The San Francisco call., 1903-09-17
VISITS STATION
At ELLIS ISLAND
Roosevelt Spends a Day
With Detained I'm
migrants.
Appoints a Commission to
Make a Thorough In
vestigation.

NEW YORK, Sept 16.-President Roose-
| Welt to-day visited the Ellis Island i'm
migration station and while there ap-
pointed commission to thoroughly In
spect the station and make personal re-
port to him of the result of their inves-
legations.
Despite the furious storm, a large party
assembled at the island to greet the
President He was welcomed by Com
missioner of immigration Williams.
Before beginning his tour of inspection
of the station President Roosevelt inform
ed Commissioners Williams that it would
be impossible for him to make such an
inspection as he would like in the linn
tied time at his disposal. Commissioner
Williams then requested the President to
appoint a commission to make complete
inspection. The President named the
commission Eugene A. Philbin, Thomas
Hynes, Arthur Won Briesen and Ralph
Trautman. The commission will report
personally to the President at the conclu-
sion of it's investigation.
During the afternoon many interesting
incidents occurred, the President acting
on his desire to go directly among imni-
grants themselves with view of ascer-
tanning how they were treated. He
was particularly interested by the fact
developed that the majority of the ap-
plicants for admission were supplied with
American money. The statement was
made by the immigration officials that
immigrants passed at the station carried
at the average aggregate $SOO0,OOO year
in American currency.
The Presidents interest was attracted
by a comely German woman, Adele Wal
ter from Leutendorf, who bore in wick
er basket a tiny babe After chatting a
moment with her the President slipped
a f1ve-dollar bill into her hand. She was
greatly affected on learning that the gift
was from the President of the United
States.
AS the President was passing through
the room in which women who had been
excluded were being detained temporar-
lily a pathetic incident occurred An ell
derly woman approached him. crying out
pitifully The President inquired about
the case and learned that the woman
had been detained at the prison since
July 80. On that date she. with her hus-
band and four children. arrived from
Russia. The husband and one child had
come over as second cabin passengers
probably because they knew they were
afflicted with a disease which would bar
their admission to this country from the
steerage while the woman and the other
three children were steerage passengers.
The husband and one child escaped from
the ship Although the evidence showed
that the woman had son in this coun-
try engaged in a profitable business, she
and her three children were held up.
After the facts had been developed the
President announced that there could be
no possible reason for OBTAINING the wo-
man longer, and it was evident she and
her children were financially able to care
for themselves. The case however, is
pending on appeal before Secretary Cor
telyou of the Department of Commerce
and Labor and he doubtless will release
the woman in accordance with the judg-
ment of the President
At o'clock tonight the President, ac-
companfed by Secretary Loeb and his
personal attendants, went aboard the
Sylph for dinner. At 10 o'clock they left
for Jersey City on the tug Chamberlain,
where they boarded the train for Antie-
tam.
The police arrangements in Jersey City
were extraordinarily careful, officers be-
ing lined up all the way from the ferry
slip to the train.