The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-14
HORRORS OF TRAVEL IN MANY
ATLANTIC VESSELS ARE
v,vIDLY DESCRIBED.
APPALLING
Women Agents Relate Terrible Ex-
perienees They Had and the Treat
nent Accorded Others Travelling
Across Water as Third-C Class Pas
sengers-Report Made to Senate.

Washington. Dec. ia report on
steerage conditions based on informa-
ton obtained by special agents Of tho
Immigration commission travelling as
steerage passengers on different
transatlantic steamers was made pub
lie today through presentation to the
senate with Recommendations for
legislation to better conditions. Con-
dtions found in many of these vessels
are described as appalling.
The general report Of the commits
sion contains the reports of individ-
uals giving their experience on board
the steamships of which they posed as
steeragc passengers. 4 woman agent.
who was insulted and compelled to
withstand repuisive privations. said:
I'm those IL days in the steerage. |
lived in disorder and in surround.
ings that offended every sense. only
the fresh breeze from the sea over
came the sickening odors. The vile
language of the men, the screams of
the women defending themselves. the
crying of children. wretched because
of their surroundings. every sound
that reached the ears irritatod beyond
Endurance.
There was no sight before which
the eye did not prefer to close. Ev-
erything was dirty. sticky and dis
agreeable to the touch Every impress
sion was offensive. Worse than this
was the general aid Ia immortality.
For IL hours each day | witnessed all
around me this improper, indecent and
forced mingling of men and women.
VINO were total strangers and often
did not understand one word of the
.s,. I.x., Ea,atH
in such surroundings and not be in
fluenced
Describes Conditions.
The woman agent had told of the
mingling of the crew with women OF
the steera"e and said the same was
true of the men steerage passengers
with the women Agents of the i'm
migration commission say that on
many steamships men stewards and
members of the crew as well as male
Eteerage passengers crowd into the
compartments set aside for the women
and constantly pass through the
passa geways of such compartments.
SO that no woman in the steerase
had moments privacy"
Members of the crew" said one
Woman agent. never failed In deal II
Woman passenger blow when she
was found standing on the framework
nf II lower berth to get anything from
an upper berth. II woman Was
dressing they always stopped to watch
her and frequently hi, and handled
her.
..one night the chief steerage stew
ard entered our compartments. but
pot noticing me. approached Polish
YfP asst, 4tasAss fi,a anl,
aupant. She spoke In Polish. saying
Ny head aches. please go on and let
|ne alone But he continued and soon
WAS insulting her. The girl. weakened
by scasickness. defended herself as
best she could. but soon was strus-
sline tn get out Of the mans arms.
lust then other passengers entered
md he released her..
The writer tells Of repelling ad-
sanees on the part Of the crew and
stewards with hard. unexpected blow
IN the offenders face. She says:
..'fhe manner in which the sailors.
stewards. fireman and others mingled
with the women passengers was thor
hnshly revolving. Their language and
he topics of their conversation We're
kile. Their comments about the
somen and made i'm their presence
Iserc course"
Concerning other conditions in the
,ld type of steerage which still ex-
sts on many steamships. agents of
he commission are just as severe In
he introduction to the report il is
Eaid:
The universal needs of space, air.
God. sleep and privacy are recognized
% the degree now made compulsory
~ law. Beyond that the persons car
led are looked upon as so much
reight. with mere transportation as ]
heir only due