The Portland daily press., 1894-12-19
A PITIFUL PROCESSION.
From the Grand Trunk Wharf to
Monument Square.
How $50 Immigrants Tugged Their Babies
and Bundles-They Came on the Oregon
Mostly Russian Jews-Hungry for To-
bacco-The Cigarette Stubs.

and Bundles-They Came on the Oregon
Mostly Russian Jews-Hungry for To-
bacco-The Cigarette Stubs.
Yesterday afternoon at O'Clock the
steamship Oregon of the Dominion hne'
arrived at this port from Liverpool. she
brought the large cargo of 1905 tons OF gem
era1 merchandise and the unusual number OF
$50 immigrants. There was only one saloon
passenger.
The arrival of the steamer was an in
teresting spectacle yesterday. The weather
was perfect, and the harbor beautiful. The
large coal steamer Bonaistav, of the Black
Diamond line, of Montreal. was anchored
just opposite the Grand Trunk wharves.
The great steamers Numidian and Rosarian
were surrounded by the hustle of landing
in the dock, and as the Oregon slowly ap-
preached up the harbor there was quite a
New York appearance to the whole
scene, as one onlooker said.
The little Fannie G. brought the great
steamers cables to the wharf and slowly
and ponderously she was finally docked.
The immigrants crowded to the rails and
stared and stared. They were mostly
Russians and Polish Jews, only three of
them being German Jews. They were hearty
looking people. and had evidently with
stood the rough voyage remarkably well,
for every day the wind blew gale and
the sea was very rough.
All the men seemed to be furnishing for
tobacco. They crowded around a young
man, who had stepped aboard and was
smoking a cigarette and begged him for a
smoke. He gave away all the cigarettes he
had and still they begged. II must have
smoke. ''said one, who could talk little
English.
1t was learned from him that although
they brought tobacco with them they had
used iG all up on the voyage and could not
get any aboard the ship. This explained the
singular action of one of them short time
before. He was seen to take small box
from his pocket and take therefrom stub
of cigarette. He could get but two or
three whiffs from it but filled his lungs
with those with evident satisfaction. Evil
IDENTIFY he had been more prudent than the
rest of them, and had saved all the stubs he
could find and Kept them in his little box.
At last they were all inspected by the
doctors and given their tickets to Boston
and New York, and allowed to go into the
shed with their hand baggage. The bundles
of some of them were enormous and evil
IDENTIFY contained all their personal belong
ings. They didn't seem to know just what
to do or where TO go, for several of the men
who could speak little English. asked the
writer where the station was and what time
the train went for New York. One took out
his watch and it indicated $40 p. m. diver
pool time.) 1t was then 3.15 p. m. here.
After their baggage was inspected, by
some cause or other, he couldn't under
stand just what. they began to go out of
the shed. Juggling and dragging their
bundles.
One we'll dressed young man had wife
with stylish cloak, with very large
sleeves. They had several wicker baskets
to carry and evidently had more luggage
in the hold of the steamer. Another family
was a marked contrast. There was a
mother and four little boys. She had a
shawl over her head and was neither
stylishIy or warmly dressed. Her shoes
were open on the top and were little more
than slippers. Her luggage was large
square basket that her little boys could not
lift, but pushed along the shed floor to the
end. Then she tried to lift one end and the
boys the other. but they could not and SO
abandoned it. knowing doubtless that the
company would transport it. But why did
nearly all OF them leave the sheds with
heavy burdens. huge bundles. tied up with
ropes. heavy Loxes and baskets. etc2
1t was said by one of those who seemed to
be in charge that you couldn't get them to
believe that their bundles would be safe if
left in charge of the officials, and that they
were bound to carry them with them.
But where were tn ey going, as they left
the wha1 yes? Was it possible that thsy
were obliged to walk to the Union station,
where they must take ths train for Boston
and New York?
Away they went up India street in a long
and curious and l,itiful PROCESSION, tugging
their heavy burdens. with their red hands
in the cold air, for it was nearly four
o'clock and becoming quite sharp.
\ One woman had a tiny baby ut her breast
wa TX, travelling behind. One young woman
who seemed to be quite alone, was unable
to lift her large bundle and dragged it on
the ground. She was evidently pretty, with
beautiful eyes and sweet expression. She
wore decent clothes and was not SO dirty,
apparently, as most Of the rest. Her black
hair hung-over her shoulders In great heavy
bundle. but could not. So she kept up with
the rest dragging it along the ground, past
the crowd of rough strong men, probably
many of whom felt the desire, that they
didn't however express. Ito help her with
the burden.
And SO the long procession went slowly
and laborously up India street to Congress.
What was the reason of it, everybody was
asking. wasn't the steamboat company sup
posed tc take charge of them and not lea ye
them stranded on the wharf to make their
way to Boston as best they might? Didn't
they hold tickets to Boston and New York,
delivered by the company?
At all events, they went up India street
and kept ON along Congress street.-The
woman with the oaby and the three little
tots, the pretty young girl all alone with
her heavy bundle, dragged on the ground,
the old woman with the wig and all the
rest of them. and they kept on till they
reached Moument square, when they all
stopped in body against the railing around
the monument, as if discouraged and ex-
hausted. The dozens of babies and little
children were crying from the cold. their
tiny hands being swollen and red. The
young girl with the bundle had tears of dis
tress in her eyes, as she looked despairingly
at the large crowd of curious people who
had gathered around them.
f. Finally it was announced that special
cars would take them to the Union station.
But why couldn't special cars take them o
the station just as we'll from the wharf.
without making them tramp nearly a mile?
No special cars were ordered until they
stopped in Monument square. We are sure