The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1943-05-13
Lights Of New York
BY L. L. STEVENSON

Byron II. Uni, alert ana erect
district director of the immigration
and naturalization service, probably
has come into close contact with
more immigrants than any other
man in the. world. Recently he
celebrated the completion OF 80
years on Ellis island, the great gate
way to the United States. True,
Ellis island is not gateway now
because the war has stopped immi-
grafton. At present, Ellis island is
merely a place of detention for
enemy aliens just as it was in the
First World war. Nevertheless, in
the half century Mr.. Uhl has been
stationed at Ellis island, a mighty
flood of newcomers to this land has
passed before his eyes.
Those great immigration races
of the early twenties are well re-
membered by Mr.. Uhl. They should
be. because there were many times
when the lights of Ellis island burned
all night that the great human tide
might be disposed of as soon as pos
sible. The law which took effect in
1921 was the cause. Under the pro-
visions of that act, not more than
20 per cent of the quota of any one
nation could be admitted in a
month. So ships would anchor IN
Gravesend bay the last day OF the
month and at the stroke of midnight,
would dash for quarantine, frequent
Iy in such numbers that the Narrows
were all but clogged. The eagerness
of shippers to be first in line was
easily explained. If their passen-
gers were not admitted they had
to be returned to their native lands
at the steamship company's ex-
pense. In 1924, the law was so
amended that no visas were issued
abroad without quota number.
Mr.. Uhl when a lad of Is. came
to Ellis island in 1892 as a stenogra-
pher. That was soon after Ellis is
land succeeded Castle Garden as an
immigration station. Castle Garden
later became the well known
Aquarium. Ellis island then con-
sisted of only 31a acres with one big
wooden building which burned in
1897. Now the island is 271a acres
in extent and there are 81 red brick
and limestone buildings. In 1903,
Mr.. Uhl was promoted to Inspector.
He went down to quarantine in cut
tiers only three months, however. be-
cause then he was promoted to chief
clerk. In 1909, he became assistant
commissioner and in 1888, was
named director which made him
second in rank to the commissioner.
The office of commissioner was abol-
ished in 1910 and Mr.. Uhl then be-
came the immigration head Of the
country's largest and most impor-
tant port.
Thirty-five years ago Mr.. Uhl
established a home in Rutherford,
N. j. To reach Manhattan. he trav-
els under the river in the Hudson
tubes. Then, down at the Battery,
he takes a dingy government ferry
to reach Ellis island. His days work
over, he reverses the journey. So
taking it all in all, water figures no
little in his life. Now at the age of
Sc, after half century on an island,
he is looking forward to little home
in the country. But that won't come
until he retires.
Speaking of Ellis island, here is
something that can be told now. In
the rush days, Ellis island was much
in the news. There were also maya
zine and other articles concerning
conditions there due to overcrowd-
ing and the manner in which new
corners to these shores we're ham
died by island officials and guards.
Many of the articles were unfavor-
able and naturally the immigration
department was not pleased. Hence,
reporters who came to the island to
get story, instead of being permit
ted to proWl around, were routed to
Mr.. Uhl's office, with guards seeing
that they travelled in a direct line.
Mr.. Uhl was always courteous and
as helpful as possible. But being a
government official, he was ruled by