, 1872-10-30
Its Agitation in I" The Tribune -
Likely to Produce a Re-
form.
Immigrant-Run and Hote|-keepers
Badly Frightened.
The Proposed Refuge Outside the City
Limits.

to immigrants passing through this city, and
which has caused considerable sensation both in
this as we'll as in Eastern cities, has already
accomplished some good. Through it's publica-
tion immigrants we're put on their guard by
their friends and one immigrant hote1-keeper
was compelled, az has been pre-
viously reported, to disgorge $500
which he had wrongful1y obtained
from an unsuspicious immigrant. Since the
publication Of the article above referred to, the
Michigan Central Railroad Company have car
ried the immigrants passing over their line on
express trains instead Of on freight trains, as
had been their custom heretofore. With this im-
pro7ement this road nov affords equal facilities
for carrying immigrants with any other one
lending from the East, and but one thing
remains to be done by that Company,
and that is to guard against the corrupt prac-
tices Of some Of the agents in their employ, who
are said to be acting in unison with the hotel
runners. These dishonest agents should be i'm
mediately discharged by the Company, their
own interest and reputation requiring it. It
seems that at no other depot in this
city are immigrants subjected to such
dnnger Of being robbed and swindled
as at that Of the Michigan Central Railroad.
Last Friday, four carloads Of immigrants ar
rived at that depot, composed in the main OF
families having through tickets to points fur
ther west and northwest. Inquiring for their
baggage, they were told by an agent it had not
yet arrived, and might not arrive until the day
following. This WAS. monstrous lie, as the
bagga sc was at the time safely lodged in the
Company's yard. In this way these i'm
migrants we're played into the hands
OF different runners, who pounced upon
them like o pack Of hungry wolves, and,
forcing them into their wagons, took them to
their respective hotels. One runner would cap
ture the father Of q family, another the mother,
and q third the children. Some Of the foreigners
we're taken to South Side hotels and others to
West Side, and even to-day some OF these I'M
migrants can be seen wandering penniless
through our streets hunting for their lost rela-
tives.
Mr.. Parmalee, Of omnibus tame has also in
stituted reform IN his peculiar branch, though
it does not seem to benefit immigrants
cb ehaysed f6o railroad co@panias IS cents for
transfer ticket, while the immigrants were COM
PEELED to pay the sum OF so cents. But the
spirit OF Justice has impelled him to raise the
price Of tickets to the railroad companies to the
the immigrants. Rome was not built in one
day, nor can Mr. Parmalee make all the reforms
necessary in this short space OF time.
Still he may, ere long, follow with
QtQeF8, anu ab IL ~ IO Do QOpeu3 uUle odAoAC4h4
reforms, one of which would certainly be the
discharge OF many OF the corrupt agents in his,
employ. The runners as well as the immigrant
hotel-keepers have been very careful and eau
tious since the publication of our immigrant
article, but nothing short Of entire suppression
or thorough supervision can extinguieh these
fellows and prevent them from taking advantage
OF the Ignorance Of their own countrymen. 1t
has been constant theme Of discussion by our
leading citizens how these matters could best be
riethfaS and the irnrniprHnt ha aH6nrh1 the
protection as is now afforded him in New York,
where things used to be as bad, if not worse,
than they now are in this city. The plan sug-
gested BY TIE TRIBUNE, to build an Immigrant
at the Junction, where a large transfer depot
is now being erected, met with general
appreciation, and mainly for the reason
that i anos mss otss asds the sx yte to lave
sanitary precaution to the city itself. It is q
well-known fact that immigrants have arrived
here, and brought with them the smallpox and
other contagious diseases, and thereby endan-
things could not happen if immigrants were
forced to diaembark and undergo examination
at place where all the necessary guarantees Of
aid and protection could be given them before
entering the city, while those having through
without extra charge or delay, thus removing
the danger Of their being sWindled IN strange
city, neither the language nor the mannera OF
which are comprehensive to them
A movement is nov, on foot to petition the
Legislature to enact a law, creating q Comms-
sion, or Board, for the purpose aforesaid, and 70
provide measures and means TOR its support. a
similar movement was made last year by Leading
ctizens OF all the large Immigrant depots N n,e the
country, who felt dissatisted that t. New Hork
alone should have the use OF the Sl:5o commgta-
ton money collected from n, vessels o!inging
immigrants to that city. Ihey met at 1nman-
apols, Ind, about one year ago, to take measures
to have Congress pasg nn'torm or Sallonai , aa. %
grant law that the un1tea STATES e9oulo ceHecs 1
the money no" coLgcseo ~ sne osate " ~ ~" tI'
York Alone ana aistflonte u; th tae sane 70 81 Inc
Immigrant dePots N me country. a Pelmanens
National Committee On 1dngaa immigration was was
aPpon;edi 'nas eet ooa'en16n n P6;1sde,nh;a 1aa
they mtena 70 meet az fMlaoelPnia
au1ing sas neat sessGn oH ano seneT
on f ost opS enSv
CITIZENS, Is me Tseeaen5 o. tna1 m S Gosee;
Inns een1,,Gnah IN sae Itgslaens " tne NastouaA
banK OF Hn1ols, anu. u sne saHe ttlnae, c4alZ-
e E Fl spends muoh Of hs
time and money 90 secure netser 9lea1menl M TO
inmgrants @ a1llving n n thts casy' "a as snlnns sae