Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-30
At CASTLE GARDEN.
HOW THE IMMIGRANT IS RECEIVED
AND SENT ON HIS WAY.
Scenes in the Old Stone Fort-Care and
Protection of strangers at
the Gates.
IFrom the New York star. ]

Have you ever been TO castle Garden TO
see how immigrants are received and cared
for? Well, it is a place that is worth
visiting. The immigrant in this country
has no need of friends nor of any great
amount of money, so far as keeping out of
after he has passed through Castle Garden
for he need not get into it unless he so
choose; and he can get along very well
without knowing anything of the Ian
guage of the country. He cannot leave
Castle Garden with any chance acquaint-
ance made ON board ship nor in the Gar
den unless the character of such acquaint-
ance is proved to be irreproachable.
An instance occurred not long ago A
young and pretty woman came to Join
| friends in Western town. On the voy-
age over she made the acquaintance of a
man, who asked her to marry him; and
| as there was no friend to meet her on the
arrival of the steamer, she was detained
| by the Castle Garden authorities until in
formation could be obtained to prove that
the man was what he should be and that
he intended to fulfill his word.
| But, if the steamer comes up to her pier.
how do these immigrants reach Castle
Garden? They are brought down on
steamboats, and barges. Let us take a
walk through Castle Garden, for there is a
good deal to see and to learn. Entering
| one Of the doorways in the wooden fence
that surrounds the Enclosure, you will be
asked your errand, for no one enters here
without being wiling to give an account
of himself. There are several small build
| ings within the Enclosure besides the
castle, which was originally fort, and
whose thick stone walls still stand. In
one of these buildings is the Information
| Bureau, where the friends of expected i'm.
migrants apply for news of the arrival Of
the steamers. and where cards are filled
out with the names of the immigrants
their destination, and the steamer on
which they are expected to arrive. These
cards are afterward read out by one of the
Castle Garden officials to the waiting i'm.
migrants who expect friends to meet them
and they then come forward.
Close to the entrance is a police sta,
ton where several officers are ALWAYS
on hand. Not far away is the Labor Bu
reau, where those immigrants desiring sit
uations may apply as soon as they arrive
Outside of the door is hung a slate or
which is written in English and German
the sort of help that is desired by employ
ers who have applied here. A small room
in the end of this building is set apart fol
the hotel and clearinghouse keepers, who
are duly licensed and allowed to enter
here for the purpose of seeking patrons
Their houses are frequently inspected by
officers of the Emigration Commission
and they are required to provide suitable
board and lodging at reasonable prices
and they are responsible for the safety O
their boarders as long as they keep then
under their roofs.
In the same building with the Informa
ton Bureau is the Office of the Mission O
our Lady of the Rosary, for the protection
of immigrant girls, that was established il
1883 by the late Rev. Father Riordan
This mission maintains home on State
street, where friendless girls and those who
are waiting for friends or money are cared
for until their friends are heard FROM In
some instances the girl refuses to say
anything about herself to any one except q
priest. To him she will sometimes tel
her story. The home receives girls of all
nationalities and creeds. Rev. Father
Callaghan is now in charge of the mission
and is always about the Garden. The
Protestant denominations are represented
by clergyman of the Lutheran, Episcopa
liam aud Methodist Churches, each o.
which maintains a home for girls and
women.
A reception hospital is also maintained
here for the purpose of caring for the sick
immigrants until they can be transferred
to the hospital on Wards Island. There
are three wards-one for women, one fol-
men and one for women and children
DIR. Vinton is in charge of this hospital
and is on the wharf when the barges arrive
to examine all immigrants who appear te
require physicians care. In connection
with the hospital is the Wards Island
Bureau, where applications are received
from immigrants for admission to the In
stitution on that island.
And now we pass through the doorway
in the old stone wall of the fort, and We
are in the big circular building known a.
Castle Garden. The first object that con
I fronts US is a telegraph Office, which We
i-pass as we enter the rotunda. A few i'm
migrants who arrived early in the morn
ing are lingering here waiting for friends
A lunch counter is provided for them
where they may obtain food and drink
An exchange broker is present to change
their foreign money for American cash
The various railroad companies have ticket
Offices here, and in the center of the ro
tunda counter is built around a quad
rangle, where are seated the Interpreters
who register the names of the immigrants
and two inspectresses, who are here to look
after the women and children.
On the wharf is the Office Of Custom
house inspectors, for the immigrant, a:
we'll as his richer brother, is sometime:
| given to smuggling. Upon each steam
boat that goes up to a steamer to bring
down the immigrants are one or more in
spectors, who go through all the baggage.
and if the duties amount to more than s.
they must be paid
A small steamboat, crowded with passen-
gers. comes in sight, the Castle Garden
bell rings. and there is some hustle and ac
tivity on the wharf, for the boat brings the
steerage passengers from German steamer
lust arrived. 1t is curious study to watch
them as they pass up the gangway and en-
ter the Garden Some Of them look de-
plorably poor, others are well-to-do, and
carry nice-looklng baggage; many of the
women carry children suspended from then
shoulders in shawls, SO that the infants are
safe, while the mothers arms are free tc
carry their baggage. There are more men
than women, and some of the former arc
rather rough-looking individuals Mr.
Simpson, the Superintendent of the Gar.
den; Charles Hauselt, the President Of the
German Emigration Society, and one Of
the ex oficio Commissioners Of Emigra-
ton, are here watching the arrivals, and
after they enter the Garden We go in, en-
ter the central Enclosure, and | take up my
stand by Major Charles Semsey, whose
place it is to register the names of the i'm