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

to 60 round and make the purchases, ant
there was so much difference that becam,
convinced that he was paying too much, ant
so recommended his discharge ; certainl,
thought that there was great deal of monel
being squandered, and since we have mad,
the change in the manner of purchasing tn,
supplies, we have saved 81 200 year on tn,
milk and reduced the meat contract S18,0
year, and OF other articles about one thou
sand dollars month they used to pay CT
cents pound for tea, and now we get it fol
43 cents, with 5 per cent. off. Chickens
King charged 25 cents for, got for 10 cents
Flour was purchased in the open market
Nothing was advertised for but coal anC
meat. In reference to the latter, there was
a trick by which a man named Jim Irving
a notorious Tammany politician, always go
it."
Mr.: Lynch, President of the Irish Emf
grant Society, er-cficio commissioner, stated
that he was not satisfied with the workings
of the commission. He complained at first
but his representation had no effect, so he
thought the best way was to remain silent.
The charges of King were exhorbitant.
Mr.. Casserly stated that the New York
Printing Company "a swindling Tammany
concern) furnished all the stationery and
printing, and the prices charged were double
and treble what was right and proper.
Mr.. James E. Hedges, shoemaker, was
next called and said: The Commissioners of
Emigration, through Mr.. E. F. Bacon,
bought boots and shoes from him for the
emigrants; Mr.. King did not buy person.
ally; the goods were sold at the lowest
market price; on September LIST, 1870, he
sold case of mems carpet slippers at GO
cents per pair, and they were charged by
King to the commissioners at 81; he sold
one case Of boots at 95 cents, which were
sold to the commissioners at S1.50; a case
of women's boots, for which $1.OO was
charged, the commissioners paid $3.50; a
case of shoes at so cents pair, was sold to
the commissioners at $1.20; in all, King
made from twenty FIVE to ffty-five per cent.
on the transactions with the commissioners;
witness collected the money from the COM
and then paid King, through
Bacon, the difference between the two
prices.
BOARDING HOUSE KEEPERS.
The Emigrant Commission has the power
to license boarding. house keepers to solicit
emigrants to stop with them.
No person not authorized has access to
the enclosures Of Castle Garden.
A stranger walking in the streets of New
1ork-on Greenwich street, near Castle
be repealed by the sight and
smell of some two hundred groggeries, dens
of disgusting indecency and infamy, where
filth and vermin stare out of every window,
and these are the places which the commits,
sion has licensed to receive emigrants on
their arrival.
These places are the manufactures of
illegal voters. They are the haunts where
honest girls are robbed of their honor, and
where immigrants are stripped of their prop
erty. In all Europe and America cannot
be found viler set of men and the annals
of crime show that murders and assaults
are of weekly occurrence.
They are Democratic all, and the nurse.
ries of that Democracy which Horace Gree.
ley himself has frequently described as the
scum Of our population.
CARRIAGE OF LUGGAGE.
Mike Norton, notorious Tammany poll.
tician, has a monopoly of the carriage of
emigrant's baggage. As soon as a ship
enters Sandy Hook his agent takes posses
sion of the steerage passengers baggage,
and gives checks for boxes and checks, but
none for bundles. The latter are frequently
lost, though containing feather beds, blank.
cts, and clothing, and the owner having no
check has no remedy. Neither the COM
missioners or Norton hold themselves re-
sponsible for loss, though they do not con-
suit the emigrant as to taking his property
in charge. The main object is to convey
the luggage, whether the emigrant likes 1T or
not, and collect charges. In the case of an
emigrant wanting to take his own luggage,
or if friends or relatives, expecting his arri-
val, have provided a conveyance, they are
not allowed to enter the Garden. The profits
of this business is about $685. per year.
RAILWAY TRANSPORTATION.
A combination having been formed by the
and Erie Railways to charge the same rates
On freight and passage, Mr.. VIM. r. Barr,
General Agent of the Erie Railroad, and
\ member of the Emigrant Commission, was
placed in charge of the selling of tickets.
The three railroads allow to the ticket
agent 10 per cent. on passage money, and
10 per cent. on the receipts. for extra freight.
If two hundred tn ousand immigrants paid
,en dollars each for passage and freight,
which is a low estimate, the receipts of these
would be two millions of dollars
per annum, and the commission thereon
Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, all
Of which rightfully belongs to the immi-
grant, and of which he is systematically
robbed.
1t is well known that the Germans
carry large quantities of baggage. The
rugal and Industrious emigrants bring
heir household goods with them. These,
therefore, are the greatest sufferers by
system of outrageous overcharges on extra
weight. To first class passenger is al.
Owed hundred pounds of free baggage,
nominally and fractionally, as much as will
90 into one or two moderate sized trunks.
On the other hand, the immigrants baggage
s all weighed, with the strongest induce.
nent held out to the weigher to cheat him,
because fifteen per cent. commission fees
depend thereon.
Mr.. Barr, one of the commissioners, test-
les that on over weight for first. class passen-
gers, they charge from New York to Buffalo,
s1.20 per hundred, but on over weight for
immigrant luggage, which is carried not by
express, but upon slow freight trains, they
charge $1.80 per hundred. from New York
o Buffalo. AT long distances, the over
reight charges on the luggage of family
often exceed the cost of first class passen-
yer ticket.
SEPARATING CHILDREN FROM MOTHERS.
No provision is made anywhere for sup
porting the pauper immigrant, since he has
gained no residence in the United States.
Outside of New York, the traveller is entire.
y dependent upon the good will and charity
If the neighborhood in which he happens to
De settled. In New York the commissioners
ire compelled to support the pauper immi.
grant out of the capitation tax. Large and
,ommodious buildings are constructed on
Wards Island, and paupers are sent there,
,ut practically, this duty is shirked,. and
he poor, who are compelled to seek
his refuge, and who have no friends who
will probably pay their board bills, are
reated in manner that will soon drive
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