Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-01-18
Lights Of New York
BY [. STEVENSON

Since ships loaded with immigrants
10 longer race for quarantine to boa:
quota restrictions, the old turbuleh.
days at Ellis island have vanished.
with immigration at its present low
ebO. In place Of crowding and con
fusion. there Is now more or less pros
aic routine. The heartbreak and
tragedy so often encountered there in
the past are extremely rare now. DC
casiOnally q stOwaway. Of higher
grade than the usual type Of ocean
hobo, Ia caught at the threshold of the
New world and causes a bit Of sym
pathy. There are dep0rtees. Of course
Reing wOrsted in an encounter with
strange land would suggest tragedy
But AS a rule, depOrtees are stOlid and
coiOrless. Some shed tears. But most
~ them face the future with shrug
OF the shoulders or puff of cigarette
smoke.
Sometimes there is tragedy even
nDw, however. tragedy which at first
xlance may have the appearance Of
comedy. For instance recent occur,
seAce-a father chasing two grown
sons about an Office in the administra
ton building with desks, filing cases
and chairs being upset In the pursuit
When the father caught one of the
sons. he dashed him with a strap until
his face bled. 1t developed then that
the two sons wanted their mother, who
was being detained at the island, adj
mltted to the country. The father did
not. And the reason why he wanted
the mother Of his two sons kept out
was he Is living with another woman.
The father and the two sons were
Anally placed aboard the ferry that
piles between the island and the main
land. At the Battery, the sons ap-
Dealed to two policemen. They
searched the father. But he had
thrown the strap into the bay. So the
ahree went their separate ways. In
aidentally. the Ellis island ferry. owned
and operated by the government, pro
sides the longest free ferry ride in
fhe city. But the man at the gate al
the Battery has to be convinced that
me would-be passenger actually has
BUSINESS at the immigration station be
fore he stands aside.
Well do remember one late June
Gay when / went down the bay in a
government cutter to meet some one
Of importance who was returning from
Europe and had to be interviewed.
% many ships were waiting there that
q seemed as II an armada had gath.
cred In the Narrows. In fact, 1t looked
As II biscuit could be tossed from the
deck Of one ship to the other. Each
ship was loaded with newcomers to
America-materlal for the melting pot
They all passed through Ellis island
which at that time was great mill
turning out potential citizens.
Used to watch immigrants also as
me timers passed the Goddess of Lib.
-ortV. wondering the while what their
thoughts were concerning that symbol
Which undoubtedly told them that they
Uere about to attain their goal. nev.
- learned. Some Of the newcomers
wMwe the great green statue a glance
O0ers merely continued their CONVEX.
sataDns. If any ever lifted hat, that
was something that escaped me.
Was told Of some young women VIII.
Went motoring with a young man with
WHOM they were only slightly &C.
auainted. Stopping in front of store.
he asked II they would mind waiting
sale he attended to some business
lie was gone some time and on his
Return they all went to restaurant
Daring dinner, they learned that he
WAs an undertaken and that the bust.
aass to which he had attended while
xAey waited was embalmlng a woman!
q 1874. Western Newspaper Unien