Evening star., 1898-12-26

3 - replied n,e1Seb haf II eso~1 esoort
but l suppose they go to farms or fac
tories or something like that
And they took the South Ferry without
giving the matter another thought.
1t would be an interesting sociological
study to follow the fortunes of one mmi-
grant or an immigrant family, to watch
their progress, to see them go through The
processes that make them American citi-
zens, to note the assimilation of American
customs, manners and ideas and to follow
step by step, the evolution from peasant to
person. What becomes of the immigrant is
a topic for a hundred books. What has
become of the immigrant is the basis of
much of our history. The casual inquiry
OF the curious young woman opens a wide
field for critical observation and exhaust
I've study. The answer would require years
to give. The final disposition does not
come in days weeks but the immediate
handling, distribution and classification is
tremendously interesting in itself, even if
1t furnishes no conclusive answer to the
problem.
At the Barge Office.
ship comes in, bringing 100, 500 or
LOO immigrants, as the case may be. The
preliminary inspection, registration and eX-
animation have been gone through with at
Ellis Island. down the bay. Word is sent
to the barge office on the Battery that the
human cargo may be expected at noon, say.
Just before noon one of. the immigrant
steamers that plies between the barge Of
hce and Ellis Island comes snortng up to
the dock of the barge office. The lines are
made fast. The blue-unformed inspectors
take their places. The doctors come out.
The interpreters are ready. The money
changer is in his cage with piles of Ameri
can silver and bills on the counter in front
of him. The customs officers and baggage
men stand by. The officer in charge hur-
ries ashore with the papers, and all is
ready TO receive another batch of Italians,
maybe, or Greeks, or Hungarians, or Irish,
or Germans. The population is about TO be
increased.
On the boat the immigrants stand in
roped spaces, thirty in a bunch. They are
placed according to the letter of the ships
manifest sheet, on which their names are
recorded. The manifest sheets hold thirty
names. When Pietro or Hans or Salvador
or Abdullah reaches Ellis Island he is
given a slip of paper bearing his name and
his number on the manifest sheet. Stamp
ed in one corner of the slip is a large red
letter that corresponds to the letter of the
manifest sheet ON which his name appears
Thus, to facilitate handling, those with
slips lettered "A''' are put in one roped
space, those with slips labeled "B' in an
other roped space and SO on down through
the alphabet until the lart letter in the
manifest sheet is provided for. The immi-
grants are brought from Ellis Island in
parties of two or three hundred. The mani
fest sheets are taken upstairs in the barge
office and given to men who stand at high
desks at the end of narrow aisles that eX-
tend through the long receiving room and
are made by iron railings.
Thoroughly Inspected.
The immigrants named on manifest sheet
"A'' come across the gang plank first. An
inspector is at every turn. Tugging their
baggage hauling the children and wildly
anxious to be first, the prospective citizens
Chamber wildly up the stairs. At the top
an Inspector stands who can speak the Ian
guage of the party. He forms them in line.
He speaks sharply, but handles no one
roughly and forces the men to give way
to the women. They all pass rapidly along
an aisle that runs at right angles to those
down the center of the room. This is the
medical line A doctor, alert rapid in his
movements and skilled in detecting evil
dence of disease, receives them one by one.
BY his side is a matron. who keeps careful
watch of the women. The children are lift
ed up and examined. The men are Scru-
tinized closely. This is the second medical
examination they have passed. Not many
are found that require attention.
Pas. the doctor they clatter. They are
silent but watch everything sharply. The
Ellis Island experiences have made them
| accustomed 10 inspection. They crowd
along each looking out for himself and all
going on the principle that the other has
70 rights he is bound to respect. The in
spector who stands just beyond the doctor
turns them into the aisle marked to receive
the letter A manifested ones. They are
told to get out their slips of identifying pa
per. They come down to the high desk
where another Inspector has the manifest
sheet. Here they are asked, rapidly, their
names, their destinations, their trades,
whether they are married or single how
many children they have, their national
tiles. and, last, how much money they
have.
What Becomes of Them.
At this money question there is a great
diving into pockets and unwrapping of
strings around wallets The money is hand
ed to the man at the desk, who counts 1t
rapidly and hands it back. This infor1na-
tion secured, each immigrant Is given a
card which is written his name and
below that his destination. Right here be-
gins the answer to the question: What
becomes of the immgrants?'
At the end of these aisles the Immigrant
becomes a member of one of three grand
classes. He gets a distinguishing mark. If
he is going to New York city or vicinity he
is marked New York" If he is going any-
where else ia the. country he is marked
Railroad" II he has not given satisfac-
tory answers to the questions of the in
spector he is marked IS. l." That means
he will be the subject of a special inves-
tgation to whether he is a desirable
person to admit to the country
The immigrant who has told his family
history correctly who has proved he is
not under contract for labor here. who has
no disease who is mentally capable. who
has relatives or friends that will see he
will not be a public charge and who is go
ing to New York city or to some place
nearby is escorted to room on the right
of the central hall. downstairs Here he
remains until, his friends or relatives call
for him or he can get word to them that he
has arrived. :, In this room also, are de-
tanned those who nare going out of town.
but have no ,Failroad tickets. There is al
ways a great crowd of people expectins
friends on ship days and the lucky ones
who intend to live, In New York and have
thoughtful friend relative are not de-
tanned long. They soon get out into RAT
terry Park and after that are free to 90
and come as they will. They get work al
their trades, If they have any They he
come laborers They join husbands and
brothers and fathers and mothers. They
go to the quarter of the city where colonies
of their people live and no further notice
Is taken of them.
That is what becomes of them
Less Fortunate,
The less fortunate huddle in the room IN
which they are sent. If there is anybodv