The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-21
UNCLE SANS WATCH DOGS.
STATIONED ON AN ISLAND THEY
GUARD ALL WHO APPROACH.

Greet Three Million Immigrants
YearIy-Our "Gatewayv Supplied
with Restaurants, Home Comforts
and Lawyers TO Plead Cnuses-The
Greatest Reception on Earth Held
Here.
On little island, fifteen minutes down
New York bay. live the most trusted Off
cials in the employ Of Uncle Sam. They
are the commissioners of immigration the
trusty watch dogs that guard the gates Of
this country and keep the unworthy from
entering. Many OF tho unworthy have
money and could bride their entrance
here. But the watch dogs are true. They
eye them and forbid them to pass the
gates. no matter how hard they may beg
admttance.
Ellis Island has the honor of receiving
a quarter of a million people year who
want to come to this country and enjoy
its privileges. They embark upon
steamship-which is responsible for their
characters-and come over here. The first
snag they strike Is the health officer at
quarantine, but IL no sickness Is aboard
they sail on until they come to Ellis Is
land. Here they must get of and walk
past the portals of the United States
past the watch dogs. the commissioners
of immigration
Instead of finding themselves in a land
flowing with clover honey and pure milk
they view only a small island Of perhaps
six acres, with government buildings
scattered all over 1t, and quickly they are
hustled into a room from which they are
taken one by one and questioned. The
questions are put by the board of inquiry,
and so rapidly are they piled to the wait
ing guests that 500 can easily be passed
through their hands in day. Some days
600 land, and then the board must be ex-
ira quick, for twenty-four hours is all the
time allowed at the gateway" where the
board of inquiry is.
These are the men who are the watch
dogs. They take the pedigree Of the man
or woman and compare it with that writ
ten In the ships books. Every steamship
vouches for the character of its emigrants
before bringing them over. If a ship
brings over an unworthy character it
must carry him back without charge to
the government. If it brings over too
many unworthy ones 1t loses caste with
the Ellis Island authorities, and for a long
time the eye Of suspicion is bent upon all
who come by that line.
If the mans story agrees with the one
he told when he embarked and IL he can
| support himself in this country, he is
passed along to the waiting boats and
brought to Castle Garden. But If he hest
tates or makes a statement that does not
correspond with what he said before, or
| If he Is without money or friends, then
he is hustled aside into the pen" to be
| deported to his own country.
The watch dogs are very careful. Their
| eyes seem gifted with second sight They
can see through a good suit of clothes to
/ a mans heart, and they can tell If he is
/ speaking the truth about his past and his
| future. They do it by instinct.
The head Of the watch dogs Is DR.. SEN
ner, and his close assistant is Edward
f. Insolvency.. These are the men who
| are personally and directly responsible for
| the character and livelihood of every man
who steps foot in this country.
Those whom they reject must 20
| through the board of special inquiry con
sisting of George w. Ellis, Col HAYES,
| Capt. Converse and Maj. Simpsey. The
| last Is the universal interpreter and has
a fine martial history. He came here as
companion in arms to Louis Eossuth
The watch dogs stationed at the gates
/ by Uncle Sam demand that every man
/ and each woman should have an occupa-
| ton, a trade, a means of earning a iiv-
/ ing. Those who cannot mention such
| trade or means are brought to a stand
still. There Is one alternative for them.