New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-01

OF the Senate, and is to hold office for four
years. He is to be charged, under the
supervision of the Secretary of the Treas.
ury, with the execution of all laws relating
to immigration, and to have power to make
rules and regulations. Estimates of the ex-
penses of the bureau to be laid before Con-
gress in the usual manner, and, until CAPT
tation tax becomes available, the bureau to
be maintained by the Treasury. The Com
missioner is not to have any pecuniary
interest, directly or indirectly, in any rail-
way, steamship, or transportation company
nor in the settlement of tracts of lands.
cAPrTATIoN TAX.
The owners, agents. or master of any YES
sci conveying foreign immigrants in the
steerage to the United States shall pay at the
time of landing 81 for every statute adult,
to be applied to assist the temporary sick,
to hire or construct proper landing places,
and for the benefit of immigrants generally
Accounts to be audited by the First Auditor
OF the Treasury and the Commissioner of
Customs and the tax to be in lieu of State
taxes now imposed, the further imposition
of which is prohibited. "Statute adult" to
| signify and include one passenger over
twelve years of age or two passengers under
twelve years, infants less than one year old
not being considered in the estimate of space
elsewhere mentioned.
| UNITED STATES IMMIGRANT AGENTS ABROAD.
Provision is made for stationing at the
ports of Liverpool, Hamburg, Bremen, or any
other foreign port from which upwards Of
forty thousand passengers may embark an
nually, an agent, whose duty it will be to
inspect vessels carrying immigrants before
their departure and examine whether the
provisions of this act be complied with to
give all necessary information to emigrants,
and to perform such other duties as may be
required of him by the Commissioner of
Immigration. Agents are required to issue
duplicate certificates, stating whether the
law has been complied with, one copy to be
given to the United States Consul and the
other mailed to the head of the bureau. In
ports where the annual emigration does not
exceed 10000 the Consul to perform duties
OF emigrant agent, and to receive therefor
an increase of salary, not exceeding 81, 200
per annum.
DUTIES OF ysPECToRs-sUMMARY TRIALS.
At the port of New York there are to be
appointed four inspectors, acquainted with
the German, Swedish, French, or other
languages, and one at each of the other ports
who are to accompany the custom officers
on the arrival of each vessel carrying steer
age passengers, and muster said immigrants,
and inquire whether any Of them have Just
cause OF complaint; and if there be probable
cause the complaint shall be reduced to
writing and reported to the Superintendent
or Collector of Customs, and also to the
head OF the bureau. 1t is made the duty of
the Superintendent, or, in ports where none
are stationed, the Collector of Customs, to
prosecute all suits in behalf of emigrants for
personal damages. United States Commits
sioners are to have jurisdiction and give
summary trial in all cases on account of i'll
treatment on board ship, insuficency of or
badly cooked food, damage to baggage,
swindling in the exchange of money or BY
boarding house keepers, abuse by any per
son or agent while in transitu, loss of time
on railroads, overcharges, or being placed
In improper or overcrowded cars-the juris-
diction of commissioners not to exceed fine
or penalty of 500 in each case, with power
to commit the defendant until judgment is
satisfied.
ENTS.
A landing depot is to be established at
New York and such other ports as NAV be
designated by the Secretary of the Treasury,
who shall appoint at each of such ports an
officer to be known as the Superintendent of
Emigration, to hold Office for four years.
who shall give bonds.
PROTECTION OF IMMIGRANTS AFTER LANDING.
1t is made the duty of Superintendent,
under the direction of the Commissioners, to
provide suitable places for the reception of
passengers upon their arrival, lease the ne.
cessary wharves and piers and erect suitable
structures thereon; receive all immigrants
and superintend their disemba rkation and the
landing of their effects make and preserve
an accurate record of the name, age, occu-
patton, birth place, and present destination
OF each; protect them against imposition and
fraud; and such as desire, in obtaining en-
ployment; provide, at the expense Of the
vessel, for the immediate and Temporary ne.
cessties of those who arrive destitute, and
furnish such information and facilities as
will enable immigrants to proceed to their
respective places of destination in the cheap.
est and most expeditions manner; and to
enable them to make contracts and other
suitable arrangements with railroad and
transportation companies for the conveyance
on the most advantageous terms, specifying
particularly that comfortable and commo.
dious cars shall in all cases be provided, and
that immigrant trains shall be run at no less
than twenty miles per hour and without I'M
necessary detention, and that managers off.
GERS, and agents shall pay due regard to the
safety, hea lth, and comfort of immigrants.
The Superintendent may issue permits to
suitable persons to convey passengers from
vessels to the landing depots, and also to
persons who may have legitimate business
with the landing or forwarding of immi.
grants, the conveyance of their luggage and
other purposes of necessity and convenience.
No person without permit can solicit i'm.
migrants for any object whatever.
IMPROVED RAILROAD TRAVELLING.
Railroad companies who carry immigrants
must file bonds with the head of the bureau.
Proper passenger cars, provided with stove
and fire when needed, and with supply of
clean water for drinking and washing, to-
gether with water closets and ventilation, are
only to be used. All competing lines that
have furnished proper bonds shall be allowed
to sell tickets over their lines, but not to
places by circuitous and unusual routes.
Steamboats, and canal boats to furnish the
same accommodations as to space and food
as ocean steamers. Ifany railroad or trans
portation company violate the provisions of
the act the license to sell tickets within the
landing. enclosures will be revoked. In
ports where no Superintendent is stationed
duties to be discharged by Collectors of
Customs.
FRAUDS PRACTICED IN EUROPE.
Great impositions have been practiced
abroad on emigrants about embarking for
the United States by persons representing
themselves as agents for the sale of railroad
tickets on the principal lines of the United
States. Mr.. Conger's bill will, if it be.
comes law, put an effectual end to the i'm.
position heretofore practiced in this respect.