Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-19
WHERE The IMMIGRANTS FROM FOR
El6N LANDS ARRIVE.
What Kind Of Folks Come There and How
They Are Reeeiyed-A Great I'm
proyement on the Old emigrant
Boarding HOuse-Cas-
tie Garden An His
torie Spot
A DAY AMONG THE IMMIGRANTS.

Ing. OaStlc uhucA, 40 ~ 70 ee~N, o-
sted at the foot Of the Battery Park and
ON the extreme southern point OF Man
haitian Island, is now used as the immi-
grant depot, where those who come from
the Old to find homes in the NewWorld
first find resting place, and receive
their initial and usually erroneous i'm
preston OF their new home. Castle
Garden is an historic spot" said my
friend. at was originally fort, and
aiterward was converted into q summer
garden, whence it derives the name
which it still very insppropriately bears.
in the absence of q more suitable place,
il was use in former times for civic and
military displays and receptions. In
1924, when the Marquis De Lafayette re-
visited this country, grand ball was
given in his honor at Castle Garden;
and in 1882 President Jackson, and in
ls4S President John Tyler were also
publicly received in the Garden. Sub
sequeatly it became concert hall and
as such IS famous as the place
Where Jenny Lind Made Her First Ap-
pearsnce
in America, when her European reputa-
ton and z. T. Barnum's management
secured for her an audience Of such
br;lliance as has rarely, if ever, been
seen in this country. As the city grew
mn town the Place became useless as
resort, and in 1855 the immigrant depot
MAS established within its walls" The
cheese-like architecture OF the old build
ing greets the beholder on coming up
the bay or crossing any OF the Jersey
ferries. Inside it is roomy, cheerful,
and well lighted. Outside il is encir-
cled with ugly clumps of sheds, which
seem to have attached themselves like
,,reat corns or bunions. These sheds
contain certain offices for the trsnsac-
ton Of the various branches OF busi-
ness connected with the welcoming and
speeding away OF the immigrants. Peo-
pie who think that the steerage passen-
gers are always covered with dirt and
vermin, ought to pay a visit to Castle
Garden and be astonisned to see how
clean the place really is. While 1t IS
not to be denied that creeping things do
sometimes nestle in the folds OF the
rai,aent OF our arriving friends, and that
there is in some respects a lack OF prodi-
vality OF the personal use OF water and
soap, vet, taken as q whole, large par=-
ty OF immigrants is a pleasant sight.
How the Immigrants are Received.
To-day several hundred are coming in
from two Liverpool steamers. They are
mostly OF the better class, though, as In
the case Of every shipload, some OF the
very poorest are among them. Three
hundred and fifty OF these are from one
steamer, where they have enjoyed close
quarters during the passage. The
steamer anchors in the channel and the
immigrants are brought ashore in boats.
They land on the imitation stone steps
of the new pier and march Immediately
into the castle. As they file in through
the great door their coming is as orderly
az il they were about to take seats in
church pews. They are of various ma
tionslities, q majority being Irish.
There are many Germans some Swedes
and Norwegians and few French. vi
all the immigrants who come here the
French are said 10 be, as q general thing,
the poorest in personal property. The
well-to-do Frenchman can get work
enough to do in their own country. VI
the arrivals to-day q large proportion
will Immediately 20 away having pnr-
chased their tickets for the rail, in Liver
pool. Many are undecided where to 90,
having come TO this country on general
principles, with not very clearly defined
plan for bettering their condition.
Some spent All Their Money
on their passage tickets, and are at the
mercy of ANYBODY who will help them.
Cases OF this kind are provided for by
the Commissioner OF Immigration, who
sends the poor to Wards Island to be
taken care OF. II in good health, these
people are made TO work Tor their board
and lodging. II they are sick, good
medical attendance is provided Tor them.
People who want to stay at Castle Gar.
den tor few days to wait upon expect
q friends are welcome to do 30. No
clarye is made for their lodging, but the
bedding afforded them is not sumptuous.
Tney may sleep on the floor, with their
bags and bundles for pillows. Even In
severe weather the immense building IS
kept so well heated that no person who
sleeps with his clothes on need suffer
from the cold. The eating department
OF the Castle appears to be we'll managed
and in delightful CONT asst TO the extor-
tions which were practiced by the sim
migrant boarding house" sharks before
Castle Garden was in use for its present
benCfic'al purposes. For five cents q
decent cup of coffee can be purchased,
and a tolersbly good sandwich for the
same price. No stronger beverage than
beer il furnished, and this flows in great
quantities. The temporary !odgers here
are thus st moderate expense, and in
as nice quarters as they could expect un-
der the circumstances.
Among the industries under this roof
is the Labor Bureau" which is
q sort of general intelligence office.
L nployers VINO want help, whether ter
kitchen, stable or factory, register their
names with q view TO meeting new
comers from abroad who want to make
immediate engagements. Of course
there is some risk in picking up strsn-
gers at first sight, but not much more
than in pstronizing the ordinary iutelli-
gence offices, some OF which are said to
be thus named on account OF the lack OF
intelligence displayed in them. In
stances are recorded OF girls taken into
households Immediately on arrival who
have proved to be the most efficient
kind OF servants and have held their
positions for wears.
The Lost and Lonely.
II often happens that immigrants land
here expecting friends TO meet them and
are disappointed. Letters have gone
astray, or were erroneously written, or
the expected friends are dead. For an
expectant woman who has made the
voyage alone to land here, q stranger in
the midst OF crowd, and fails 90 find
husband or sister or brother to whom
she had written from the old country, is
productive of the direst distress, espe-
cially II the poor woman is without
funds. But there. is lively sympathy
for such unfortunate people, and either