Year: 1872

1t being thought desirable that some inves-


gation should DO made of the treatment emigrans re-
ceived on the steamships Of other companies so that
should not appear that any particular line was singled
for anmadverson praise athough the reason the
White star was selected has already been giyen) and it
being evidently mpractcabe that correspondents could
be engaged to the vessels Of each steamship
company bringing emigrants to this port was dis
patched early the morning of Saturday the 14th inst
to the Quarantine establishment Staten Island with


letter Dr. Vanderpoel the Chief Health Officer, and
instructions board if possible any incoming emgrant
steamer. received by DIR. Vanderpoel with every
courtesy. He expressed himself most willing TO aid the
press in any investigation and furnished me with his
card, writing thereon " Admit Mr. - on board any
German or Liverpool steamer"


Unfortunately, the Deutschland, from Bremen, had
passed up the bay before reached Staten Island but
several steamers from Liverpool were due, so all DAY
long lounged about the Quarantine Pier ate hdcous
meals at ironically socalled refreshment saloons and
after weary day Of Watching and waiting. slumbered
uneasiy within the shell of the Nautilus Hail. Early
the morning went off with Dr. Mosher to the City
of New-York, belonging to the Inman line, quietly fol-
lowed the Doctor board, and walked forward among
the emigrants We all ordered aft and then
passed the Doctor in single file. The inspection over l.


tho latest addition to the steerage, lay on deck among
the rest and proceeded to take notes heard many
complaints about tho food many passengers threatening
10 lodge same the Office Of the Company. The bread
appears TO have been the worst article as was told 1t
was never half baked; the potatoes were served in
dirty condition. and the cooking and serving altogether
seems to have been very bad. AS decent Irish boy


told me- "They've gentity at all in serving us they
are very boorish us, just II were pigs" heard
caso complaints that the quantity OF food was INSULT
Gent The City of NewYork has not Outwardly very
clean appearance there is saloon deck, and cOnse
aueny the seeragc passengers are confined to the for
ward half OF the vessel and have not the free range of
the decks las in the White Star steamersl With nearly
five hundred steerage passengers on board they are
very close together deck below it is natural to think
they should be crowded.


As soon the steerages open after the matutina
clean-out went below. Freshly strewn with sawdust,
and with open hatchways it looked light and clean.
The berths were ranged in tiers each side, all
along the forward part Of the Ship four persons only
sleep on the platform side by side and these platforms
are boarded off into compartments holding l6 each eight
on each SIDE four above and four below there is also
door 20 the passages between each 80 that females can
dress in privacy Tables placed along the center of
the steerages which are lighter and better ventilated
than those Oh the White Star line. The ates, how
ever are very badly placed being both for men and wo-
men placed mdsnip, with entrances direct from the
deok instead of as In the White star being direct from
the seerages and other entrance thereto The pas
sengers poorer, drter lot than the voyagers
per the Republic There was squad OF Poles who had


mess cooked separately for them, principally, was
told consisting OF fish. surmise however this was
stipulated in engaging their passage


DETECTED.


II was fortunate that made few inquiries early, for
had not been long In the steerage when black
tached man whom had seen several times the Quar-
antine pier the day before down to the seerage
and said:


"What are you doing here"


"Haye you anything to do with ~" asked l. al am
one OF the officers Of the Commissioners OF Emigration,
and have charge of the emgrauts till they landed
saw you on the Island yesterday and want to know
what you doing herei"


presented DIR. vanderpoeps order which the Doctor
had told me was quite sufficient to frank me IL shown TO
any of the boarding officers This oDe however was OBJ
durate. 1t might be all right; he didn't know but
Doctor vanderpoel had nothingto do with him. should
have some credentials from the Commissioners of Emf
graton his orders that except the officers
OF the ship should be allowed in the steerage whilst
under his care; he didn't know me- and might be sent
70 see II he did his duty not and II no let stay
might report him He must obey his orders, and must
leave the steerage" thus found Mr. strang an ener-
getic officer OF the Commissioners OF Emigration. was
sadly disgusted with this result Appeal to the captain
would have been ont OF place and Intellectual as the
Boarding officer has charge OF the steerage passengers
after they leave Quarantine was forced TO ascend
aud betake myself aft amongst the cabin passengers
who stared az my strange "get up" Here l was
watched by my friend Br. Srang aud some OF the Off
GERS and seamen whom he had evidently Informed Of
suspicious character. until the tender arrived IN taka
OH the cabin passengers. went ashore with them after
very short voyage in the City Of NewYors, long