The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-26
THE IMMIGRATION INVESTIGATION.
Railroad Officials Testify-How Italians
arc brought Over.


New YORK, July 25.-The Congress
sional Committee appointed to look into
the immigration affairs OF the country al
large began its work at the Westminster
Hotel this morning at 10 o'clock.
Chairman Melbourne II. Ford, oi
Michigan, and Congressman W. W. Nor.
row, of California, and Richard Guen.
ther OF Wisconsin, were the only men,
bers OF the committee present, but Gen.
Spinalo and Congressman Gates are eX'
peCted to arrive tomorrow. None OF the
Commissioners of Emigration were pres
ent at the opening OF the inquiry, nor
was any one else there to represent Cas-
tie Garden.
The first witness to take the chair was
Z. L. Boas, Passenger Agent OF the
Hamburg line OF steamers. He was
questioned about the manner in which
bis company transacted its passengers
business. He said that his company had
some three thousand agents in different
parts OF this country, and about 10 per
cent OF these agents sales were prepaid
passage tickets, sold to friends and rela-
tives for people in Europe. In New
York the company has about seventy
five agents, all paid commissions, and
they sell about seventy.tive per cent OF
the emigrant tickets sold here in New
York.
The witness never knew OF tickets be-
ing sold in quantities TO any one person
nor to employment agencies. He could
not tell what was the highest number
sold tOany one person. About seventy
five per cent of the passengers brought
here by his line Of steamers arc emf
grants. During the past five years they
landed 20j,3l5 emigrants ut Castle Gar
den. The cOmmny's agents sell tickets
from any point in Europe TO any point
in this country. About onc.third Of the
brought by his line stop here
in New York, and the balance 30 to
points farther west. Every man who
buys ticket has TO present IL passport
showing that he is allowed to ems! .rate,
and has not committed any crime. The
lie said, takes great pains to
inspect all passengers in order that none
shall come over who would not be
allowed to land here.
Mr.. Boas was questioned closely by
each of the committee on this passport
question, and acknowledged that the
principal point dwclt on in the docu-
ment was whether or not the would-be
emigrant was liable for military service.
He said that all steamship lines held a
conference periodically, and that one OF
the rules of this conference was that no
agent should be allowed to sell tickets
OIL credit or on the instalment plan. Mr..
Boas said that most OF the Hungarian
smigrants are common laborers, the BO-
hcmians are about evenly divided be-
tween agricultural and common labor,
md the Poles are almost to unit COM
mon laborcrs. The Poles, he said, most.
y go to Buffalo or Chicago.
Mr.. COverly was the second witness
examined. The committee devoted es-
Decial attention TO the Mediterranean
business done by his company. Mr.. |
yoverly stated that the following Italian
smigrants had been brought here by his
inc in the years named: 1883, 1896; |
1854, 9, ,45S; 1855, 8, l4O; 1856, {, 6,59l ; 1887,
Il ,l2S. The majority OF prepaid tickets,
lc bulut NcIe bOlu D1 Lllc lLhIiAh DhlhGIS |
mere in New York. They have Il sys-
.em of their own, a sort OF wildcat spec
llation. They issue their own tickets,
which are sold in the form OF orders on |
heir agents in Italy, and when they
have one hundred or so issued, they 60 |
10 the steamship companies and make |
The best rates they can with them. In
his way they sometimes make hand |
some margin by picking up a tramp
steamer ut IL low rate.
Mr.. Coverly thought fully ninety per
:ent Of the prepaid Italian tickets were
sold by these Italian bankers, and that |
ieventy-iive per cent OF the passengers
rom Italian ports remain in New York.
lie said that his company had restricted
he sale OF blank tickets to any one party |
o ten. Any one wishing more than
hat must give the names OF the passen-
,crs who are TO use the them.