The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-11-05
THRIFTY IMMIGRANTS.
Claiming to Have No Money as a Matter OF
Economy.


Economy.
''Some people don't know any more
where they're going than dead man. "
said an agent yesterday who has had
long experience in transferring immi-
grants bound for Western points. BE
fore our present system was estab-
lished," he continued. ''they used to
give US a great deal of trouble but now
everything runs like clockwork. A
man passes through every incoming
train before it reaches the city, finds
out from their tickets where the immi-
grants are going. and then gives them
colored cards indicating the depOts to
which they should be transferred.
when they reach the station they
are separated into different groups and
each lot is taken to its proper depot.
bag and baggage, by Parmeiee's buses
the road receiving the people paving
their bus fare. Then. when our con-
signment arrives here, for instance, l
have to sort them all over again and
give them new slips designating their
towns and ira rs. After I've seen to it
that each party gets aboard the right
train am done with them.
Before the fire | was in the employ
of an imm grant aid society that used
to take care of the immigrants in big
room over on Illinois street. There
was an eight-holed range in the room,
and every little while the women would
get into fight and rush up to my desk
in the corner screaming: Il put my pot
on first" she took my pot OFF, in
different languages and with arms
akimbo.
There used to be great deal of
humbuggery in those days, too. You
see people already over here would
write back to their friends, telling them
to say that they had no money when they
reached Chicago. and that somebody
would take care of them and send
them on free. | remember one Nor
wegian, for whom was Just about to
get pass, when man who came over
on the ship W tn him told me that he
had big bag of gold. The Norwegian
refused to swear that he had no money,
and then gave him Just time enough
to get out of the house. The next day
he bought ticket and paid for it in gold.
The neateSt catch ever had though,
was a woman whose husband had
written a letter to her here. She
couldn't read. and so she asked me to
read it to her. | read along until
came to a sentence that made me stop.
1t was: When you get to Chicago, say
that you haven't got any money. |
IL. L,l o,o1
she replied that she had. Then went
on with the letter-nOt without re-
marking to her. however, Madam, your
husband is scOundrel.'
1--WE don't have much of that sort of
thing now. If a man gets stranded
here and hasn't much money, we give
him a ticket for what he has. If he S
going to place where he has friends,
we telegraph to them, and. if they de-
post the pr ce of the ticket at the other
end of the line. we send him on. In
case he has nothing but some baggage,
we give him ticket and turn his bag
gage check over to the conductor"
(Which naturally gives you the least
trouble?" he was asked.
"Well the Germans. on the whole;
the NOrwegians and Poles are the worst
because they won't believe anybody.
Then there are the half-gentlemen who
have been behind the counter in the
old country, and who expect you to
take off your hat to them. | speak
German. Swedish, Norwegian and Ital-
ian for transfer purposes; but Poles,
BOhemians, and Firms | can't do any
thing With have to get an inter-
prefer. Chicago NetCs.