The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-08-10
WAITING ALIENS on
ELLIS ISLAND
ROAST
Efforts to be Made to Stop
Sunday Closing.of the
Bureau.
Evening Ti.es Special Service.

evening Tiaeo SPECIAL Service.
New York. Aug. 10.-Nearly five
thousand immigrants-the capacity Of
the immigration bureau-were landed
at Ellis Island Tuesday. The excess
sive heat made the wheels of examina-
ton turn slowly. The entire force at
the island were kept busy throughout
the day. and the fatigue of the immi-
grants after spending the day and
night In the sultry steerage compart-
ment of steamer tied up to her pier
did not add to the speed in passing
through the various channels of the
immigration examination. The work
would have been an easy task had Ell
lis Island been open Sunday. The
congestion was due to the new rule of
the department Of commerce and labor
to close the local immigration bureau
Sundays throughout August, Septem-
Der and October.
For some time q war has been
smouldering between the immigration
officials and the various steamship
companies. Both have advanced rea-
sons for and against the Sunday clos
ing of the island, but thus far the i'm
migrants have been the sufferers.
When Ellis Island opened yesterday
there were 4,267 immigrants In port
ready to be passed. Before noon this
number was increased by 2,64S aliens,
who will have to remain aboard ship
until today.
The Sicilian Prince, from Mediter-
ranean ports, anchored OF Quarantine
yesterday, that the immigrants might
be comfortable in the meagre breeze
of the Lower bay. The haggard faces
Of the immigrants and the almost ply
Steal collapse of many women and
children as they left the hot holds of
the ships yesterday proved the conten-
ton of the steamship companies that
the Sunday holiday for the immfgra-
ton force means great hardships to
immigrants.
1t was learned yesterday that the
steamship companies intend to carry
the question to Washington If their
Protest through the local bureau
brings no results.
It was said yesterday at the Cunard
Line Office that the 81 head tax on
each alien was enough to maintain
sufficient force at Ellis Island to
handle immigrants every day in the
year.
Herman Winter, of the North Ger
man Lloyd Line. said that solely from
the point of view of humanity the
steamship companies protested to the
local bureau. He continued:
While our piers in Hoboken are
practically immune from fire. I con-
slider 1t unsafe to keep immigrants
housed aboard ship while the ship is
at her pier. There is great danger of
panic following a fire, when a horde
Of persons are confined in q small
space. r
The steerage compartments are cool
at sea because the ship is under way,
and plenty of fresh cool air circulates
throughout the voyage. The condi-
lions are reversed when the ship is
in port. The humidity and heat of the
waterfront and the additional heat
from the firerooms make life mfser-
able for hundreds of persons who are
unable to better their plight.
Furthermore, there Is no reason
why the inspectors should not work on
Sunday. There are days at Ellis Is
land when there is practically moth
to do. Why not give the employees a
day of when business is dull? They
know when rush is coming and
should provide for it. If it is fair
for the immigration inspectors to take
Sunday off it is also fair for the Gus
toms inspectors to stay away on Sun
day and hold the first and second