The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-03-17
.FRANKCLAGUELOOkS
ELLIS ISLAND OVER
WRITES FULLY WHAT HE
FOUND ON SPOT

FOUND ON SPOT
Complaints Of One David Monl
Appear To Be Unfounded; Con
gresham From Second Dis
trict Inspected Receiving Poin
For Immigrants; Much Pleased
it'll Conditions.
Congressman Frank Clague, afte
reading criticism of Ellis Islant
from the pen of one David Monk, wh'
arrived there from South Africa, Wis
| tied the iland and after looking over tn,
place where immigrants are received
Washington. D. c., March 0, 1922.--Tc
The Mankato Daily Free Press: Abou
the middle Of February there appeared
IN The Daily Free. Press an article en-
titled Criticism Of Ellis Island" which
article was largely copy Of lettel
written by one David Monk. AS l hat
received number OF letters from PEG
pie IN the VARIOUS parts OF Minnesot'
conditions at Ellis Island and there ap
peared other articles in various papers
speaking OF bad conditions at the Island
sometimes were given physical examin
atoms where they could be seen by the
general public, / decided to make a per.
sonal visit to the Island and which
did very recently, spending Saturday ant
The Island is located about half mil,
from New York City proper. and 4
see the true conditions. the officials O
the Island did not know that was com.
ing and / went alone. arriving Their
ABOUT ten o'clock on Saturday morning
at Ellis Island and has been there TO
foreign birth Scotchman who came t.
he was seventeen years Of age. Through
hard work he has accumulated reas
pnahle fortune and is one Of the well
known business men Of New York City
question and has given literally Of hi!
fortune to the welfare Of the poor. Mr.
proachabie; spends practically ali hi
time at the Island and I am told that IL
busy seasons he stays there many night!
looking after the personal welfare and
Upon arrival at the Island, I met Mr.
Tod and informed him that I desired t
see the Island and every part OF it. HI
placed one Of his assistants at my dis
and did visit every building and nearl!
every room in every building on thu
Island. except the contagious words ii
Reseiving and Caring For Arrivals. y.
The main part OF the Island is giyer
over to the buildings Aoceupied in tn,
are two large hospitals, one used ex
clhsively for the immigrants infiictet
with non -contagious diseases; the othe
for the use of patients afflicted witt
every room in each of the buildings wer,
found to be extremely clean and in thu
very best of condition. do not know
buildings any more cieaniy than they ar
( The morning that r arrived there, Their
we're about four hundred immigrants a
afternoon there arrived about two hun
dred and sixty new immigrants, mostl,
Italians. The immigrants are taken t
ship. The barges are clean and wei
kept. All immigrants on arriving at tn
island are taken into a very comfortable
and srge wsfn o tSs gneTs 5ns
children Very soon after the imrni
grants are landed. all Of them are. phys
ically examined to ascertain whether o.
disease, and also to determine If the!
are free from vermin.
Immigrants Are Examined.
about Vas Ss snd es 81 opPGs e neSy to arze
immigrant men examined. All men ar,
examined in rooms exclusively used fo
men. They are stripped and each i'm
fefent physicians. One would examin,
his eyes. another his lungs. and each o
the others, being a specialist for the DIFF
ss P Of sx ths Seay The as liner
whether or not they were suffering from
any contagious or infectious diseases o.
trachoma. The. examinations seemed Z
grant was subjected to no embarrass
ment. The women and small children
were taken into rooms used exclusivel,
for the examination of women and chill
dren and were examined by woniel
physicians. The report that has beer
dren are given examinations in view o
the public is wholly unfounded and it 1!
placed on the tables in the dining rooms
The dining, rooms were well lighted ant
dining room; dishes ana dining ut s,asI
consisted OF corn beef and cabbage, po
ftatoes, bread and butter Tin bulk). larg'
i pitchers Of milk for the children anC
bread and i Butter G and S the other kinds o
food upon the tables. It was all good
The meal at supper time consisted o
hamburger meat balls with gravy, cram
berry sauce, bread and butter. tea, cof'
! fee or milk. Those who did not car,
| for meat were given eggs and at these
meals all the immigrants were given al
they cared to eat and each person wa!
allowed to take from the table bread o.
| any other article of food. IL they felt tina
they were going to get hungry between
meals. l was informed that crackers anc
milk were carried and given to the
mothers at bed time for the children
The breakfast bill of fare showed thai
/ 1t consisted Of prunes, rice. bread ant
butter, coffee 4or tea, milk for the chill
J dren and a cereal From an actual in.
spection, in seeing the food prepared ant
would III Ss po pos pie for soa s1yons to say
food. ....
Immigrants Of the Jewish faith were
allowed to eat at separate tables anC
the food at their tables was prepared By
Jewish cooks. -.
The cost of all the food furnished a,
the Island to immigrants is paid for BY
the steamship company that brings the
/ 1 visited the kitchens, the bakery, and
all parts of the kitchens and bakery anC
found them very clean.
In Sleeping Quarters.
The sleeping quarters for the men art
with plenty of bed clothing. all clean.
took special pains to examine the bee
clothing The blankets used on beds arr
washed daily and doubt if 1t would b.
possible to find any vermin, as all bee
clothing is practically deloused every