New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-25
FOR THE IMMIGRANTS.
Better arrangements Planned for at
Ellis Island.
TFrom Tie tribune Bureau.l


washington March 24--The supervising architect
OF the Treasury Department is busily engaged upon
plans for the improvement OF the Immigration
station at Ellis Island and for the completion OF
the huge contagious diseases hospital which is
being built the small artificial island immedI-
ately adjoining It. The plans viii be completed
and decided upon by July !. when the appropria-
tions viii be available and the work will be pushed
Immediately after that date
The recent Congress appropriated sS5OOOa alto
eether 20 be expended in those improvements. OF
this sum 100000 IS for reEnodelng the main build
ang OF the immigration station and s25oOOO added
70 q previous appropriation OF q like amount for
the hospital Congress was also asked TO appro-
pirate Sl15OOO for additional ferryboat and $780,
600 for fee plant fo= the station. but the re-
guests were Denied.
50 urgent IS the need OF the additional facilities
that Commissioner General T. p. Sargent and
Commissioner Robert Watchorn are bringing every
effort 10 bear upon the early completion OF the
work. 1t IL expected that within a year the hos
pthl VII be completed. and the added facilities of
the main building viii be ready in half that time.
The Ellis Island immigration station built
many years ego. and upon plan deemed apprO-
priate for the accommodation OF the aliens enter
ing the Port OF New York at that time. The orig
snal cost WAS slb00.OO0. There then landing
annually average CT 100000 persons, and at this
figure Il was soon discovered that the station was
not built for their best accommodation There are
landing now on an average 10000 persons, and
with the same facilities the conditions have been
such TO call forth great amount OF protest
from many sources. There have been sleeping
quarters for 100 persons, and many nights there
have been 5000 in the station. The limit OF immi
grants that It was figured could be passed through
The main building 5000. and IN the last year
fhere were many days when 5000 have clamored at
the gates.
No new building IS contemplated. and the I'm
provements viii be principally internal The idea
e II and la he to
give additional dormtory and dining facilities.
There have been many nights when 1900 persons
have slept on the floors. crowded IN great numbers
into single rooms. The sleeping accommodations
will be doubled when the alterations made. IL
has been necessary TO operate a number OF dining
rooms and to serve many consecutive meals at the
same tables but II IS hoped 10 avoid these neces-
stiles by doubling the dining room space.
The plans are only roughly under way as yet'
but the fundamental alteration will be made IN the
ground floor. which viii be given over to Inspection
which has heretofore been made on the second
floor. This condition has been long regarded as
mistake the newcomers have been forced 10 stfus-
gle I'D forty steps with their luggage. pass the
examinations and scramble down a corresponding
forty steps IL exit. Under the new arrangement
they viii be examined on the first floor. and the
whole OF the second door win be given over 10
dormitories and dining rooms.
The baggage rooms VIII be on the ground hoor'
and Immigrants who not held one account
another viii never go above it, In addition to
fhese changes. the appropriation VIII be used IN In
creasing the capacity Of the building to its utmost
Commissioner General Sargent and Commissioner
watchorn are both Of the opinion that with the
doubled capacity they win be able TO handle the
influx OF aliens in such manner that the protests
OF the foreign consus in their behalf will cease and
the work viii be conducted IN such way as TO
give satisfaction
Commissioner watchoIn said. when recently IN
Washington. that with appropriation bringing
that for the hospital up $4,000 contagious dis
hospital could be built that would be equal 10
anything in existence. An isolated position on an
island would be regarded rs en- Ideal place for the
treatment Of all contagious diseaseE.
Originally an appropriation secured OF
$500. which was at the time regarded as en0agh
Tor the purposes Of the station So rapid has been
The increase in immigration in the last few years,
however that Il found that the demand had
entirely outgrown a building that could be erected
All these contagious diseases patients have been
cen 70 VARIOUS hospitals in New York. Brooklyn
b0-ntais = T1rssor fso.,,,i-ro,Ss- e,,9T, e &c
that since he assumed charge al Ellis Island two
scarlet fever alone He believes that half OF these
children might have been saved had the cases been
n transporting the patient from the island 70 dis
- S5icb i, nm en45 3g % Inc id s
several miles IN an ambulance 20 a hospital. This
results in an unnecessary number Of deaths
u Is explained that the taking away Of the chill
OF The men in the service at the station. When
child is found be affected with the measles II
e taken 10 the Kingston avenue hospital The
mother, who speaks no English. is left behind, and
does not understand that no harm Will be done her
child. She spends many days IN the most abject
anguish until the child Is returned cured or word
Is brought her that IL IS dead
The necessity OF her detention IS IN order that
the child may be passed upon its admissa bility
into this country An idiotic. imbecile
healthy child may not be admitted. and under the
law IL ii is deported its mother companion must
he dep0rted with IT, The decision as 10 its ad-
instability cannot be reached until its health is
iegaine6. During this time the mother and, neces
sariy. the other members Of the family, are held
a. the station.
The artificial island upon which the hospital is
being built has been completed for some time cost
ing the government about $4,000. It contains APP
pToxmately FIVE acres Of land and is go feet wide
end 80 or 90 feet long. II IS removed only about
$50 feet from Ellis Island. which distance is con-
sdRyee adequate, according 10 the quarantine regu-
lafi0ns 10 prevent the spread OF disease.
The building VIII be entirely OF stone, brick and
steel, and viii he built 20 be hreproOf and
upon the most advanced plans for the prevention
~ COatagion. There viii be practically series Of
hospitals each one set apart for a given disease
Though separated by only intervening wall they
VIII be far removed from one another as FAR as
the possibility OF contagion is concerned as If they
were miles aDsrt.