Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-08-13
INVESTIGATED IMMIGRATION.
Assistant Secretary Spaulding Went 6,
Europe and Took Notes.

Assistant Secretary Spaulding Went TO
Europe and Took Notes.
WASHINGTON, Aug l3.-O. l.. Spaulding,
assistant secretary of the treasury, has re-
turned from a trip to Europe, where he
spent five weeks investigating the COM
pliance by steamship companies with the
law in regard to the transportation of i'm
migrants from foreign countries to the
United States. In addition to returning
with increased health Spaulding brings
back with him store of information
touching immigration matters obtained
by personal observation. During his alb
sence Spaulding visited Hamburg, Ant
werp, Rotterdam, London and Liverpool,
at all of which ports he made personal
visits to the immigration depots and OBJ
served the caution used by the various
steamship transportation companies in the
handling of immigrants. He found as a
rule little to criticise in the present systems
as now in force by the steamship COM
panies.
Companies Anxious to Comply
These transportation companies, Spauld-
ing said, had wholeso me dread of the
law and seemed to be anxious to COM Y
with all the requirements Wld eXactious
imposed by the United STAYS through It's
officials. Not only this but from pru-
Dental reasons, selfish to themselves,
these transportation companies did not
want to bring infected or pauper immi-
grants to the United States in the former
case for the reason that it would breed
sickness on ship-board and in the latter in
stance because such pauper immigrants
would have to be returned at their own
expense.
Mighty Careful at Hamburg.
At Hamburg, which Spaulding said was
perhaps the port from which the largest
number of immigrants coming to the
United States were shipped, the transpor-
tation companies had built n large and
commodious building, run by the COM
panies and at which the immigrants,
previous to their embarkation, were
lodged. There the immigrants were ex-
amined by medical officers of the company
with a view to ascertaining if any of the
immigrants had an infections disease
This examination was very thor
ough. All immigrants had here,
prior to their departure to thor
oughly cleanse themselves in the bath
rooms of the building, and while they
were in the bath their clothes were taken
out and thoroughly fumigate and aired.
In addition to this, the immigrants
boarded the ship they had to undergo a
further inspection by two medical officers
approved by the United States consul and
consul All this expense is borne by the
steamship companies. The same state of
affairs practically exists at Bremen, Rot
terdam, Antwerp and Liverpool.
Took Look Through the Steerage.
On his return trip in the Spree Spauld-
ing visited the steerage of that vessel,
which had on board about 400 steerage
passengers. He found that they had
ample quarters, fresh air and good food
well cooked. His observation in this di-
rection extended no further than the Spree
and he could not say whether the same
conditions existed on all steamers trans
porting immigrants. His impression and
belief from what he heard from United
States officials abroad was that the repu
table steamship lines provided proper &C
commodations for immigrants, and that
the crowding of the steerage with immi-
grants, causing poor ventilation, and Civ
ing them poor and unwholesome food
were confined, with few exceptions, to
what are known as "tramp" steamers.
Win Formulate Some Rules.
As result of Spaulding's observations
abroad, he will formulate series of rules
to regulate the transportation of immi-
grants in all vessels, tramp steamers and
otherwise, so as to bring them all under
the supervision and control of the treas
doubt thai the secretary of the treasury
has this authority under the general i'm
migration law, and in formulating these
rules he will incorporate many of the sug
gestions contained in the bill introduced
in congress last session for the better
ment of the immigration laws, but which
failed to become a law, together with such
practical suggestions as he gathered him
self in the course of his recent trip.