The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-11-08
Ellis Island

metropolis, Is ElliS l>iohu. Syi'S ~
upper New York Bay. within a few
miles of the Jersey shore, this small
island, whose name has become sy-
nonymous with entrance into our
country, presents a pleasing picture
as one leaves New York harbor from
South Ferry, near Bowling Green,
once Castle Garden.
Back of us to the right are the mas
sive and imposing skycrapers, the on
Nv ones which need command our at
tention at this time being, the Singer
building, the one time highest pulld-
ing in the world and its new nearly
completed rival, the Woolworth tower
ing above it by two stories. To the
left stands Liberty, fair patroness cf
a great nation, holding aloft the torch
which guides all incoming and out
going vessels at night with It's bright
light. Hither and thither, back and
forth, ply the passenger barges'
freight barges, sailing vessels, ndptha
launches and perchance an ocean lin
er lust returning from or starting out
for some foreign shore. In seeming
contrast to all this hurry and hustle
is the island itself, serenely pillowed
upon the limped waters of the bay.
The buildings upon the island are
situated on either side and along the
end of a strait forming rectangular
shaped body of water. They are OF
red brick beautifully ornamelted
with cement The lawns, rich vel
vety green and well cared for, are in
closed with lockwood hedges, trim
med with lockwood symmetry. Huge
boxes of red geranums adorn the
many windows. On one side are the
hospitals, at the rear the docks Tor
visitors, while to the right are the
immigrant docks and the main build
ing. the various departments OF when
they must pass before final admission
to or exclusion from America-the
land OF promise to so many.
AS we drew near tried to imagine
Just what the feelings OF one OF these
fellow-beings might be as he ap
proach the island and during his SUP
seuuent inspections. Before left
| felt perfectly satisfied with what
knowledge had gained as an observ'
er.
Several miles down the bay. at the
entrance TO the narrows are several
small islands On these are hospitals
which together with the islands are
known as quarantine. All on board
are examined by the ships physicians
before coming into quarantine.
Those who are found to be suffering
from what are known as quarantin-
able diseases are removed from the
vessels by the quarantine authorii-
les Of New York state at the quaran-
tine station on Staten Island. They
remain in the custody of the authori-
ties, usually at Hoffman and Swim
burne Islands, until cure has been
affected when they are sent to Ellis
Island for inspection Such diseases
now include not only cholera, yellow
fever, smallpox, typhus fever, leprosy
and plague but also such acute con
tagious and infectious diseases as
measles. scarlet fever, diphtheria
and erysipelas.
The immigration laws apply to all
aliens, whether they have previously
resided in the United States or not
and irrespective OF whether they
travel in cabin quarters or in the
steerage. Alien residents who go
abroad though with the intention of
returning, are upon their arrival
nevertheless subject to inspection,
and the 81 head tax is payable upon
their account A person who has not
vet obtained final citizenship papers,
though he may have declared his in
tention of becoming a citizen, is still
an alien. All steerage aliens are
brought to Ellis Island for inspection
as matter of course. Cabin aliens
are usually inspected on board be-
tween quarantine and the pier and
only those brought to Ellis Island
whose right to land is not clear, the
rest remain on board and pass up the
bay leaving the liner when she docks
at the pier.
The day that we visited the Island
about on hundred immigrants from
the British Isles arrived. They
were representatives, of the better
class of working people, all neatly
dressed in costumes like our own,
speaking the same language. with the
peculiar dialect of the particular dis
trict from which they had come, to
be sure, but English. nevertheless.
They had been transferred from the
White Star liner Cedric which locked
early that morning. Some days as
many as FIVE thousand and from all
parts of Europe, pass through the
inspection Upon reaching the Island
they We're first compelled to undergo
a further medical inspection in refer
ence to diseases and physical disabili-
ties with which the quarantine Gu-
thoriues do not concern themselves,
such as tuberculosis. trachoma, favus
and miscellaneous affections. They
are examined also with reference TO
all kinds of mental defects, insanity,
idiocy. imbecility. and feeblemlnded-
ness and all kinds Of physical defects
which may affect their ability to earn
a living. These examinations are
held on the grl und floor anc are not
open to the schrutiny of visitors. All
mental alc physical defects discoy er.
ed b. the surgeons az reported TO
the immigration authorities for appro-
pirate action under the law and unit,
decision is reached are hell in the
Detention quarters.
The rest pass TO the second floor in
to a large room lined throughout