New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-29
ELLIS ISLAND REPORT IN.
CHARGES NOT SUSTAINED.
Com mission Recommends ImproTc-
mcntS on Other Grounds.

The most serious ~ the charges which led 70 the
appointnent 81 a special commission hy President
Roosevelt IN September OF last year. TO investigate
tho existing conditions at the Ellis Island imri-
grafton station are refIted IN the report IL the
commission. which is made public to-day by the
Secretary OF Commerce and Labor Many public
bearings have been held ~ tho commission. which
.--.,sts If Arthur Won Briesen eT-District Attor-
- T,,,-.,a : Pbubin Thomas W. Hynes, Ralph
---su-noanu and Lee X. Frankel and with tho re-
-, sra presented seen hundred pages Of test-
non, and the written views Of persons who have
made special study Of immigration methods
Il fs declared b. the commission that the charges
-t,tsrod &, the ..Staats Zeitung' presented the
-,ost ,erious aspect but the Investigation showed
H.. tbov were mostly based on misnformauoh'
and one case is cited in which woman imInisi ant
Vas declared 10 have complained about oe.hs AZ
..ou.5 nv yernir. when her written testimony
I--.s ~, The .'verv1fr'' she complained OF were
,,oeouitoes As 10 the charge that there are un-
clean conditions in and about the oullo4hsS a. -9
Island the commission saws II could nha no pioo1'
-, an the contrary. the buildings and appoint
W % 800 exceptiouaIly clean. except as 10
.sote,t disinfection Of blankets. The charge thAt
tbere IS overcrowding at times IN the oeleI,1'o''
.,s ,s true the commission says. but so ions as
larger quarters not at the dispoSal OF 'il7 H
,ho-i,ies the difficulty cannot be overcome
=. =. -.,o-ts that the hospital building - en-
- tn,deo,ate: that IL has room for only 70
beds whereas least go are needed. $500 -,
-,,,x ~ the sick have 70 be taken 10 "'St4 -
and Manhattan A0Ao4'' 49,
Ioe :. a. expense considerably greater man man
,,d he incurred II they could De treated a. -
rsland II further shows that the presel' -,
L,,Ia,r- has been 20 constructed mat a. -s
tide the water enters the oasei'e'i. .,. - 80
,hn use Of a pump to rid the ouilc.is u -,
l , ,.--oa-irr the unsanitary condition Of the
hospital - -,..-,-r- ,,cororooaa-
.,or. At the main building NJ Elhs ls'ahd Co'iss.
:, ses metallic frames hinged 10 the wan a
- Itch wire mattresses and that the oeddlns
consists simply Of blankets. without plilo"S. ma
tresses OF sheets. and declares that tHe Ia :,
wore not disinfected or aired thoro~k"'S' =
! ..o~,vre-ds that in the construction OF d NJ"
/ tuz,-- the sleeptr- accommodations should oe
50 made rs to permit of greatet degree OF iTvt-y
tnan IS now possible. The commission u-lAAs &c
J the sanitary arrangements on the lslanu 81" .
nerfect and require immediate Improvement ou'
-. .bs. the present administration has given
~ over forty contracts 'or this purpose since ias'
/ May. -. 49,, ,,s
J 49, 6eno-tation Of large numbers Of Immigrant
Who should have been allowed t. land IS net sup
] rorte5 ny any evidence. the commission ihdlhS
Tho contrary 20 be the fact IT is sai1 IN the re-
mort that the principal causes for deportation are
x,olatons Of the Contract Labor law and the Ikell
! hood OF aliens becoming public charges. tie pro
portion Of deportauons for any other cause beine
| cornoa-atively small. Incidentally. attention IS
called 70 the fact that during the last nscal year
! che arriving aliens exhibited an average or ~
| each. q total fer the Wfoie AullioSi % 60
| o0a el, or the 81. SIS aliens who applied az Ellis
/ ,.,.-s for inspecticu during the last fiscal year
"a - excluded and returned 10 Europe at the
o,-.,-Se Of the companies bringing them here
| THE charge that there has been improper deten
| a., ~ a large number OF immigrants for specia
| ,rouiry Is declared by the commission to BE IN
| ,o,,5ed AS to the charge that immigrants have
/ - hel5 AZ Ellis Island until relatives are hearC
! s-on the commission says it Is true in 50 fer al
| oz.,rg effort il made to protect immigrants frol
| fsuing into evil hands. Complaints about the meth
DDS Of the boards OF special inquiry have net oeei