The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-11-14
PARADISE FOR ALIENS

San Francisco to Have Finest OF
Immigrant Stations.
WILL BE A COMPLETE VILLAGE
Surrounded by Walks and Roads,
Angel island Station Will Have Its
Own Lighting and Power Plants,
Hospitals, Stores and Hotels.
San Francisco bay is to have the
finest immigration station in the world,
writes Louis ]. Stellmann in the San
Francisco Chronicle. In another year
Angel island, now almost uninhabited,
will be a very lively place. Upon it
will be erected q model village, which.
if present plans are carried out will
be the cleanest, best arranged and
in all respects the finest and healthiest
immigration station ever established
even by Uncle Sam, whose hospitality
to aliens is famous. Indeed, the new
comers from foreign shores will prob
ably think they have struck paradise
when they emerge from the steerage
quarters Of an ocean liner and land at
the summer resort which the immigra-
ton bureau has: provided for them.
n11
Some years ago congress passed reso-
luton asking Secretary Victor Metcalf
to Investigate the growing immigra-
ton demands of the Pacific coast and
report thereon. Metcalf did a thor
ough Job Of it-so thorough that he
made congress see the needs OF San
Francisco through the eyes Of her own
people. Congress was so impressed
that it Immediately appropriated $780,
600 as a starter for the work and ac-
cepted the bid and plans OF Waiter }.
Mathews. a California architect.
Mathews took a trip east and visited
the big Ellis island station, secured
data and information from headquar-
ters and returned to draft set OF
plans and specifications which Com
missioner General Of immigration Sar-
gent indorsed as the best and most
complete he had ever seen. According
" work was begun without delay ano
is now well under way. The big dock,
where vessels Of the greatest drart
may tie up without difficulty, has been
completed, and the task Of grading Is
now being pushed as rapidly as pos
sible.
The Angel island station Will be a
complete village, surrounded by walks
and roads for every purpose, having
its own lighting and power stations
waterworks, hospitals, stores and no
tells, so to speak, and Will be con-
structed with the srictest regard for
sanitation that is possible. 1t Will
have 4 capacity for handling 1rom
1000 to $500 immigrants and sleeping
and feeding accommodations for l'OoO'
The principal building will be the ad'
ministration building, close to the wa
ter front. This is designed for the re-
ceiving and discharging OF imm1'
grants. It contains separate dining
rooms for Europeans, Chinese and
japanese, for employees, visitors and
officers, a baggage room, offices of the
custom inspector, board Of inquiry,
Chinese inspector, commissioner OF
immigration, etc., as we'll as Chinese
and Japanese detention departments.
Immigrants are first received and
taken to an examination room, divided
into compartments separated by iron
ratings. The Chinese and japanese
are separated from the Europeans, and
the women of the latter class are also
received in a separate compartment
Here, under a skylight, the first test
for trachoma, the dreaded Asiat1c eye
disease, is made, and If suspicious are
aroused which render further exam
nation necessary the applicants foi
admission thus classified are passed on
to the physicians quarters, where
from a waiting room, they pass to a
private examination room equipped
with every late appliance for the ex'
animation Of patients.
If found to be diseased-unless the
disease be contagious-the applicant Il
placed in the hospital and detained tc
await developments. II at the end OF
a certain time it Is found that he can
not pass the physical requirements fol
admission to the country, he Is deport
ed. If suffering from a contagious
disease, he is Of course deported al
once unless his life would be endan'
gered by such action.
If the applicant passes the first test
he goes into another room, divided into
compartments according to his mani
fest, which gives his mental, moral
and financial qualifications. Here ne
is subjected to further examination
and If passed goes to the baggage
room, where he receives his property
and proceeds on his way rejoicing to
the realms Of Uncle Sam.
If not passed, he is transferred, II an