the Castle Garden authorities for
the privilege Of selling tickets in the depot. also
pass the emgrant substitute brokerage business
successfully by the Castle Garden ring that
institution during the war; and come to tho year 1855
About the time Of the adjournment OF the Legislature
Of this State In 1855, the then managers or tile New
York Central Railroad Company made change in their
emgrant agency. Dspacing the then incumbent, q
gentleman vino had for occupied this position with
credi. and ability 20 himself and the company they So
lected their emigrant agent Senator Robert Christie.
and. as lac informed me, Al an annual salary OF ten
thousand dollars AS Tue burdens OF The rave-
ling portion toe emigrAnts ess than seventeen per
OF the whoie before they were increased
10 a fearful extent Mr.. Christie had been but shorl
time installed emigrant agent Of the New York Central
Railroad notorious tariff Of emigrsnt rates.
dated July ], 1885, appeared. By thus tsrn emi
grants we're charged Castle Garden Emgrant De-
pot for third class emxrnnt tickets for portion
OF their rde-o great many some forty places In the
first class passengers paid for the same ride. The
Castle Garden authorities permitted this out.
smsrans 10 Castle Garden for eight successive months
and il then only correct d by the united action OF
the agents aud officers Of the Erie Railsay Company.
Mr. Christie has frequently serted that he paid TO
the Treasurer oil the York Central Railroad all the
money received the sale OF these tickets OF this
know nothing except as BY Mr. Christies statements
From nv knowledge Of the gentiemaniy treasurer
officers and OF the New York Central Railroad
do NOS believe they would have permitted an abuse OF
III kind have existed for hour they knew IT,
and as have proof OF undoubed verscity rs to Mr..
Cnristiss statements, respectfully ask the present
MANAGEMENT OF tue View YORK Central Railroad insist
tpat there shall be an nvestiga in these things
All the time the above abuse being perpetrated,
waukss Wis, and points bey ond including the State Of
Minnesota via Detroit and iwaukee Railway ana steam
ers across Lake Michigan were OF those magnificent d.
mansions BY which emsran,s TO any OF these points by
this route sw inded out OF throe dollars and NIFTY
cents each ticket bought by them In Castle Garden,
tue .u.ho,ds; Of which lerm.sd this ou.rassoas
therein until the 2O.h OF May, 1885, and
~hen called upon | viii show how the same was
then stopped Mr.. Christie asserts that he paid oil
the money received from this 10 the treasurer
Of the New York Central Railroad. What have
the previOue case appIekOo 10 tnlH
portion Of Mr. Chrisliss admnisralon a. agent Of the
New York Central Railroad the Castle Garden author.
permitted the petty imposition OF ten cents 70 be
charged the egrants on each package OF their luggage
for passing through the Garden from the dock
on which was landed; aud As small as this may seem.
tho smigrants were frequently protected out OF from
thirty 70 nfsy dollars in single day and some DAYS
more than the latter amount by this process which
Was only discontinued the 9TH OF May. 1865, alter
run of several months For portion ai least II no, all
Of time the foregoing abuses being prscsed on
the emgranis in the Castle Garden Emigran, Depot,
na.r hriaftg Of Ma Walk
Railroad Mr. Bernard Casserly, the inexperienced
general agent OF the OF Emigration and
others were copartnes in tho smsrant forwarding ous-
mesa
The foregoing all deem necessary 10 say al present
70 ans ~ ms o. sso
aud general information Of tue public, win give few
specimens Of smgrsnt protection - illustrated IN the
tasss Garden Emgrant Depot the present yoar, 1861
BY some process only the initiated here being
law to countenance any such thing) there are
admitted the Castle Garden Emigant Depot exchange
smgrauts on their ARRIVAL therein. These brokers put
the price TO be paid tor such coin on bulletin board 10
the depot, and by such bulletin board the railroad Of
cals receive the Of emgrans In exchange for rail-
road tickets to the interior. The premium ON the resale
OF the taken by the railroad officials a. the price
established by those brokers' Tor the nrst ave months Of
the present year, will average but little short u not fully
As by the statement OF Mr. Bernard c,rsrly, The long
experienced General Agent OF the Commissioners Of
Emigration less than seventeen per cent OF the whole
number OF entrants landed purchase tickets In Castle
Garden, II naturally follows that the other cishythrec
per the Of the brokers sale Of
the con brought by them H seventeen per cent gives
$1,000 per month, eighty-three per cent would give
81. 500 per month mora As there are twelve
months In the year. 1t follows that the whole number OF
emigrsnis landed. II they oil sell their com In
the depot, would DO protected out Of over
$4,000 annually by the simple process OF having
tho licensed brokers OF the Commissioners Of Emigration
hand TO purchase their arrival Perhaps AL
the cmigrants do not sell their coin TO these ofhcors
they do not IL not the fault OF the employees OF the
miss oners Of Emigration. one OF whom on TIE ar
rival oil every load Of emgrans mounts the counter or
desk and ia the most eteutorian voice and energetic
LANGUAGE comcsands AID enrests tbs cmgranH 70 walk