INSPECTING EMIGRANTS AT NEW YORK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 162, 11 July 1899, Page 8

INSPECTING EMIGRANTS AT NEW YORK.

The spring tide of emigration to the United States is now at the flow (remarks an exchange),. and. the Immigration laws are " being enforced just as strictly as the Inspectors know how to enforce them. One who is admitted to the Barge Office (the temporary quarters of the immigration Bureau untilthe Ellis Island buildings are put up again) cannot but be impressed by their earnest desire to keep undesirable people out of the country aud to let In those who are likely- to become good citizens. On Saturday, April 18, the steerage passengers of four ships were landed at the Barge Office. One group of inspectors watched them as they came from the barges up into the building. They were marshalled iuto a long line which moved slowly through a railed-off lane to an upper floor. The steamship company which brings them over furnishes to the immigration officials the name of every steerage passenger, his age, occupation, the amount of money which he carries, and the name'ofthe person to whom he comes In the country. Each immigrant on leaving the ship gets a ticket corresponding with his number oh the manifest. Holding these tickets in their hands, the men and women of the steerage, lugging bundles In shiny black leather bags, shuffle in single file before a clerk who examines their tickets and stamps them. Just beyond him is a physician in uniform. He stops each .immigrant, turns him towardsj the light and looks hlai over. If he seems to be healthy he is told togo on: if there is the slightest trace of any disease or even ill-health in. his general bearing or in his looks he is led aside into a detention peu. If he is all right he. passes on. past the little Iron stand, where there are two women inspectors, arid then to another surgeon, who checks the work of the first. The women inspectors are! partlculary entrusted with the duty of looking out for women who might require the attention of the- po-.! lice if they were admitted. Their instinct in detecting such individuals in the most plausible and Innocent disguises is one of the most remarkable things about the Immigration Bureau. If the immigrant is not stopped by any of these people he goes' on to another mau in uniform, who examines his ticket to find out on what sheet of the manifest his name is entered. All- those whose names are on the same sheet, are formed in one line. The passengers from a ship as big as the White Star liner.Cymric form six lines. Each line passes through a narrow lane, at the outlet of which is an inspector who has before him the manifest sheet. If the immigrant can answer sat-isfactorily-all the questions that, are put to him by the inspector or the-interpreters he is allowed to walk out of the building into the United States of America, provided the immigrant is not a young woman and alone without a railroad ticket to some point at a distance from New York. In the latter case, if she has come to join relatives or friends, they must go to. the. barge office and meet her, thereby personally relieving the United States from further responsibility. If she is going to some place at a distance from the city she must satisfy the inspector that she is going to proper people, and will be properly cared for. Those having £2 to £3 each and theh' railroad tickets were passed without any quesfiou. There was a time when the possession of £6 was required of an immigrant who landed friendless and alone. But none is friend-

less now—not the meanest Syrian. Each one has a few shillings, seldom more than £1, a railroad ticket to his destination, and the name of a friend who will take care of him until he finds work.