New-York tribune., 1921-03-20
Enligrai,t City
Set Up Against
Typhus Peril
Built at Hamburg at q Cost
of One Million Dollars
to Handle Passengers
by Steerage for America
Checks Disease at Source
Hotels, Store and Many of
Features of Municipal
Life Are Provided There

Safeguards against the importation
Of dangerous diseases into the United
States are provided through the sd
ministration of an emigrant city at
Hamburg. Appearance of cases Of
ttyphus on ships from Europe recently
have called official attention 70 the
methods Of supervising emigrant trans
portation abroad and the necessity az
adopting precautionary measures be-
fore the embarcation Of the steerape
passengers.
Typhus is epidemic and endemic in
Roland, some of the Baltic states and
IN parcs OF Cantral Europe from which
many emigrants come to America, and
steps nave been taken, it has been re.
ported. Tor the closing Of the Polish
port of Danzig to emigrants bound for
America, w.
Before the war this traffic centered
laIgeiy IN Hamburg, and when the
steerage movement through this port is
again brought to a normal stats
through the removal Of war and post
war restrictions great volume Of
emigration from there is expected.
Much OF this traffic will pass through
tne emigrant city at Hamburg estab-
ilsned before the war and which will
hereafter be used for passengers COM
ing 20 tnls country on vessels Of the
can lines. ---'''N :"
sl.ooo.ooo Emigrant city
Constructed at q cost Of a million
dao!!ars' the City Of Emierants can
~ nouse about 5000 persons. It has
ratS SntIe cnurches for the worship Of
SSasnolcs, Protestapts and Jews. two
hhouSs!s' thirty dormitoties, two dining
Isis, Two pandstands for concerts, =
genera store and paved streets and
shaded walks extending over an aras
OF fifteen acres.
IN reality, the City of Emigrants is
Two wv cities, the temporary population 90
ing from the first to the second onlv
alter passing. series Of medicinal in
sspectlons and safeguards. Bv checE-
ing disease at the source. or in this
case at the point of enbarkation. se-
curity will De furnished against the
introduction of typhus or other dis
eases into America, it is pointed out.
arrangements made under the su-
perVlslon OF government officials have
oeen se,s such that the. emigrants them
with the city Of Hamburg. They are
taken either by train or boat direct to
the emlgrant city, which is served on
one side by the Elbe River and on the
other by railway track Connecting
with the main lines.
Thorough Inspection Made
All emigrants are taken first to the
reception hail., where each newcomer
gives up his steamship ticket and re-
celves q central card. He would then
pass before an examining officer Of the
United States immigration Bureau and
undergo a thorough examination by
specially employed physicians. A com
plete record is made Of Every case and
every family.
Those who pass the examination are
then taken to the larger dining hall,
where they remain until their time
comes to go to the compulsory bath.
While this is being taken the passen-
gers baggage is disinfected by steam in
another room. The emigrant enters q
first room from which his clothing is
handed out through special door
leading directly into the disinfecting
room. Then he enters the bathroom,
where he is put through a thorough
cleansing process When this is fin
ished he receives a sterilized bathrobe
and enters the waiting room where his
disinfected clothes and baggage are re-
turned to him.
After passing through this process
the emigrant, if no disease has been
detected, is taken into the second sec
tion of the Emigrant City, where he
may rejoin his family or friends, who
have already passed inspection, and
where lodging, food and the comforts
of a small city are provided. Besides
the two hotels. there are twenty-seven
pavilions fitted up as dormitories. The
emigrant may not, however, leave the
precincts until he is ready to be taken
directlv to The steamer
There is a small hospital for light
non-contagious diseases, and, at one
corner of the reservation, an observa-
tion station where any suspicious cases
may be detained until the true nature
Of the aliment is diagnosed. If it
proves to be contagious the patient is
taken to the municipal hospitals pro-
vided for such cases.
Elaborate water publication and
drainage systems are established in
the Emigrant City and drainage is
treated chemically for several days be-
fore it is turned into the sewers.