New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-29
THE CASTLE GARDEN POOL.
IT'S INNER WORKINGS EXPOSED.

rusr1xoSY BEFORE THE INTERSTATE COMMITS.
HoN-wHAT THE IMMIGRANTS PAY.
tn. Interstate Com mcrce Commission sat in the
limited States Circuit Courtroom yesterday to hear
tho charges made against the Castle Garden pool
of tho several railroads by j. C. Slavery a. TO-,
npresenting the American Emgrant Company. All
the Commissioners were present q. q. mchain
auditor of the commission occupied the seat oil the
clerk of tho court.
The case attracted many railroad and steam
ship men. Among those present were Flce-ireSi-
dent H. J. Hayden and General Passenger Agent
Henry Monett, OF the New-fork Central; General
Passenger Agent l.. Z. Farmer, OF the Ere; fooi
Commissioner s. f. Person, Emigration Commis-
soners Taintor and Stephenson, George X. baIo,-
ard chairman of the Central Traffic Assocatioii
Chicago and c. b. Richard, Of he Hamburg Ameri-
can Steamship Company. BLAIR N Rudd appeareu
as attorneys for the COMPLIMENTS ana ffan1 a
Ioomis counsel for the hew-YOrk Central ana
West Shore Railroad companies, for the resPOEu-
ents Associated with Mr.. LOOMS were j. a.
Buchanan, for the Erie; Henry koDinson ior 'ne
Iackawanna and Western J. b. Kerr, for the
New-York and Ontario, and Henry X. Cowan Tor
the Baltimore and Ohlo
SOME OF THTHI>Fs ECoMPLAINFD OF.
The complaint alleges unjust discrimination in
violation of the Interstate Commerce law against
all tho railroad companies named. The specliica-
per adult emigrant for carriage to Chicago III
inferior emigrant cars" taking sometimes sixty
hours for the Journey, when during times OF COM
petition the fare was 81 to 80 with better service,
while 81 Is the price OF tickets SOLD OUTSIDE o.
Castle Garden; ~ Charging 81 on per Nv po t
for extra baggage lie. baggage weighing more IMAM
100 pounds, while but 81 40 is the rat: on hIsC
class baggage 81 Dividing the emigrant traihc
up the P01 Toaq the te
/ o. the West Shore ! B. the Delaware Lackawanna
and Western 13, the New York and Ontario IL,
and the Baltimore and ONO 10. lhere are au-
ditional charges, one Of making Immigrants pay
S33 for ticket to Winnipeg by way OF chicago,
when passenger can go TO that poliI by way ~
Procl,viIle Canada on the Canadian Paciilc Rall.
road for 81 So and another or hlnderlng ana
preventing the American Emigrant Company from
doing business in Castle Garden. l., ,os
President Cooley said that any persons III pos
session of facts additional TO those submitted ny
the parties to the would be allowed to present
them Attorney Blair for Mr. slavery ana t me
Emigrant Company summarized the complaint Ito
said that the pool had shanrnFully violated the
law, compelling immigrants 80 travel on the rOad
selected for them by the joint agent at Castle
Garden making them pay more for Transporting
their extra ba rgage than tho Adams Express
Company charges; separating families en- route,
and crowdng them into uncomfortable and lily
ventilated cars which never ira relied on schedule
time The crownng outrage We the exclusion OF
his clients from the Garden by Joint Agent D9ane'
"A crime which lcgalzed by resolution OF the
Emigration Commissioners.
Mr. LOOMS on behalf Of tie railroads, replied
70 Mr. Blair ard urged that most Of the offences a.,
legged were violations Of the State law, over which
the Commission had no Jurisdiction. Immigrants
expressing a preference for particular route, he
said, were carried by that ROAD
PAssrvGERs TREATED LIKE CATTLE.
p 7 Cortis formerly general agent for the
White Star Steamship line, said that rates for
Storage passengers had been reduced from $40
thirty years ago to $40 now. lie said that there
WAS a steamship pool III Liverpool to control emil
grant business . - -,
ncnry X Jackson, superintendent of Castle
Garden since 1874, who acted as JOINT agent IOr
the pool for two years and four months, PRIOR 70
February |, 1886, when MI DOane came IN
testified that immigrants were not asked WIlch
way they wanted to go-they were routed on
the other side when they got their orders MI
Jackson described the mode OF LANDING PASSENGERS
at the Garden, tlcNetlng them Tor inc NeSU ana
shipping them To their destinations. Inc RUE Was
TO send oil of one steamers cargo or human i've
stock by road The trains were gotten ready
on the order OF the Joint agent at the Garden;
The circumstances OF the detention OF several
hundred migrants over Decoration Day last May
were detailed Dir jackson said that ali agents
and runners were excluded from the Garden last
July under a-general order, the IMMIGRANT Coh-
pany's agents among them Iha quantity OF Tree
baggage allowed on each ticket had oeeh Raised
from 100 to so pounds and the rate Tor extra
baggage reduced from 81 so to 81 90 per 100
pounds. These reforms went into euect october
/ by order of the trunk line pool on the recon-
mendqtion Of the Emf grafton Commissioners Sign
boards give notice that baggage can be sent as
freight If desired. During 1887 $4,000 lniml-
grants passed. through NdSIIc 49,
Jackson was cognizant Of many cases where men
coming 10 Castle Garden to meet their families
were allowed the privilege Of buying tickets az
Immigrant rates and accompanying their families
on the trains -,
Mr. Jacksons' testimony was intersper'"d With
many wIanges between the counsel Nheu hr.
LOOMS on CROSSE examination sent in many sue
ccssive questions relating TO railway matters Hu-
perintendent Jackson said that man could not be
In Castle Garden for twenty years without learning
something, but he earnestly protested as"-sV
being examined rdllfOuu expert.
Chillion F. Doane, present joint agent OF the
pool at Castle Garden, was examined al greaU
length by Mr. Blair. II was not unit he was cross
examined by Mr. Loomis thal Mr. Doanes testl-
monv became interesting Then he told OF the
percentages which he used to pay as Immigrant
agent OF the New-YorlI Central TO agents runners
boarding house keepers and the like. In 1881, lac
said he made contract with the cCmplanant
the American Emgrant Company, and PAID them
20 to 25 per cent commission for selling IN
migrant tickets. The contract was made WIN
r. IL Warner, the company's agent, and continued
until the pool got possession of Castle Garden
The aggregate paid to the EmigIant Company
was many thousands Of dollars. Mr.. Blair st1enu-
ously objected TO this evidence, but President
Cooley admitted IT,
The investigation will so on this morning.