The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-18
BARGE OFFICE CHILDREN.
LITTLE TRlvELLERS VINO COME
FROM EUROPE ALONE.
A Chap Of Fifteen Months the Record
Holder ms Regards Age-Chiidren Who
Have "A Part IN Tragedies-Plenty of
triends to Care for Them ON the WAY.

In the centre Of the big examination room at
The Barge Otice in a compartment shut of by
an iron railing from the surging crowd OF con-
tuseu and wondering Immigrants. In this oasis
various officials have their desks and do their
WORK ana al one side stands a well worn bench
which II II could speak, could tell stories that
would make any well regulated mother look
fearful and hug her own babies tightly. After
the arrival Of any large steamship carrying steer.
age passengers, this bench is occupied by a row
Of children, who watch the crowding immigrants
outside the railing with wonder and the officers
inside the railing with undisguised terror. o.
casionally one Of the small boys or girls grins
cheerfully at the passing show Or ruhs grimy
knuckles into red eyes and cries In Q
drilling, suppressed fashion; but generally
the little ones stare at their surroundings with
dry, frightened eyes and do not stir or make Q
sound. They are the children who are travelling
alone. coming from Europe TO friends or relatives
In this country, and when, in all kindness, they
are separated from the immigrants with whom
they have become familiar aboard the ship, and
are for safety slowed away on the bench they
give themselves up for lost and huddle 'ogethee
in mute misery,
Luckily they fall into the hands Of two women,
and women have a happy faculty for understand.
ing child suffering and relieving it. Both Of
the women examiners have friendly eyes and
kind voices, and can talk at leas, a tew words
81 any language the children may have been
used to hearing in other homes; so they usually
have little difficulty In establishing diplomatic
relations with the small travellers and finding
out all that has to he known. The older chill.
dren, from 10 TO Is years OF age, are an a rule
easily disposed Of They know their stories
- .l.- IL - 5000 .l.I -
giving the addresses to which they are TO he for
warded, and they are turned over to the trans
~porta'ion agents, or are sent down TO the
detention rooms TO be held until word IL 70
ceiyed from their friends, Still even these oldsr
children often fail to have the definite addresses
Of the friends to whom they are going, and arrive
here, billeted simply TO New York, chicago, San
Francisco, &c, and serenely believing that II
they can reach the city In question they will 10
able to find their friends without any trouble.
Sometimes In such cases a fellow immigrant
from the child's native town ran furnish the necs-
sary information. II not the officials institute
a search for the friends and the child is KEEP, In
the immigrant quarters at the expense OF the
steamship company until the friends ars found
or the search is abandoned. In the latter event
the child Is sent back by the mex, ship, unless
sDIt lNNpoiisIbit tVlo'h VI ''lN' w
In this country will assume the responsibility
Of his care and support
Among the older boys many rurnways an
found. They have secured money for their pas
sage, In one way or another, often by loo,ing the
family pure. and reach here without n cent and,
perhaps, without sven a friend in the country.
They lie stou,ly, II Inconsistency, about the
circumstances Of their leaving home, KIN on, ~
one fell swoop OF inventive Imagination, nil tho
members Of their families, No that there will 10
no one to whom they could go back. and, II .
stony hearted board does decree that they shall
be sent home, disappointment. and n lively
sense Of thrashins TO come move them To des-
perate woe. Frequently before the steamer ar
rives a Fable despatch reaches the large once
authorities telling them 10 look out for n runaway
and send him back, so the young ndv~n,urcr 10
doomed 10 failure before ho comes down the ganR
plank. On the other hand. parents are sometimes
glad 10 be relieved Of = Troublesome charge, and
II Is not an unusual thing 10 ind a child whose
passage, in order TO get rid Of him, and will not
FsI FIc. nm a'oo 4 he is s 3 600 es sSild II shr com. .,on. to tn.
no, more than Cor o years old, while children
only ! 81 2 years old s,S not sa nnt H In the rank.
turned up atthe Barge Ofcc IN search Of n Chicago
aunt Ne couldn't wait bu, his lungs were In
aon Of his vocal powers when h. was separated
from his s,eerage friends, ard he refused 10 10
conferred until he wes put with somo Of his fel-
the stew ards had been paid by the baby's friends
a, Genoa TO take care Of the small traveller on the
boat, and to hand him over 10 the Barge Office
Gated With, and though. not having heard Of tho
death Of the bhby's parents, she was a trife sur
prised, she ag freed to lake the child, In IN. course
cago came through the Barge Ofice. and. having
eieh, small children Of their own, they decided
that that. o ,1eu Ts'e S 81 i ,ssv w ,ool ,n give 'Icm any
waiting aunt lie holds the record Tor cX,r-ms
q mos, adorable and friendly IT'D. woman aged
F ft ssms sl'n Fh. rot re 5@nS s %Sy , cS%sd about l"' i S"S
was leaving an aunt Tor whom she didn't seem
10 have a very cordial regard, and the only thing
she had against the world was that boats and
with the doctors and made eyes nj the gruf men
examiners and cooed baby talk At the women,
and unblushingly Rugged the little Italian boy
immigrants who had como over on the ship were
her confidential and devoted friends She could
have chased grandparents around the globs
dimpled and confding. babyhood Another wee
woman who came a few days later found the
S..s and a h .hs had g'GI I,, r",or. H sI,h m S.1 SSs
bu, two days out from New York the father com
mi,ted suicide, leaving no Indication Of his de~-
nd no money for the baby who was too
young TO give the officials any assistance In tra,-
ing friends ur relatives. The yoor littlc tot intro
iqced 50 early TO the tragedy Of NE, was treated
the greatest Kindness by the other immi-
grants and was adopted here in New York
The children play an important part in many
Barge Office tragedies, even when they are n0t
travelling hlone Many a mother coming with
children toioin a hus band from whom she has
been separated IL turned back from home and
because one II her children has fayus
- a.a lean en- ArI n m n n - NJ mi tta a. ~ -
Try Unless there is another Of tho children
who is not a minor and who can take the sick
rhild back 10 Europe the mother must 70, and
he father who has probably been Saving for years
n order 10 get enough money together 10 send
or the family sees his dreams and plans melt
MO thin OR. Such situations arc particularly COM
non among the Russian and Polish Hebrews; for
disease So dreaded here, Is welcomed sometimes
IS a blessing, because II grants exemption from
military duty and no precautions are taken to
prevent the children from conuactingi H. Ofcourse,
I is the duty II the steamship company IN refuse
passage TO any one suffering from the disease.
,ut many cases come through and have 10 be turned
here,
Another class Al drama, in which the childrea
Prominent parts, is played more often than
inyOne outside u the immigration Bureau would
In this cnSe, too, a husband has left his
wife in Europe ard has come 10 America 10 maksA
ortune After several years he has saved
nough money 10 prepare q home and send foY
us family He forwards the good news and the
money and when the ship arrives
IL presents himself at the Barge Oflce. excited,
inpatient, Radiant 10 meet a crying, frightened
vie, who has been unfaithiul 70 him during
he Separltion. Time after time the scene hAs
cen enacted and has run the whole wretched