New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-28
ALIENS ENTER SLOWLY.
Requirements of Neao Immigration
Lac Make Inspection Difficult.

Ellis Islands system was in a semi-muddled
condition yesterday. The new Immigration
law which went into effect mixed matters ana
the inspectors. who under ordinary circum-
stances would have passed the three thousand
immigrants on hand before noon. dallied over the
work until dark without examining all Of them.
1t was clearly demonstrated that the staff at
Ellis Island was not large enough TO carry out
Tie requirements OF the new law.
The new law which is received with favor by
the Ellis Island force. enacted to prevent
the of fraudulent naturalization pa pers and
to prevent infirm and undesirable aliens who get
their tickets abroad through healthy and well
appearing friends from entering the country.
The law requires that pastors, filled out by the
immigrant himself. containing his complete de-
scription, similar 10 the Bertillon system Of
measurements, shall be affixed opposite his name
the manifest
The Department of Commerce and Labor sent
recently TO the local offices of all steamship lines
the form of the paster, with instructions how
il should be used. with the exception Of the
steerage of the steamer Majestic. all aliens
passed through the island yesterday had not
filed out the necessary descriptions
1t was patent yesterday that the enforcement
OF the new law will require three times the
number of the staff of inspectors
The inspectors. who were accustomed to passing
seventy-f1ve aliens an hour, were unable yes
terday to dispose of more than twenty-five an
hour. They were somewhat confused in describ-
ing the complexion of aliens, especially when
line Of Swedish immigrants followed a file of
Italians, supplemented by a row OF Negroes
from Barbados and Santos.
One inspector. hopping the perspiration from
his brow. stood perplexed for a few moments
and remarked to his assistant: It's a hard job
70 pass upon the complexion of a dark
pexioned Swede after one has just entered the
complexion of a fair-haired Italian 1 hardly
know where to draw the line"
No immigrants were measured yesterday. but
the measuring stick will be used to-day.
The great delay in getting a description of the
immigrants is caused mainly by the women.
The process of removing and replacing hats TO
note the color of their hair takes up consider
able time. The Jewish women who wear wigs
nave difficulty in removing them The removal
OF wigs causes more confusion than any other
feature of the examination.
Heretofore the law was content with knowing
what country the immigrant came from The
new law requires that the alien tell the town
or city of birth.
The inspectors were compelled yesterday to in
sert in the where born" column such places
as "DunaszTdahely" and "BodrogkeresZtur
With the arrival to-day Of the steamer La
Provence aliens of the first cabin will be COM
PEELED to answer questions identical with those
asked yesterday al ELS Island Deputy Com
missioner Murray said that any alien of prOIni-
pence, such Count White, would probably
escape the measuring process. the immigration
officials taking his word for his height age, etc.
Many Hungarian women wear shoes with g.
inch heels 1t is thought that TO get their cor
rect height the aliens will have to be measured
in their stockings
The inspectors were content yesterday to take
the aliens word in answer to the question. Have
You any physical peculiarities?" They had no
time to verify.