The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-07-28
AT OUR GATES.
HOW IMMIGRANTS ARE RE.
CEIvED AT NEW YORK.
Some Of the Tricks Employees 81
Smues!ers.-kovs Way Of Carry
ina Extra Clothing.

Curious 10 see into the inner work.
ings Of that legislative elephant ="
known as the tariff, writes a New
York correspondent Of the Boston
Herald, ] went down to a wharf and
watched one Of the big steamers come
in.
As / walked along the dock, on my
way 10 the ship, passed long row
Of imposing looking officials in blue
suits and caps. These men were the
inspectors before whom the trembling
passenger must walk with head erect
and shoulders back lest he be sus-
pected and marched off TO the Office
TO be examined.
For those who have not studied the
workings Of a steamship company's
methods with immigrants it may be
interesting to note that the steerage
passengers are divided off into blocks
OF 30, and each passenger is assigned
a number. For instance, the emf
grants from Queenstown are num-
bered from | TO 30, and this division
is lettered A. They then begin with
b, and run up to 80; then with G., and
so on. They are not allowed TO land
in New York. as the other passengers
do but are taken on smaller boat to
Ellis Island, where they are looked
over and disposed of. They are put
on the small boat by 30's, all the AS
going first then the BIS and C's. l
went on with the G division.
We were followed by the Queens
town D's and Els, and the officer
called out Any more Queenstown
passengers?" Receiving no reply,
he called: "All right! Liverpool A" :"
On the way down the officer showed
me the chart which was made out ac-
cording TO the replies OF the passen-
gers to the official questions pro-
pounded when the ticket is sold.
For instance, one OF the names read ::
Mary Jarvis, 20 years old |; unmarried /;
coming from Cork; destination, Bos-
ton; occupation, servant; ticket
bought by aunt; money in possess
ion, 81.
Others had more money than this,
but never more than $40, and some
had none.
When the passengers land at
Ellis Island they are sent into the
wooden structure which is fitted up
for their special accommodation
This place is divided by partitions
and high iron fences into compart-
ments for different purposes. All
march up, by 30's as usual, to a gate
where they must answer their ques-
tions as they did when they boarded
the ship, or be remanded for special
examination, in which case they are
put into a room themselves. If they
have no visible means of support, or
their moral record is bad, they are
put into separate pen and are scot
back by the next steamer. i looked
into this pen and saw faces that were
we'll suited to the environment of
iron bars which fenced them in.
There was only one woman in the
pen. She was English, and not bad
looking woman. There was some
thing pitiful in her situation, alone
there with all those men of doubtful
and hardened character, and COM
PEELED to take the long, hard trip back
again.
There are two matrons at Ellis Is
land, and one member Of the corps
of ofinspectresses is detailed there every
day. BY many the position of in
spectrcss is regarded as a sinecure.
1t is fact that they receive S3 every
day in the year, and that there are
sometimes days when they have
nothing to do.
In brief interview with one of
their number, she said: Our hours
are from sunrise to sunset. There
are only nine of US, and rs two OF us
are supposed to be on duty at the
landing of each ship, and two or three
ships come in nearly every day, it
keeps us busy running from place TO
place. / never go out in the morn
ing before 10 o'clock, and when | do
go | dom t feel safe to stay more than
an hour, for fear that telegram
comes that one Of my ships is about
to land, and | must be at the dock. -
What is your method of pro-
cedure when you find n passenger
carrying dutiable goods about his
person."
That depends very much upon
circumstances. | had young girl
once who had concealed quite guam
tity of mere nothings about her.
Upon examination | found lawns and
muslns pinned about her clothes.
| These she said, were for her mother
and sisters. They were almost
worthless and the duty on the whole
pile did not amount to more than
, $3.50. so called in an officer and
asked him If we could not let her 80
with the payment of duty instead OF
coniiscating the goods, as usual. The
officer, who was an lrishman, gave
her very voluble Grafton upon my
| generosity in letting her of for 81. 30.
Och but I've only got dollar,
she said.
Well, you poor girl, said l, il
you have only 81. you'd better keep
it. 'Oh, MOI | meant l had only
Il . 4. n 4. -