New-York tribune., 1872-09-26
sTEERAGE ABUSES.

STEERAGE ABUSES.
EFFECT OF TIE TRIBUNEs EAroSO irp ,wsuIP
OF THE AGENTS OF PROMINENT slEA"'N-'
COMPANIES 80 H.
TRIBIrNE reporters visited the Offices VI Vn0
,incinal Transatlantic steamship companies yes'ei
p ~ soor,oin how they regarded the article on
% e,o,aoe Abuses" and what their practice 10 Tue
,,ts IN which exception taken. represeh'a'No
% tbo North German Lloyd Steamship Company s'"Ve"
that the steerage arrangements on al pu' "o
short European lines were essentially alho' AnoS
required steerage passengers TO furnish ther own
beddipg and eating utensils, and suffered uustworty
nersops TO sell these at the wharves' Inc Ioou LUZ
iahod waa necessarily paiD but 1t was well COOKED
ON most Of their vessels the first cabin was at on Tue
unner deck the second, aft on the next Io"er ueoh
and the steerage forward Of this There were separate
apartments for the married and unmarried Dut 10 sep
arate rooms The berths were arranged IN TWO ueIs'
four at the sides vessel and eight at the center
In word their lines gave wholesome food, but admitted
~ most OF the other abuses which charged IN yes
terday's TRIBUNE
The agent of the Hamburg American RACKET Company
stated that steerage passengers were not ioeeo 70 !
their outfits Of persons designated by them, Dut tha as
protectlon from swndlers they recommended them 10
purchase of Trustworthy persons On TINS sde tne io
lowing articles we're furnished for 81: "Bed, ploW,
oued coverld water can quart mug plate, knife fork,
and spoon" lie had crossed the Atlantic several times
and tested the steeragc food III was
plain but wholesome. The arrangement OF Derths
and divisions for the much the same as those
OF the North German Lloyd's Companys vessels de-
scribed above Stewards and not stewardesses, we're
employed. but they men, not boys, ana were eA-
perenced and kept careful watch to prevent rregu-
larities As for the sale of tickets from Hamburg to the
interior States, German public sentiment and German
laws would make swindling an impossibihty.
The steerage agent OF the National Steamship Com
pany liverpool and York; stated that for the pro
lection OF emigrants q plan for supplying them Win
outfits similar TO that Of the Lloyd and Hamburg Com
panes was followed and that outfits on this side cost
S. They sometimes carried many as 100 steerage
passengers and made IL specially to do well by then
In the busy Of the year they
for benefit Of German emgrans Having never tested
eeragecOokng voyage he could MT youeh for II
but when vessel was detained he had sometimes ex-
amined the meals served and they were then we'll
cooked The nights Of the ceiling OF the two decks were
respectively aud n feet and the berths by
feet and arranged two tiers hgh with several In each
tier There separate apartments for the married
and unmarried.
Samuel g. Nicholson Passenger Agent of the Inman
Line thought that unfair impression concerning their
steamers would be conveyed By the report oI thc com
plants OF the steerage passengers the City Of New
York. He claimed that there were always some VINO
would grumbe with or without cause, but that out OF
the many on this steamer, only two had complained TO
the Commissioners Of Emigration, and they ac-
knOwedged that the cause OF dissatisfaction was re-
moved the captain had been Informed OFT Con
ceng the poor bread spoken Of he said that the baker
"a
and the baking had TO be done by OF the cooks He
stated that they always procure the best provisions
the Emigration mmssiOners before they allowed
put board and instructions given that they
shall be well cooked and served. To secure this, "A
sample OF each meal Is taken TO the captain previous 70
sending it TO the emgrants and the captain visits the
steerage a day, and the surgeons twico,
10 make examinations ana listen To complalnts
In addition to this each steamer IL Inspected
on IT, arrival port and pains taken 10 ascertain
any dissatisfaction exists aud what the cause OF II s
Regarding steerage space nc thought that would
On their steamers the compartments for men ana women
placed opposite sides OF the vessel ana every pre-
caution is taken O prevent mpropreues OF which he has
heard instance The berths well constructed
and permanent AID they endeavor To make eYerytm
convenient as they can Tor their passengers lie OBJ
jected TO steerage stewardess believing that 1t would
be almost impossible 10. procure trustworthy person
for the position. On the whole, however he thought
that the condition OF emlgrants aboard ship would com
pare very faVOIaDy Win nd OF the SAINT class on sole,
both in regard to food and lodging and stated that in
over IA IN l,ON whlch was about one-half
that Of the principal cltes OF TINS country and
couTted investigation ana were always thankful Tor any
information concerning neglect OF duty the part OF
their officers They considered 1t the Nisest policy 70
make all their passengers as comfortable as possible but
occasionally some Of the minor officers, who had no in
terest maintaining the good reputation OF the line,
would be Negligent; "hen detected however they
were promptly punished and all abuses set right.
Capt. Kennedy OF the Inman steamer City Of Montreal
said that the appearance o vessel Just IN Is always
much than at and IS not tair criterion. He
cabin and stcerage-usually hot rolls I'm the morning.
the meats and other articles OF food we cooked
X d.
skeptca concerning the reporters account published
Yesterday but considered the owners OF steamer fully
responsible the existence Of such abuses IL is
their duty that their employees conduct themselves
properly On their steamers the captains held
spOnsGe for the acts OF subOrdinaes, aud
sion captain OF their line threatened with dismissal
for not correcting abuses committed on his vessel
Francis Macdonald OF the Anchor Line cOncurred with
Mr.. Corts to the responsibility OF steamship owners
for the itreatment OF passengers They too, compel
their captains visit the steerage TO hear complaints
and also TO send an inspector aboard when steamer
arrives Their steerages are divided Into five cOmpar
ments which are subdvided into ROOMS holding about
Is persons. One compartment each Is for single men,
single women, married couples, and the other two
used for either class needed. These he stated,
all well ventilated Tney believe that their inter
demand that their passengers should be well treated
A prominent member OF the Commission OF migration,
in conversation with reporter OF THE TRIBUNE,
expressed the belief that II the steamship companies
would expend OF the money which is paid out
in large cOmmissiOnstO sub-agents-many OF whom
unscrupuous in their treatment OF emigrantsand
provide better accommodations for seerage passengers
they would profit largely by the operation.
All enngrdnt boarding house keepers are, he said
ward politicians having Obtained their licenses solely
through political influence, and they are utterly reck
less