The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-02
COMMISSIONERS OF EMIGRATION.


roads and the Emixrants-very Little
Done for Thoir Protection-A Burial
Ground for Immigrants.
Failing to obtain quorum on Tuesday last, be-
cause OF the absence OF Commissioners Starr and
Stevenson. the Board held special meeting yes
terday afternoon TO pass upon tue usual monthly
payrolls and direct payment OF the accumulated
bills for the same period. There were present
Commissioners Hurlbut (President). Forrest, Kauf-
man, Maujer, Lynch and starr. The report or the
Finance Committee being called for, the Treasurer
submitted the following BILLS, as per bill book
$65os 81, were examined. and, being correct, were
passed for payment; payrolls, Wards Island
$4,o27 43; Castle Garden, $6,e6a 81; general ex-
penses, $475; state agents, $2l6 co. Treasurer for
petty cash, 81, OOO Total, $lS,95l 5l--a or which
were approved OF.
THE RAILROADS AND THE MIGRANTS.
The PRESIDENT said the next business in order
was the consideration OF the question regarding
the railway facilities offered TO emigrants where
upon Secretary Webster read the letter, already
published. OF w. H. Vanderbilt Vice President OF
the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad
Company, to the Commissioners. Mr.. Vanderbilt,
IN this letter. notifies them Of the withdrawal OF
the companys emgrant agent from Castle Gar
den because OF the contracts made by the Erie
and Pennsylvania roads with many OF the steam
ship lines heretofore in the habit OF sending emf
grant passengers over the Central to carry In the
future all such persons, and that, % it would be
waste OF money, the New York Central and Hud-
son River Railroad Company viii not pay their
proportion OF expenses IN the Garden any longer.
Mr.. Vanderbilt requests that the commissioners
win protect the emigrants arriving at this port
destined to oil Western points against overcnarges.
as until further notice the price OF emigrants'
tickets on their road and connections will be as
follows:-New York to Chicago, 81; to st. Louis,
50 IS; to Cincinnati, 81; to Omaha, $40; to st.
Paul, $40; to Milwaukee, IS; to Detroit SO; to
Cleveland, 50; to Toledo, So so; to quincy, $40 SO;
to Kansas CITY, SIS, and other places in proportlon
Secretary WEBSTER also read the answer or the
Commissioners to the above which notified Mr..
Vanderbilt that according to the law no railroad
Garden, unless they had first provided an ONCE
within It, Upon the receipt OF this notification the
emigrant agent p, Of the he New YORK K, Central
Castle Garden and is now selling tickets there.
Shortly after the agents return the Erie Railroad
Company teegraphed to Mr. Webster, asking HIM
If the Central is to be allowed an agent IN the
Garden without sharing the usual expenses;" land
tins Is all that has come to The notice OF the COM
mlssioners OF the matter" added the Secretary.
Commissioner LYNCH said that IL could hardly
be supposed that the Central road viii refuse to
pay it's share OF the expenses OF the Garden. The
whole railroad matter In relation to the transport
alton OF emlgrants Is In middle, and he hoped 1t
would continue so, as opposition benefited the
emigrant All that the commissioners can do Is
to make the various roads live up to the letter OF
snare OF the expenses the Board would. no doubt,
have to do it. II there is any law to compel them
to make such payments It should be rightly en-
forced. All that the commissioners can do was to
see that the emlgrants are not imposed upon both
here and abroad during this railroad fight
Commissioner KAUFMAN agreed with Mr.. Lynch
that II was almost impossible to protect the emf
grant from the nefarious practices OF the agents
abroad IN the service OF the various railroads and
steamship companies it was equally impractcable
to make the railroad men pay back over charges.
All the commissioners can do at present 1t seemed
n n
died here and that they, with their baggage, be
sent to their destination without delay.
Commissioner LYNCH further said that the Board
had been organized to protect the emigrantS, and
among the first things they did was to break up
the system Of runners the business Of swindlng
agents. and many other frauds. They could now
protect the emigrants in this rascaly ticket ousi-
ness, ana they should do 1t. Not being able to
cheat the emigrant, the New York rogues had
gone to Europe and were there carrying 1t on
with great success The only way for the Board to
proceed in the matter is, upon the arrival Of the
emigrants having "througn tickets" to examine
them; and II they have been swindled by
charging 1t would be easy TO ind out who the
guilty parties are and then proceed against them
pared to say that impositions nave been practsedY
LYNCH am.
LYNcH-rnat am not yet prepared to answer.
Commissioner STARR said that the only road
that he had heard OF not conducting tins business
properly was the Erie. He did not think the Board
could reach the roads that sold through tickets
abroad nor did he believe that they could make
offending parties refund overcharges
Commissioners KAUFMAN and FORREST also re-
ferred to the ma, ter, when the former introduced
the following resolution, winch was unanimously
adopted
That General Superintendent be directed by the
Commissioners OF Emigration 10 see that the
they be sent away with ali care speedily as possible
and that their luggage be properly protected and sent
The Board then proceeded to the consideration
OF routine business and also decided to set apart
plot Of ground ior the interment OF emigrants on