Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-31
MARRIAGE AT THE DOCK.
Some immigration inspectors More
Romantic Duties.

Not long ago there arrived at New
York young Austrian girl who was
unaccompanieS, had very little money
and was destitute of near relatives in
the United States She was destined
to cousin" in the West whom she
had never seen The immigration au-
thorities were dubious about permit
ting her to enter the country under
the circumstances. Kindly disposed
persons became interested in the girl
and secured for her a position as do
nestle which would be open should the
authorities decide to permit her to
land. The local commissioner did not
think that the arrangement 1ustihed
allowing the girl to land and favored
deportation. Meantime, the cousin
wrote from the West, asking the girl
to marry him. The proposal was trans
mitted to the girl and she did not ap-
pear unwilling In such cases 1t Is
customary for the Secretary of the
Department of Commerce and Labor to
decide Therefore. the testimony. to-
gether with the commissioner recon-
mendation that the girl be allowed to
land through the medium of matri-
mony, was sent to Washington. The
Secretary's decision was as follows:
I'm this case ] hesitate to follow the
recommendation Ordinarily l would
agree that it would be safest to have
this alien girl married before she
leaves Ellis Island, but. inasmuch as
she has never seen the man whom she
| Is going to marry. I think we ought to
avoid the exercising of influence If she
can be otherwise protected. Appar-
emily she can, because position has
been secured for her and we were pre-
pared TO admit her to take this posi-
| ton.
In other words, 1t seems to me that
| If the position held out to her is a
proper one. 1t would be wise to let her
take this place and then give her the
opportunity to determine the question
of marriage afterwards. This would
at least give her the opportEn-
lity to exercise her own judgment and
relieve her of the undue influence
| which her desire to get in must neces-
sarily exert
Accompanying. the decision was an
order signed by the Secretary allow
| ing the girl to land under bond that
/ she NOul0 HDl DbCOIflt DuDllC
| Now is the season when the May and
June brides are getting ready for the
nuptials. Now also is the season when
immigration to these shores is picking
up after the lethargy of winter, and
| the steamers are bringing thousands
of aliens to New York and Boston and
| the other ports of entry on the At
| lantic seaboard. Among the female
portion of those many immigrants may
| be almost any number of intended
| brides. from one to a dozen or more on
| a single steamer, perhaps. without ex-
ception almost surely at least one
Probably the majority of them will be
| bound in matrinlony within few
| minutes after the arrival of the steam
| er at her dock; others may be married
a day or two later at the immigrant
detention station; or a week or two
later, or perhaps not at all. No count
| is kept of the number of weddings per
formed at the dock or station during
| the year. except what may be kept by
the justices of the peace or clergymen
who officiate. but they run into the
hundreds annually.
The case of the Austrian girl was by
no means exceptional It may be
duplicated on almost any steamer ar
irving with immigrants. Frequently
young women reach Boston who, like
the Austrian girl, never have seen the
| men whom they are coming to marry.
| In fact, the Austrian girls case diff
fered from the usual run only in that
she did not, so far as is known. even
bot che
natrlmony. The marriage proposal to
her was sudden indeed apparently.
Some will say: What chance she
took in accepting the proposal" OBJ
Viously she was taking quite a chance;
but almost every day there are others
VINO come pretty near doing the same
thing. Even though the young women
who are so frequently being brought
TO the United States with the prospec-
tive wedding bells sounding in their
ears oftentimes confess to never hay-
ing seen the husband to-be. they at
least have had time to cogitate and
dream of the meeting.
Only few days ago an Italian
Young woman. still in her teens,
reached Boston. Like the Austrian
en- Shc was dlOHe, nd0 little no
money and was without relatives in
this country. But she was coming to be
married, she explained She was TAX
en- to the Immigrant Detention Sta
tlon and examined by board of spe-
clai inquiry. The inquiry revealed little
more than that she had left her native
country only for the purpose of being
married upon arrival here She had
seen a photograph of her Intended"
but that was all; she had never even
exchanged direct communication
with him
Next, the man was similarly exam
med out of presence of the girl, of
course. Questioning disclosed that he
mad been in the country for several
years. was making good living for
one of his kind. had a steady Job and
money in the bank He had wanted a
wife he said. but none of those whom
ne saw suited his fancy. He met a
couple of newly arrived countrymen.
and over the red wine and bread con-
nded to them that he was looking for
helpmeet. Did they know any
young woman in the old nouptrxy ,,,;tI,