The Journey Begins: Immigrants Arriving at Ellis Island (1897)

📌 Discover the detailed immigration process at Ellis Island in 1897. Learn about the health inspections, legal inquiries, and the support system in place to help immigrants start their new lives in the United States.

The Landing of the Emigrants on Ellis Island (1897) 🗽🌍

Overview and Relevance to Immigration History

Published in 1897, The Landing of the Emigrants provides a detailed snapshot of the immigration process at Ellis Island during a pivotal period in American history. As the primary entry point for millions of immigrants, Ellis Island symbolizes the hope and hardship experienced by newcomers to America. This article is of great significance to teachers, students, genealogists, and historians interested in immigration, social history, and the development of immigration laws in the United States.

Tender Brings New Immigrants to Landing at Ellis Island. Emigrants Are Coming Up the Boardwalk From the Barge, Which Has Taken Them off the Steamship Company’s Docks and Transported Them to Ellis Island. the Big Building in the Background Is the New Hospital That Has Just Opened. the Ferry Boat Is in the Middle of the Picture and Runs From New York to Ellis Island. Quarantine Sketches, The Maltine Company, 1902 [2]. Library of Congress # 97501086. GGA Image ID # 148396ba43

The United States maintains forty-two immigrant stations, and the size and importance of each port determine the number of inspectors stationed there. Five immigration commissioners are in place, with headquarters in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and San Francisco.

The finest station of this kind in the government's possession is the national successor to Castle Garden, located on Ellis Island, New York Harbor.

The spot was chosen on account of its seclusion. Since no one is permitted to visit the island except by special permits from the authorities, immigrants are effectively shielded from the land sharks that used to take advantage of their ignorance and simplicity.

To thoroughly appreciate an immigrant's experiences and sentiments, one would need to take passage with him in the steerage.

Joyous excitement is said to seize the steerage passengers at first sight of the Statue of Liberty, which seems to fulfill their fondest dreams.

Tears are shed, and hats are removed in reverence as the ship passes Bedloe's Island. His eagerness is enhanced by the difficulties of gaining a right to enter the land of freedom that has already confronted him.

At the quarantine station, the medical inspectors boarded the vessel, accompanied by another government officer in uniform, the contract labor inspector, to whose scrutiny the ship's purser submits the immigrant lists.

The official has in his notebook the names of specific individuals and corporations whom the trade unions suspect of importing alien labor, as well as the names of criminals whom the police are expecting to arrive.

Having compared the contents of his information book with the immigrant lists, he notes all suspicious cases, such as a number of workmen of the same trade going to the same town—a town where a strike is probably expected.

He then proceeds to the deck and walks up and down, addressing questions to the steerage passengers about their destination in the New World, their hopes of obtaining work, and other queries. He observes carefully the answers he receives and scrutinizes the manner and appearance of those giving them.

If the immigrant has a secret to conceal, it is dangerously close to disclosure in the presence of this trained detective, whose questions are innocent and suggestive.

Without many words, he selects those who will have to be taken into his custody. There are cases on record when, with no other clue than his perceptive faculties, he has laid his detaining hand upon the offending parties. For example, a number of glass blowers were singled out of the crowd despite their determined reticence about their true occupation and destination.

Each man had a callosity in the palms of his hand, a callosity and protuberance under the eyes caused by the intense heat, and a mark on the lip from the constant use of the blowpipe.

Arriving at the New York dock, where the first and second-class passengers are landed, an officer of the immigration bureau segregates all American citizens by birth or naturalization from the immigrants among the steerage passengers and allows them to go on their way.

Immigrants Arriving in Barges at Ellis Island, Waiting to be Admitted - 1905. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, New York Public Library. NYPL # 801533. GGA Image ID # 14ea8e139c

The barge sent from Ellis Island is in waiting. Its deck is divided by a single rope crossing backward and forward into pens lettered A, B, C, etc., and into each of these pens are marshaled the thirty individuals holding tickets bearing the initial letter.

Accommodations in the form of boats are scanty, and the immigrants are very crowded during the boat trip to the island. Sensitive people begin to grow nervous regarding their eligibility as the steamer approaches the immigrant pier, but all possible confusion is instantly allayed by the perfect order and discipline maintained at this splendidly equipped station.

The meticulousness of the immigration procedures is evident in the explicit, intelligible, and simple instructions delivered in distinct tones. The main entrance hall, ablaze with electric lights, and the considerate manner in which the sifting process is conducted, all contribute to a reassuring sense of thoroughness, instilling a sense of security and confidence in the immigrants.

A matron is provided to question the women on all delicate subjects required to be answered. Then, both sexes file one by one through a narrow corridor for inspection by a marine hospital surgeon, all hats being removed so as to disclose any possible disease of the skin. This thorough inspection process is a testament to the commitment to the health and safety of all immigrants.

Immigrants Undergo Medical Examination at Ellis Island ca. 1908 (1902-1913). Photograph by Edwin Levick from the William Williams Collection. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, New York Public Library. NYPL # 416754. GGA Image ID # 14ea9ea1e3

From this physical examination, an open space is crossed to where eight or ten narrow gangways lead to the desks of the registration clerks. With the ship's manifests spread before them, they sit prepared to ask the same questions that have already been answered on the other side of the ocean, comparing each response with the written testimony and noting all discrepancies.

As the number to be examined by each clerk is limited to thirty, this final sifting work is expeditiously accomplished, with only forty minutes consumed. The clerks are experts at their business, and while no time is lost, the law is administered most accurately; they can speak several languages, and interpreters are at hand to avoid a chance dilemma.

The contract labor inspector is present and throws in an occasional leading query. For example, if the Immigrant says he expects to get work there in answer to why he chose a particular town for his future residence, the following words are. "What kind of work':"

If he incautiously answers in a factory, the Immediate retort will be, how did he know that more hands were needed at the factory? Had he received communications to that concern?

If a man appears honest and straightforward in his statements, the officials will make the way easy for him. Hesitation from nervousness or timidity is understood and borne patiently. Still, a desire to evade is instantly detected and brings down the full rigor of the law. The surly, evasive culprit is removed to one of the detention compartments to re-fleet while his companions are being examined.

Once having passed his ordeal, the newly admitted immigrant finds a welcome ready as he emerges from the gangway into a large, vast hall. A loud voice calls the names of persons whose friends on this side of the water have sent telegrams or money or are there in person to meet them.

Representatives of the various church denominations are there to greet those who have no friends in the strange land and give them an introduction to some congregation.

Representatives of the New York Bible Society present a Bible to each newcomer for whatever sum of money he is willing to pay or as a free gift to the very poor. Advice is abundant. Placards in a dozen languages greet the eye along the walls and give various information.

There are counters where foreign coins are converted into American currency at reasonable rates, and the railway companies of the United States have combined to keep a grand union ticket office that presents every facility for travel. In the basement of the building is one of the largest baggage rooms in the world.

The unsuccessful applicants for admission remain in the detention compartments, which are, in fact, a succession of comfortable waiting rooms. In due course of time, the wheels of this giant machinery turn in their direction, and they are led to the apartment where four Inspectors conduct their investigations into special cases.

A Bearded Immigrant Appearing Before a Board of Inquiry at Ellis Island. The Board of Inquiry Determines If a Prospective Immigrant Can Remain in the Country. Photograph by Edwin Levick ca 1907. NYPL # 1693106. GGA Image ID # 14f49b3580

The room is arranged in a court of justice style, but the judges are much less formal in examining the suspects brought before them for judgment. Interpreters are near for reference, and the immigrant receives indirect assistance from the agents of the steamship companies, who are present with motives of self-interest.

Several nationalities have organized on behalf of their countrymen and sent delegates to watch over their interests at the immigrant stations. The Italian government has even sent an official to see that no Italian is debarred unjustly.

The detention house used at night is clean and comfortable and managed in the same systematic manner as all the buildings on the island. The hospital, to which immigrants who fall sick within a year after their arrival may be sent, is large enough to contain seventy-five beds.

Other structures connected with the plant are the dwelling of the resident physician, the powerhouse for lighting the buildings, a laundry, and a fine restaurant. The entire force is organized into a fire department, and during the busy season, this force numbers nearly four hundred people.

Only one hundred fifty are government employees, the rest being charitable persons, restaurant waiters, and men engaged in railroad and baggage work.

Dr. D. J. H. Senner, the well-known Milwaukee journalist, is the immigration commissioner in charge of Ellis Island and has gained a reputation for his ready sympathy with every case brought before him as well as for his patience, kindliness, and condescending courtesy to all, even the most unprepossessing of foreign birth.

Supervision of the immigrant does not cease upon his admission to the privileges of an American citizen. Suppose within a year after his arrival, he becomes a public charge. In that case, his case is investigated. Suppose his inability to earn a livelihood results from causes existing before his landing.

In that case, he may be returned to his native land at the expense of the steam-ship company that brought him over, but if the immigrant becomes Insane, is a victim of an accident, or is overtaken by disease, he Is sent to the government hospital at one of the immigrant stations, where he will receive medical treatment free of expense.

No part of the immigration fund is better employed than in this just and humane succor of sick and helpless strangers, who, without home or friends, are often unable to speak or comprehend the English language.

If, within a year, from causes after landing, it is conclusively demonstrated that the patient is incurable, either mentally or physically, and that he is liable to become a permanent burden upon the community in which he resides, it is provided by statute that he shall be deported at the expense of the immigration fund.

The United States of America is preeminently characterized by generous benevolence. The guiding stars of navigation that Sash along her coast are a gift to all nations, even to Great Britain, which continues to extort a tax for light dues; the life-saving service is directed to assist all who suffer shipwreck, irrespective of nationality, but the United States reserves the right of deciding what class of foreigners shall permanently enjoy the benefits of her free institutions.

The subject of immigration, always interesting, has become a question of vital importance today. It has also experienced great differences of opinion.

In the infant days of the Republic, when a population was needed for her wide westward-stretching plains, every inducement was held out to the inhabitants of the old world to migrate to this new, rich, undeveloped country, and the beneficent promise of liberty and equality with a chance of wealth met with an eager response.

Her states have been filled with those of foreign birth, and her towns have become densely populated. In recent years, Congress has thought that the adage "too much of a good thing" applied to existing conditions. The first movement checked—immigration was the natural outgrowth of civilization in the interests of humanity and morality.

The anti-slavery sentiment led to the enactment of laws stopping involuntary immigration, and this was followed in 1875 by prohibiting the lauding of criminals and the importation of women for immoral purposes.

The following grievance brought to Congress's attention was the claim of American working men that they were being driven out of employment by cheap alien labor.

It was not until 1882, however, that any positively restrictive measures were adopted when a bill passed imposing upon vessels arriving at our ports a duty of fifty cents to be paid to the Collector of Customs for every passenger not a citizen of the United States.

This "head tax" has recently been increased to one dollar each. The money thus collected constitutes the Immigration Fund, which, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, is used to defray the expense of regulating immigration, relieve immigrants in distress, and care for their sick and disabled within a year after arrival. A surplus in the treasury is left to the credit of the fund.

The act of February 26, 1883, was followed by amendatory legislation in 1887. It strictly forbade the importation of foreigners under contract to perform labor. It imposed a forfeit of $1000 upon the employers who should violate this law and a fine of $500 upon the master of a vessel conspiring in the illegal procedure.

It also expressly provided that any immigrant arriving in violation of this prohibition should be promptly returned to the port from whence he came, and the steamship company be compelled to bear the expense of carrying him back.

Castle Garden, New York's famous immigrant station, had been in operation for some time, and the Secretary of the Treasury now entered into an agreement with the State authorities in charge to enforce the new restrictions.

In 1890, Col. John H. Weber, a federal officer, assumed command at Castle Garden, the preliminary step towards placing the entire management of immigration work under national control. The Immigration Bureau was now recognized as a branch of the Treasury Department. Hon. W. D. Owen was appointed its superintendent in 1891.

The act of March 3, 1891 (better known as the Owen law) struck a blow at the tide of foreign elements that the ever-increasing facilities of travel were pouring onto our shores, discriminating against certain classes of individuals as undesirable additions to our communities.

It excluded from admission to the United States, Idiots, insane persons, and beggars, shim all of these would be a burden Upon public charity; all persons afflicted with a loathsome or contagious disease (consumptives being included in this class), criminals convicted of felony or Infamous crimes, polygamists, and all persons whose passage was paid by some other individual's money, unless It could be satisfactorily proved that they were not laborers under contract, the blind, the deaf, the dumb, cripples, or persons suffering from any defect which would disqualify them from earning a living, and older adults of both sexes, unless parents of residents in the United States who would provide for their support. This law did not debar persons convicted of political crimes.

The panic that seized the Republic lest the cholera should be forwarded from across the ocean, the year of the World's Fair, inaugurated the sending of marine hospital officers to the principal foreign ports of embarkation to physically examine all emigrants bound for the United States and enforce strict quarantine precautionary measures.

This dread of the pestilence added to the growing sentiment against being flooded with foreigners throughout the land. In the last hours of the fifty-second Congress, Hon. Herman Stump, a member of the House of Representatives from Maryland and chairman of the Committee on Immigration, effected the passage of the Immigration Act of March 3, 1893, which has been since known by his name.

At the close of his term, President Cleveland appointed Mr. Stump superintendent of immigration, and in 1895, the title was changed to commissioner general of immigration.

The Stump Law provides for the inspection of immigrants abroad before embarkation. Every master of a vessel bringing over foreigners in the steerage is obliged to furnish to the inspection officers lists, or manifests, of immigrants, each containing not more than thirty names, certified to by oath and signature before the U. S. Consul that he has personally examined each passenger named therein and that the ship's surgeon has made a physical examination of the same.

The questions answered by each immigrant are nineteen in number and appear on the manifests as follows:—

1. Full name;
2. Age;
3. Sex;
4. Whether married or single;
5. Calling or occupation;
6. Whether able to read or write;
7. Nationality;
8. Last residence;
9. Seaport for landing in the United States;
10. Final destination in the United States;
11. Whether having a ticket through to such a final destination;
12. Whether the immigrant has paid his passage, or whether it has been paid by other persons, or by any corporation, society, municipality, or government;
13. Whether in possession of money, and if so, whether upward of $30, and how much, If $30, or less;
14. Whether going to join a relative, and if so, what relative, and his name and address;
15. Whether ever before in the United States and if so, when and where;
16. Whether ever in prison, an almshouse, or supported by charity;
17. Whether a polygamist;
18. Whether under contract, express or implied, to perform labor in the United States; and
19. The immigrant's condition of health, mental and physical, and whether deformed or crippled and, if so, from what cause.

The lists are marked in consecutive order: A, B, etc.. Each immigrant, or each head of a family, is given a ticket bearing the letter of the list to which he belongs and his number upon it to facilitate identification upon arrival.

The Stump Law has been more effective than was anticipated. Since it creates a searching inquiry at the immigrants' home into their hereditary and personal antecedents, an exact knowledge of the classes of individuals forbidden to enter the United States is widely diffused, and a number of people are deterred from attempting a fruitless adventure.

Motivated by self-interest, the transportation companies are zealous about cooperating with our government in enforcing these regulations to protect themselves from the penalties of bringing over foreigners who will be deported and the consequent expense of carrying them back.

Their ticket agents abroad are carefully notified of every description of an alien that may possibly be challenged, and they now charge the agent who sold the ticket the price of return passage for any person refused admission.

Their zeal in this direction is enhanced by the fact that Sweden and Italy have recently enacted laws allowing an immigrant who is deported to sue and collect damages from the steamship company that sold him his passage.

An interesting result of this law is the indirect assistance that It has enlisted from other nations. The dense population in the interior of Europe is obliged to cross territory, not their native land, to reach a seaport. The German Empire is one of these countries.

Mode of transit, and it has acted promptly in self-defense lest the German institutions for people with low incomes be over-burdened with alien paupers.

On October 8, 1893, the German minister of the interior promulgated an order that all emigrants on their way to the sea-board be subjected to examination by police at the frontiers of the empire and that those liable to rejection by the American authorities be not allowed to proceed.

Italy's cooperation in carrying out the intents of the Stump Law has been secured. On October 7, 1890, by direction of the secretary of the treasury and duly accredited by the State Department, the Commissioner General of Immigration went himself to Rome to negotiate with the Kingdom of Italy a modus vivendi in relation to immigration between that country and the United States.

After a conference with the ministers of King Humbert's realm, an understanding was reached, and the Marquis Rudini, prime minister of the kingdom, on November 8, 1896, issued a proclamation instructing the royal prefects to refuse passports to all emigrants who were included in any of the prohibited classes under the mandamus of the immigration law of the United States.

The deterrent effects of this mission upon Italian immigration are already apparent. The labor of the United States Bureau would be greatly relieved if France, Great Britain, Spain, and Portugal would adopt similar precautions and, in a friendly manner, aid our government in enforcing this law.

It was evident that Immigrants, in order to escape the obstacles of the Act of March 3, 1893, would seek Canadian ports and enter the United States by land. In anticipation of this evasion, the commissioner general proceeded to Montreal and negotiated an arrangement with the Canadian transportation companies by land and water.

Given the mutual benefits that would ensue to the steamship and railway companies of both countries by the inauguration of Immigrant Inspection stations at the ports of the landing of the Dominion of Canada, it was determined that all immigrants destined for the United States should be landed at Halifax, Quebec, Point Levis, St. John, and Vancouver and that all accommodations and facilities for keeping immigrants apart from the general public till after inspection should be afforded to the U. S. officials, provided the inspection be conducted rapidly. A passport given to each Immigrant, identifying him by description, might entitle him to pass the Canadian frontier.

To defray the expense of making these inspections, the Canadian steamship companies agreed to pay the United States officials fifty cents (now one dollar) for every Immigrant landed, the term immigrant to be understood to apply to each person intending to remain in the United States who is not already a resident or a citizen of that country.

The table of statistics furnished by the Treasury department shows an immense decrease in the total number of arrivals since 1890, viz.:—

Immigrant Admitted by Year

The public is apt to become excited by contemplating these figures and urges more restrictive measures, but apprehension would be greatly allayed by a correct enumeration of those who depart for the old world never to return and those who come to America for temporary employment during the busy season and go home each year because living is cheaper in Europe.

It is this latter class of transitory aliens against whom the trade unions are violently protesting.

In his last annual report, the commissioner general states that he knows of no immigrant who landed within the year and was then a burden upon either a public or private institution.

The total number arriving during the eight months ending February 29, 1897, was 123,510, which, compared with the total number arriving for the same period of time in 1896, 175.751, shows a decrease of 52,241.

Owing to the strict examination and inspection, landing in the United States is complex, turning the tide of immigration toward Brazil, the Argentine Republic, and other countries in South America.

Nicholls, Joanna R., "The Landing of the Emigrant." The National Magazine, Vol. VI, No. 4, July 1897.

Key Points and Engaging Content 📝

The First Impressions of Immigrants 🌟

One of the most compelling parts of this article is the emotional journey of immigrants as they first sight the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of hope and freedom. The text captures the joy and reverence immigrants felt upon arriving, highlighting the human element of migration.

📌 Noteworthy Insight: The immigrants’ emotional reactions at the sight of the Statue of Liberty offer a personal perspective that humanizes the often faceless numbers of historical immigration.

Detailed Immigration Process 🛳️

The article provides a step-by-step description of the rigorous immigration process at Ellis Island. Immigrants were inspected by medical officers and questioned by immigration officers to ensure they were not a public charge or under contract labor.

🖼 Noteworthy Image: Immigrants Arriving in Barges at Ellis Island, Waiting to Be Admitted – This image of immigrants crowded in barges captures the journey's hardships, and highlights the organization and discipline at the island, even during the challenging moments of processing.

Thorough Inspection and Health Checks 🩺

The medical examination is described in great detail, where every immigrant undergoes a physical inspection to ensure they are free of contagious diseases. This process was necessary for public health and also reflected the stricter immigration policies of the time.

🖼 Noteworthy Image: Immigrants Undergo Medical Examination at Ellis Island ca. 1908 – The image of the medical examination process shows the seriousness of health concerns and the detailed scrutiny that immigrants faced upon arrival.

Immigrant Detention and Legal Inquiry ⚖️

The article goes into depth about how suspicious cases were investigated. Immigrants who seemed evasive or nervous were detained for further questioning by a board of inquiry. The systematic scrutiny ensured that only eligible individuals were admitted to the U.S.

🖼 Noteworthy Image: A Bearded Immigrant Appearing Before a Board of Inquiry at Ellis Island – This image highlights the formal yet compassionate approach of Ellis Island’s inquiry board as they processed the influx of immigrants.

Immigrant Assistance and Support 🤝

Once immigrants passed the inspections, the article emphasizes the welcoming environment at Ellis Island. Representatives from various religious groups and cultural societies offered support services such as housing, food, and guidance to help immigrants adjust to their new lives in America.

📌 Noteworthy Insight: The welcoming environment at Ellis Island, particularly for those with no family or support, underscores the humanitarian aspect of the immigration process and the efforts made to help newcomers assimilate.

Immigrant and Labor Policies 💼

The article touches on the increasing concerns over cheap alien labor and how the U.S. government sought to protect American workers by restricting certain types of immigration, particularly those who were seen as taking jobs away from American citizens.

📌 Noteworthy Insight: The economic concerns of the time, such as the competition between immigrant labor and American workers, reflect ongoing debates over immigration policy that continue to shape discussions today.

Shift in Immigration Numbers and Laws 📉

The article discusses the changing immigration numbers and how the strict regulations at Ellis Island had an immediate impact on immigration levels. The Stump Law of 1893, which introduced more comprehensive immigrant screenings, played a key role in reducing undesirable immigration.

📌 Noteworthy Insight: The decrease in immigration during the 1890s, despite continued demand for labor, highlights the socio-political climate that was increasingly skeptical of mass immigration and its effects on American society.

Educational and Historical Value 🎓📜

📌 For Teachers and Students: This article is an excellent resource for studying late 19th-century immigration and U.S. immigration policy. Teachers can use this material to discuss how immigration was both a cultural phenomenon and a political issue. Students will find the step-by-step immigration process both fascinating and informative, offering a concrete example of how policies directly impacted the lives of immigrants.

📌 For Genealogists: The detailed descriptions of the questions asked during the immigration process, such as names, occupations, and family connections, are particularly useful for those tracing their ancestors who may have entered the U.S. through Ellis Island. Understanding the questions and protocols of the time helps genealogists contextualize the immigration records they may encounter.

📌 For Historians: The article offers rich insight into immigration policies and public sentiment in the late 19th century. It highlights the evolution of U.S. immigration law and the increased regulation following the growth of labor concerns and health issues. Historians can use this to better understand the shifts in policy and the broader impact on U.S. society.

Suggested Improvements and Considerations ✨

While this article provides an excellent overview of the immigrant journey, it could benefit from further exploration of the personal stories of immigrants, particularly those who were detained or denied entry. Adding more individual narratives would enrich the article by offering a more personal perspective on the immigrant experience at Ellis Island.

This article remains an important document for anyone interested in the history of immigration to the United States, offering both historical facts and humanizing details that bring the immigrant experience to life. It is a valuable resource for educators, genealogists, and historians alike.

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