Emigration from Rotterdam to the United States circa 1903
Photo of the Hotel for Emigrants of the N.A.S.M. (Holland-America Line), 1908. GGA Image ID # 21ec8fdd70
Mr. Aire H. Voorwinden to Mr. Herbert H. D. Peirce.
Consulate-General, United States of America, Rotterdam, Netherlands, September 23, 1903.
Sir: The Holland-America Line, a steamship company with passenger and freight steamers plying between Rotterdam and New York, is the only steamship line carrying emigrants from the Netherlands to the United States of America.
Emigrants from the interior of the continent of Europe, who purchase their steamship tickets from the branch offices of the Holland-America Line in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, arrive in Rotterdam on international trains, in which several cars have been set apart for their accommodation, from five to six days before the departure of the steamer on which they expect to sail; while emigrants from parts not far distant from this city, like southern Germany and the interior of the Netherlands, arrive at Rotterdam by train and riverboat until the day previous to the departure of the steamer.
All emigrants for the Holland-America Line are met at the railway station and boat landing at Rotterdam by runners of the line, who conduct them, immediately upon arrival, per steam tug to the NASM Hotel, the emigrant hotel owned and controlled by the Holland-America Line and situated opposite to the line's wharf.
Here, the emigrants remain until the departure of the steamer on which they are to sail or, in case they should be found undesirable immigrants by one of the medical inspectors, by the steamship company, or by the consul-general or vice-consul-general, until the time that they are returned to the countries whence they came.
The NASM Hotel was designed and built exclusively for the accommodation of immigrants traveling on the Holland-America Line. In the construction, the sanitary requirements for a building of its kind were given due consideration, in addition to the comfort of the emigrants.
The dining rooms and coffee or conversation rooms are somewhat sober in appearance in order to ensure cleanliness, bright, spacious, and pleasant. The dormitories are spacious, clean, and airy.
Sleeping apartments, open on top, each containing four to six iron berths, similar to those used in the steerage of the company's twin-screw steamers, have been partitioned off along the walls. This gives the immigrants the desired privacy, besides the advantage of being together with their family members in one apartment.
A vast space is left in the center of the dormitories between the partitions for chairs, tables, etc. At the same time, windows and ventilators provide light and air on every side. There are separate dormitories for families, men, and women. Spacious washrooms and bathrooms, with modern appointments, are located on the vestibules conveniently close to each dormitory.
The hotel has been constructed so that, should the need arise, it would be possible to quarantine 800 passengers within its walls effectually as though they were on shipboard. This possibility of isolation before sailing is a great sanitary advantage.
Regarding this hotel, Consul Listoe wrote in his dispatch to the Department of State, under date of April 6, 1900:
The company's claim that it is furnishing good lodging and board for emigrants at a low figure and protecting them against low boardinghouse runners and sharpers who would fleece them is correct, and the Holland-America Line is entitled to a great deal of credit for the humane manner in which it treats and cares for its emigrants.
What is of more importance, though, from a United States point of view, is the facilities furnished to the examining physician at the NASM Hotel for inspecting the emigrants as well as the arrangements for cleaning, bathing, and disinfecting the latter and taking other sanitary measures in connection with those prospective citizens of the United States.
At the NASM Hotel, a facility exclusively for the use of emigrants traveling with the Holland-America Line, a rigorous daily medical inspection is conducted under the line's direction by a Dutch physician in its employ.
One day before sailing, the emigrants are inspected at the hotel by a prominent Rotterdam oculist, engaged by the steamship company for its protection to prevent emigrants from suffering from infectious eye diseases while sailing on its steamers.
As the medical inspections referred to are not those prescribed by the United States Quarantine Regulations, they are not witnessed by a consular officer.
The work of consular inspection is carried out as follows: The day before the departure of a passenger steamer, the baggage of all steerage passengers is inspected by the consul-general or his deputy.
Large quantities of mildewed and otherwise spoiled eatables are found in this baggage. These are taken out, as this was the practice of the Marine-Hospital surgeon formerly detailed at Rotterdam. All feather pillows and beds are taken from the baggage and undergo a steam disinfection of 100 degrees Celsius.
The Holland-America Line's disinfection plants are equipped to disinfect as many as 60 beds at the same time, ensuring a thorough process. Each disinfection takes about one and a half hours, with half an hour for setting up the required steam heat, another half an hour for the disinfection, and the remaining half an hour for drying purposes.
When there are 200 beds or more to be disinfected, which is frequently the case, supervision of the disinfection will keep a consular officer engaged for several hours. The baggage inspection takes two to four hours, according to the number of packages to be inspected.
The last medical and general inspection of the emigrants at which the consul-general or vice-consul-general is present is the inspection prescribed by the Quarantine Regulations, page 15, paragraph 5. It takes place in the Holland-America Line hotel or the line's covered warehouse. It begins three to six hours before the steamer departs.
The emigrants pass in single file before the ship's surgeon, an American physician, who inspects them in the presence of the consular officer, who, for his part, looks over their inspection cards, prescribed by the Quarantine Regulations, Page 19, paragraph 40 and stamps the same with a consular rubber seal, for all emigrants approved of.
There is also an officer of the State Commission controlling the transit of emigrants through the Netherlands, who meticulously tallies their numbers, ensuring a secure and controlled transit. Additionally, a Rotterdam police officer is present to watch for fugitives from justice, among those reported to the Netherlands police authorities.
Immediately following the inspection, the emigrants, armed with inspection cards bearing the consular stamp, proceed to board the steamer and enter the steerage, which has been previously inspected by the consul.
A few minutes before departure, after looking over the freight manifests of the vessel to see if all the requirements of the Quarantine Regulations and of the Department of Agriculture regulations regarding disinfection certificates and certificates of healthy origin have been complied with, the bill of health is issued.
As a final health measure, the ship's surgeon promptly vaccinates the emigrants after the vessel's departure, ensuring their health and safety during the voyage.
In recent years, no emigrants from infected districts have passed through Rotterdam on their way to the United States. Should such occur at any time, they can be effectually quarantined in the hotel of the Holland-America Line for the periods prescribed by the Quarantine Regulations.
Voorwinden, Aire H., Vice and Deputy Consul-General, "Report of the Consular Service," in the Report to the Honorable John Hay, Secretary of State, 1903, Pages 34-36
Emigration from Rotterdam to the United States (1903)
A Critical Piece of Immigration History for Researchers and Educators
For teachers, students, genealogists, family historians, and immigration researchers, this article on Emigration from Rotterdam to the United States (circa 1903) provides a detailed and rare look into the pre-departure inspection and medical screening process for emigrants traveling on the Holland-America Line. It offers firsthand insights into the journey of thousands of European emigrants who passed through Rotterdam, making it an essential resource for anyone studying transatlantic migration.
Why This Article is a Must-Read:
- A Rare Look at Emigrant Processing in Europe – This article provides firsthand accounts of how emigrants were prepared, inspected, and processed before setting sail to America.
- The NASM Emigrant Hotel – Learn about the exclusive accommodations built by the Holland-America Line, which housed emigrants before departure while ensuring hygiene, medical clearance, and quarantine procedures.
- Stringent Health and Safety Inspections – The article documents multiple medical screenings, including inspections by Dutch and American physicians, steam disinfection of bedding, and final U.S. consular checks—a process designed to prevent disease transmission and ensure compliance with U.S. immigration laws.
- Consular Oversight and Regulations – It highlights the role of U.S. consular officials in Rotterdam, who conducted baggage inspections, fraud prevention measures, and quarantine enforcement to uphold public health and immigration policies.
- Genealogical Significance – If you are tracing ancestors who emigrated via the Netherlands, this article sheds light on their journey, the medical hurdles they faced, and the conditions they endured before reaching America.
Who Will Benefit from This Article?
- Teachers & Students – A valuable primary source for history and social studies, exploring immigration policies, health regulations, and emigrant experiences.
- Genealogists & Family Historians – Those with ancestors who emigrated via Rotterdam and the Holland-America Line will gain unique insights into their departure process.
- Immigration Historians & Researchers – This report provides a detailed examination of U.S. consular oversight, illustrating the complexity of early 20th-century immigration controls.
This article captures the intricate process of European emigration in the early 1900s, offering a detailed, documented account of medical and legal inspections, quarantine measures, and passenger transit through Rotterdam. Explore this historical resource today to deepen your understanding of immigration history!
