Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-06
THE PROBLEM SOLVED.
Chief Elliot Has a Plan to Check
Foreign immigration.
WHERE INSPECTION SHOULD BE.
Hs Thinks European Ports Are the Place
for Examinations.
SUPERINTENDENT BAKER ON HEALTH

Chief Elliott, of the Pittsburg Depart
ment of Charities, thinks Mr.. Grub. of
the Allegheny department, was justified in
returning to their native land Augustine
Schnitzki and his wife, because they were
paupers and had gotten into America un-
lawfully. Mr.. Elliot says he is almost
daily brought in contact with similar
cases.
Chief Elliot backed up these statements
by producing his report for 81 and '92,
which has never been published yet It
shows that 139 foreign paupers had applied
for aid. Of the number "a were cared for.
Forty-fve were returned to their countries,
and four of these were insane. Thirty-four
of the parties were under medical care most
of the time and "a had to be sent to the poor
farm. Five of the 139 died and had to be
buried at the city's expense, All of them
became a charge to Pittsburg within . year
after they landed The United States
treasury paid the department 1866 SO for
the passage of 40 returned home.
The Examination on the Wrong Side.
'This is the way the thing runs along all
the time" said the Chief, "and it will until
We have better immigration laws. The
trouble is we have the inspection on the
wrong side of the water. The Government
yearly paws out big sums of money to Off
GERS to inspect the immigrants. I have
stood in Castle Garden and watched them
at work. Their inspection is run on
bird rd's-eye-view plan. The foreigners are
and the officers glance at them as
they pass Sometimes they are
made to sign their names if they
can write. With an examining station at
all the European ports the immigration
problem would be solved and the United
States saved vast sums of money, while her
cities would not be filled with the off-scour-
ings of foreign lands. If such plan were
adopted the examination should be made
rigid. The applicant would first have to
pass good physical examination, and the
age would play an important part.
More Rigid Lines Should Be Drawn.
"No one over 80 years under those con-
ditions should be admitted. There is
another restriction which should be looked
after. Too many of the immigrants are
tion on the other side of the ocean would
keep this class out of America. Colonel
Stones bill is a very good one, but it will
not do the work, because this point Is not
covered.
'.No one knows anything about immigra-
tion and pauperism until they get into
position similar to mine. All sorts of
tricks are being played on the United
States both for the gain of individuals and
foreign powers. I know of several Italian
bankers who have made as high as SO, ,000,-
600 year at the expense Of America. They
have agents at work in the poorer districts
of that country all the time, telling the
people OF the riches of this country.
After they are worked up to q GER
tain stage the bankers man offers
to land the Italians in Pittsburg or Chicago
for S75. By arrangements with steamship
companies these poorest, lowe of Italy's
sons are set down in our city at profit of
$50 per head. This is going on every day.
Some of Ireland's Tricks.
ga number of the countries in Europe al
low their criminals to go free if they
will promise to come to America.
The other. other day s I received d pa.
houses, or work houses, as they call them
there. The manager wanted bids from
stea anship companies for the transportation
Of 100 paupers to America A little over a
year ago one of these institutions was en-
tirely cleaned out and its GAO inmates ship
ped to the United States.
ave have had at the city home for the
past IL years a Swedish girl. The girl
when hardly 18 was cast adrift by her
parents. She came to America. and being
in delicate health she sought aid from the
department. The young lady was sent to
the home. There, by brooding over her
sins, she became insane and has never re-
covered. Daily we have calls from young
girls like her, but have to refuse many OF
them. The reason I took charge of her is
peculiar one She had the most beauti-
full head of hair ever saw, and think it
was through her flowing tresses that my
heart softened. To-day her hair is as snow
whIte as nina -