Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-01-11

narQ working men, VINO are compelled
to mingle with the dirtiest of vaga-
bonds.
"The steerage Is usually cold, dark
and foul smelling. 1t extends nearly
the entire length of the vessel under the
saloon deck and is cut up into gloomy
apartments. In each of these are four
tiers OF berths or hunks, two on each
side The lower tier is two feet from
the deck and the upper tier is three
feet from the roof. The steerage is
about ten feet in height, in each tier
are probably six berths of eighteen
inches wide and six feet long and made
Of boards. These berths generally
emit an unpleasant smell of chlorate of
lime or carbolie acid.
'Officious stewards are moving about
indulging in a coarse joke here and
growl at some unfortunate there
After the supper, and but few partake
of the first one at sea, the tables are
raised to the roof and the steerage GEN.
ter space is clear. Some lamps are then
lighted, but promptly extInguished at
o O'Clock. Three meals are served
every day, and IN quality and quantity
they are substantial. For breakfast at
O'Clock emigrants sit down to do
justice to oatmeal pOrridge and
molasSes, hot bread, coffee and salt
fish. For dinner at y perhaps soup or
broth. boiled meats, potatoes and
bread. For supper at 8, tea and bread
and butter, with molasses. However,
substantial the food may be, the man
ner In which it is served Is unclean.
Beef and soup are placed on the table
in rusty looking tins and then scram-
ble takes place, dirty fingers often
hainor instead Of fnrlrS IN n
pleasant summer day the emigrants
have quite merry time on deck. Some
of the Italians bring out their harps
and vIolins, and a concert takes place.
Aside from this these people amuse
themselves at cards, checkers and other
games, and after a time they become
partially accustomed to their filthy
prison; the majority make the best of
it and enjoy themselves to a degree"
''How is the emigrant cared for dur
ing stormP" queried the reporter.
That's just where he reaches the
height of his misery" answered the
ex-emigrant. 81 shall never forget the
sufferings we all endured during Sc
we're storm on my passage. When the
storm came up the matches were bat
tered down, the ports screwed in their
places and the companionways closed.
DIring all the time the sea is on deck
perhaps 1000 people were confined to
the steerage, on this occasion, for
nearly three days. The atmosphere
became close and in twenty-four hours
was loaded with impurities; meals were
lrregularly served and the food barely
cooked. / shall never forget the exhI-
billion of terror on the part of some of
the Gmigrants. and their terror became
taninnS thpfr sh
and their prayers more frequent. After
the storm had suDsided, and the steer.
| age was open, the sailors would not go
III to clean up for six hours, and then
they had to be supplied with an extra
allowance of grOg. L remember on this
trip AN incident which a sailor told me
| was not AN unusual one. One of the
| Italians in the steerage had not washed
| himself since he had been on board
| and after the storm he refused to leave
| his bunk, but clung 10 1t in all its filth.
! On the captains order he was brought
on board and thoroughly cleansed with
a,hose, after which he returned, appar-
emily feeling no better for his clean up,
but L am certain the balance of US res
| ted easier.
"When the steamer arrived at quar-
antine a towboat conveys the doctor
on board and he inspects the immi-
grants. If there are no cases of infec-
tions disease the steamer proceeds to
the city, and shortly another steamboat
appears with the boarding officer of the
emigration commissioners. This official
ascertains the number of passengers on
board and listens to complaints.
''SOon the trees of the Battery park
come in sight, the steamers pulse cea
=
and the immigrants with their baggage
are transferred to these. The same
excitement is here manifest as at the
outset Of the voyage. The poor imimi-
grants are bIowbeaten and driven
about like the same old sheep, and as
soon as the barges are loaded a small
steamer takes them in tow and they
are landed with their load of human
| freight at Castle Garden.n