The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-27
THE IMMIGRATION INQUIRY.
Additional Facts Concerning the Bringing
Of Foreigners to the United States.

New YORK, July 26.-Copgressman Oates, of
Alabama, sat with the emigration investigation
committee Of Congress to-day. Congressman
Spinola was the only absent member Of the
committee
John c.. Curtis, who has charge Of the steer
age business of the Cunard line, was the first
witness. The line pays agents 81 a head COM
mission. The line has six or eight agents here.
Their yearly importatlons were as follows: 1883.
1858; 1884, S.427; 1885, 6.55S; 1856. 1864;
1887, IL, 1872, and for six months of the present
year p 1884. His company employed all means
required by law to prevent the landing here Of
contract laborers. Last year the company sold
1920 prepaid tickets. Ten tickets was the limit
of q purchase at one time. The witness did not
know of any pool existing between steamship
companies to control rates. Physicians under
the English government who inspected passen-
gers about to come here by his line, confined
their labors to finding out If any person was
afflicted with a contagious disease. He did not
think the doctors bothered themselves about
lame or servile passengers. The object Of the
doctors search was to protect all sailing under
the English flag.
The Italian vice-consul, Attillio Monaco. was
the next witness. He stated that in his official
capacity he had authority from his government
to furnish money to send back any paupers or
disabled countrymen of his. There is no limit
placed on the amount he shall expend. but it is
left entirely to his own judgment. He said
about fifty per cent. of the Italians coming over
here were farmers. thirty per cent. skilled
laborers. and the balance day laborers. He had.
about q month ago, received 81 eco from his
government to be distributed among the poor
Italians here. This money was sent to the con-
sulate by Baron Favs. the Italian minister, I'M
der instruction from the home government, and
the money was turned over to the Italian emf
grafton society for distribution. Signor Mon
AGO gave some interesting about
the manner in which contractors hersiinduced
bis country,nen to emigrate. he said they would
send out 10 Italy, to their agents there, to Sc
cure q certain number of men and send them
over here. paying thor passage. Then the emil
grants would agree to work for him and pay
him any where from So to So interest for ad-
vancing the passage money. He said that the
men when they arrived here were entirely at
the mercy OF the contractors, who. Ms q rule,
kept saloons on Mulberry street They would
put the men to work and all the money for their
labor is paid directly to the contractor, who
would hold it until they got their money and
exorbitant interest back. aud often would get
another months psy from them, aud then let
them go without giving them any money. This
- ~ y" 40 a. % LIZ gCako h6Os
owing to the enforcement of the contract labor
law. He said that as a rule these contractors
kept a bank, a saloon. a labor bureau and
ticket Office all In one. the Italian
people, he said, were very saving,
and deposited their money in these
banks. which are under no supervision what
ever. Lately. he said, they wers getting suspi-
cious Of them because three bankers had within
ayear past fed without paying up. He declared
that within the past year 1000 TO ). 900 men had
applied to him for assistance. and most of them
were men VINO could not get work. The vice.
consul declared that his government had re-
peatedly warned his couutrymen against the
inducements held out TO them to emigrate. He
said that the italian laborers saved about 70
cents out of every 1925 they received.
Commissioners Morrow questioned him about
how the Italians working on the squeduct were
employed. de said that they were employed
through ths contractor-bankers here. Some
times, he said, both the contractors who en-
ploved the men and the men themselves paid
com missions TO these labor agents.
Messrs. Guenther, Ford and Morrow, the Con.
gressmen who are 10 investigating the immigration
question at Castle Garden. went out Summing
tonight, accompanied by a detective.