New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-08
THE NEW CASTLE GARDEN.
HOW IMMIGRANTS ARE NOW RECEIVED AT
THE BARGE OFFICE.

THE CHANGE FROM STATE TO FEDERAL CONTROL
PROVES A GREAT SUGGESTIVE OFFICIALS
AND THEIR MISUNDERSTANDING
OF CONTRACT LABoRERs.
The Federal Government assumed charge Of the
immigration business at this port on April 49,
and the record that Superintendent Weber and MS
staff has thus far achieved is the hest evidence
that could I've offered of Secretary WINDOWS wis
dom in transferring the immigration service from
State TO Federal control. The for Colonel
Weber and the Government against the old State
Board of Emigration may be summed up In few
words Since the new officials were commissioned
to swing open the gates Of America for the I'M
migrants not one single scandal Of Importance.
not one Of persecution or lnexcusaoie mis-
take has arisen at the Barge Office.
The success of the new administration is
further emphasized by the fact that Colonel
Weber has discharged his duties so far with pract-
caly the same force that was employed In Castle
Garden and has been obliged TO work in quarters
that are .cramped and limited in comparison with
those at the Garden. The public is no longer
afflicted with stories about dsgraceful wranCles
that marked the meetings Of the State Board OF
of shameful treatment of fricndless Immigrants
that reused the spirit of the Collector and led
him TO intercede. But il does hear, on the other
hand of constant and steady efforts being made
10 perfect the service. II knows by this time
that the business is being directed by cool, able
1evel-headed and kindly man with but single
eve to his duties and that he finds happy COM
plerncnt in a warm. sympathetic and able assistant
and also an alert co-operator in bright ana pro-
cressive Young fellow at the head Of the labor
bureau.
THE NEW MECCA OF THE IMMIGRANT.
H. is in order therefore 10 give the public an
introduction to the officers at the sarge
Office the new Mecca Of the immigrant. Every
body knows where the Barge Office Is. that granite
castle-ke structure on the Battery WALL near the
,ermini Of the elevated railroads II it faced the
bay the wondering immigrants who are sallltS
20 the new Shores might believe that they beheld
Tho materialized gates of America. But they do
NOT because they come in the hack route so as
10 sneak For after the transatlantic liners have
landed their first and second cabin passengers at
their piers Captain John f. Moore, the superin-
tepdent of transportation and jolly, blum old TEL
Flow who has helped more than one poor Immigrant
and caught many fish as any one on Casue
Garden pier sails around with his barges ana
little steamers TO carry the new arrivals through
the last cage Of their Journey Arrived al the
back of the Barge Office. or Castle COLUMBIA as
some people try TO call it, the gang-piahk Is
quickly lowered and an interesting proccssioi Vi
nationalities is soon troopn2 up the gansway INTO
way out of sight TO the Tegistry-room'
Drs F NJ Csuiteras and E. X. lloughton, OF
The Emergency Hospital, detailed for duty there
from the Marine Hospital SERVICE, narrowly
scan the crowd as il pours upon the pier 10 see
whether any sick immigrants have escaped the
vigilance of the Health Officer at Qnarah'he'
while Superintendent John simpson, OF 'he Lahu-
ing Bureau, directs the course Of the confused
newcomers to the registry-room on the second
floor.
cATECHIStNG THE NEWCOMERS.
Now the investigation begins which decides
tie fate of the immigrant. The room Is dlVloeu
irto compartments and pens. In the middle OF
the floor is a large pen. through which the I'M
migrants stream like pigs in clover lhey
move through two passageways with two reg
istry clerks on either side of each gangway
GGive name age nationality, occupation, destlna-
tion amount of money you have, number OF fainiy
81 any," rattle of the clerks with automatic pre-
rision and the answers are faithfully recorded in
hio ledgers The clerks work with surprising
rauidity that comes from long practice. Inc
otber day they registered nearly 5000, the largest
number Of immigrants that has vet been received
at the Barge Office There are only eight of them
and they earn their salaries. They all speak
several languages.
Major Sempsey is a Hungarian patriot who
fought under Kossuth, and aftcrward in the
Federal Army Count Norraikow is a Russian,
with an interesting history. Van Duzer is an
other old soldier II is difficult for an unde-
Erabe immigrant to slip through their fingers
When one comes along he is held in thr pen
until he can be turned over 10 the proper hands
Immigrants who "are to be called for are
placed in the pen and at night sent 70 one of
the numerous boarding houses or missions near
the Battery.
Through the pen the immigrant finds the money
changing counters at the end Of the floor under
the direction of Morris T. Fricdsam, eX-Collector
nf Internal Revenue Next he wants his railway
Mcket. if outward bound. Down stairs he focks
30 a halfway landing, where he joins jostling,
pushing crowd lined up in front Of eX-Coroner
Nugent's lunch-counter and the oihcc Of the
Trunk Line Association, managed by {. +. Doane,
who has had charge of the immigration railroad
business for many years. and who, in fact, de
vcloped it. Agents for lines outside the pool are
down stairs.
THE SEARCH FOR BAGGAGE
NEXT comes the work of retaining baggage
The pieces are on the ground-foor whittier Pat,
Hans, or Giuseppe pushes his perspiring way
BERNARD Biglin the veteran Republican war
horse, has charge of the baggage express business
and in short time the trunks are found. and
following Thorn through the arch the immigrant
finds himself in the street. prospective American
citizen with pamphlets in his coat-tail pockets
from the missionaries. On the sidewalk, how
ever new trials await him. clearinghouse
runners may beset him and he may into the
clutches of sharks unless the watchful eye of
Peter Groden, the detective. Officer Conln pro-
tects him The outward bound people are shipped
on barges as as they are passed, and
lowed TO a landing-place near their railroad sta
tons.
This, in a general way, is the manner IN which
the desirable immigrants are received at the Barge
Office But immense amount of detail is i'll
volved in the work, which will readily appear in