New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-23
THE CHOLERA AT SCI.
INVESTIGATION BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF EN-
INSTRUMENTATION OF THE VESSEL.


INVESTIGATION BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF en-
IGRATIoN-CoNDITIoN OF THE VESSEL.
The Commissioners of Emigration held their
regular meeting last evening, in the Society Library
building Dr. Harris read paper respecting the intro
duc,on Of cholera this country by foreign vessels
Messrs Kapp aud Bissnger, Commissioners, and Com
mttee OF the Board. reported on the dsgracetul con.
diuon Of the LeibmtA 10 may be remembered
that the LcibnZ left Hamburg on the I'd Of
November last with sA German passengersbon
board for This port. OF these, los died the
some families had died entirely; in others the fathers
the mothers gone here husband has left Door
wife. Upon some little children being interrogaed TO
where their parents were they answered with soDs and
claimed Down there" Mr.. Frederick kassner. exam
lining officer says that when he boarded dho Liberty he
found BOTH ship and passengers IN most lthy condition.
and that he could hardly discover clean spot ON the Lad
der the ropes where he could put his hands and feet
He does not remember 10 nave seen hEthllg IKE IL
within the last five years. As 10 the interior OF the YES
sell the upper steeIage Is gh ana VIDE All the spars,
beams ana planks when were USED Tor te CONSTRUCTION
of temporary berhs had been removed Except through
had no Ventilation, ana not 1hSIe WINDOW or ous-
eye was open during the voyage In general however
egrant ships but the lowe steerage he socalled orlop
Ieckl consummatc peshoe, oacuatedsto kill the
the voyage by laying tier OF planks over the lower
beams OF the vessel, and they were so Little supported
that they shook when walking over them. The little
light this orop deck received came through one Of the
hatchways OF the upper deck Although the latter was
lying III the open sea- free on all sides, IL was impOs
sbc anything NJ distance OF two or three feet,
on the Committees inqui1ng how that hold had been
lighted during the voyage they informed that LIANT
had been hung, but that on account OF the founeSs
OF the air their lights would hardly burn 1t had, OF
course much less light than the upper deck but neither
draft ventilation aud was immediately over the keel
cargo consisting Of wool and hides. And in this place
one hundred and nifty passengers were crowded
OF the voyage In tropical heat, with scanty ratons
very inadequate supply Of water, and, worse than all
them, which alone must have bred fever and petence.
The captain eonfesses that the passengers refused to
odure the upper steerage flowed down into the lower
As the main deck very difficult of access from the
ao attend To the calls OF nature On the vessel
We're only four waterclosets for the aceommo-
dalton OF &i passengers. and the stencil enla-
mating from them was almost intolerable All the
Visions were short partly rotten, and that especially the
supply OF water was insufficient until approaching port
on examination the water was found 10 be clean aud
pure, and complaint could be made to quality. But
In quantity the complaint OF the passengers too well
founded for they state unanimously and are effect
uay contradicted by the captain that they never re-
ceyed more than half pint OF drinkabe water, while
the United States law requires three quarts day Some
the biscuits rotten and old hardly eaabe, other
beef il was found TO be OF ordinary good quality.
The butter however. rancid Twice week herrngs
served instead Of meat The beans and sourcro
were very often badly cooked and thrown overheard In
spite Of the hunger The treatment OF the passengers was
heartless IA the extreme. Inc SICK passengers
anG HIGH inc prices so were roe" exaeted for all ex
ras and comforts regular traffic for WINE, beer aud
liquors was carried between the Passengers the
one side and the steward and crew on the other.
when the first deaths occurred, the corpscs wero often
suffered remain in the steerage for fun "a hours In
the bodies were covered Will yermln before
they were removed There was no physician on board
Though there large medicinechest on board it
not large enough for the many Of sickness and, in
fact was emped after the first two weeks OF the voyage
In conclusion, the Committee suggest the appointment
of physician surgeon board OF all emgrant vessels
with than 30 passengers the doing away with the
orion deck on board of emgrant ships In case
trayenon. the penalty OF the ship should be at
least 5000 and, in addition. each passenger
the amount Of the passage money refunded
Tie report declares that Commissioner should be aP
pointed for the especial purpose OF hearing and passing
upon these complaints He might be appointed by the
Chief Justice OF the United states under the preceeent
established ~ case OF the registers in bankruptcy His
authority, however, must be TO hear and determine. An
appeal from his decision should operate TO supersede
execution upon his judgment. but the losing party should
be cast upon his chances OF obtaining restitution