The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-15


the barge office.
Within the past few months there have
been some pitiable cases in which young
women have figured. Sometimes the news
papers have spoken OK these. Very often
the conditions have forbidden publicity. It
may De sufficient to say that the officials
have frequently found their duties anything
but pleasant To send back TO her native
land a distressed girl In tears is not an easy
thing for the most hardened official TO be
called upon to do Many destitute cases
are exceedingly perplexing. Ii becomes a
matter OF the greatest difficulty to know
whether 20 class certain cases as belonging
to the destitute order or not. Much is
naturally left to the discretion of those In
authority.
The aged, the blind, the crippled crowd
into the line that passes under the inspect
or's eye. Those whose condition of misery
might seem to render them as willing TO
live in one part of the world as in another
eagerly face our western life, and resort to
any trick or device that may give them an
excuse TO creep under our new restrictions.
In instances of doubt and finding decision
emigrants are kept within the garden and
under strict surveillance. Often they are
arrested and brought back upon the dis
covery OF damaging evidence.
One scene Of last week was one of the
most pitiable In the history of Castle Gar
den. A girl in distress was detained, where
upon her brother, under a denial of any
relationship. married her, and had left the
garden with his sister when tho minister
who performed the ceremony discovered the
truth. and himself forced them 60 return
with him to the presence of the authorities.
There is very little Of the picturesque in
the operation Of the contract labor clause;
but occasionally there is a scene of some
animation growing out of this statute. De-
tentions under this clause are occasionally
grotesque enough, for they are as likely to
include people of the upper artiEan class as
Of the lower laboring class.
Notwithstanding all that has been done
by the commissioners, foreigners on their
own soil seem TO remain beautifully ignorant
OF what emigration to the land of promise
actually means. There is a popular i'm
preston among a large majority Of the
lower elements that Chamber over the ships
side and scramble into the barge office that
this country is magnificent benevolent
asylum, with a large and we'll regulated
orphan asylum and inflrmary attachment.
A little incident of last Monday illustrated
the impression that many foreigners have
OF American liberty. On that day, the day
before election, a Russian mechanic being
observed to act with much impotence as
the afternoon drew to q close was asked why
he was in such o hurry.
Tomorrow is the day OF the popular
election, is it notn he asked the inter
prefer.
"Yes.n said the interpreter.
well, do not wish to be detained here
so that cannot vote.n
The evolution Of the missionary system at
the barge office has been very interesting.
There are representatives Of many creeds.
| who give counsel, provide tracts and Bible 9
in any tongue, and otherwise exert them
selves for the welfare of the new corners.
| Each week hundreds of emigrants fail TO
meet friends, forget and lose addresses, go
| into Mysteries over news of deaths and 9TH
er wise tax the ingenuity of those whom the
| government and charitable organizations
place in a position to give advice and aid.
1t must be admitsed that many excellent
precautions have been taken against fraud
ulent or dangerous practices. The law
throws protecting cloak around the friend
less emigrant. Sometimes the cloak does not
save him-or more particularly her-but in
general it is very difficult for people with
evil design to get at the emigrauts before
they are placed safely In the hands of friends
or elsewhere.
One OF the precautions taken by the
authorities consists in the licensing and
supervising of that class of gentry known
as boarding house runners"
The boarding house runner is undoubt~
eddy necessity. Everybody who comes to
this country wants to go somewhere, and
4
to stay few days in New York. The city
is provided with a curious assortment Of
boarding houses that lie near the barge
office, and that represent most of the
nationalities that are conspicuous among
the emigrants. These boarding houses each
employ runners who are admitted under
license to the rotuuda of the garden aud
these negotiate directly with the boarders
Italian boarders are gathered in and trotted
over to the something Italian; and Poles to
the Polish house; the Hungarians to another
retreat, and the Swedes to q refuge espec-
tally designated for their comfort.
The runner running" with his clients
from the barge office to the boarding house
is one OF the picturesque sights Of Battery
park.
At the boarding houses there ia consider
able OF sociabflity, plenty of concertina and
flute music, with dash of semi-barbaric
melody from some unnamable instruments
played by the Hungarians. The lonesome
emigrant here renews acquaintance with his
companion of the voyage, and makes new
friends speaking his own language. Here
also he encounters an excellent opportunity
to squander all his available money. IL he
is an Italian be gets an opportunIt to dc
more. he will be able to mortgage his To-
come for six months or year under a con-
tract with one of the infamous padrones
who are becoming such power in New
York.
From time to time there have been on
slauZhts on the boarding houses. and much
cause of complaint have been removed, but
they are primarily necessary, and most Of
them are to-day excellently conducted.
After all of the disappointments the con.
fdeat emigrant meets the picture called uI
by stories of golden country, by sight Of
the bronze Liberty in the harbor aud by the
green tranquility of Battery park, is not c
picture so bitterly Elusive. The emigrant
IS, on the whole, we'll treated, and has many
! reasons for enjoying the contrast between
what he leaves behind and what he finds 10
greet him here. VICToR SIMMs.