Page:Immigration and the Commissioners of Emigration of the state of New York.djvu/130

112 that the law prohibiting communication between ship and shore before emigrant passengers are landed is enforced. On casting anchor in the stream, convenient to the Landing Depot, he is relieved by an officer of the Metropolitan Police force, detailed at the Castle Garden, and the passengers are transferred to the care of II. The Landing Department, under the supervision of which the Landing Agent proceeds with barges and tugs, accompanied by an Inspector of Customs, to the vessel. After an examination of the luggage, it is checked, and the passengers, with their luggage, are transferred to the barges and tugs, and landed at the Castle Garden pier. On landing, the passengers are examined by a Medical Officer, to discover if any sick have passed the Health authorities at Quarantine (who are thereupon transferred by steamer to the hospitals on Ward's or Blackwell's Island), and likewise to select all subject to special bonds under the law as blind persons, cripples, lunatics, or any others who are likely to become a future charge. This examination being ended, the emigrants are directed into the Rotunda, a large-roofed circular space in the centre of the Depot, containing 50,000 square feet, and with a dome in the centre for ventilation, about 75 feet high, with separate compartments for English-speaking and other nationalities, to

III. The Registering Department, where the names, nationality, former place of residence, and intended destination of the emigrants, with other particulars, are taken down, thus forming an interesting record for future reference. The passengers are then directed to

IV. The Agents of the Railroad Companies, from whom they can procure tickets to all parts of the United States and Canada, without the risk of fraud or extortion to which they are subjected outside of the Depot. In the meanwhile, the baggage and luggage are stored east of the Rotunda in the baggage-room. The old accommodations being insufficient, a new baggage-room was built in 1869. The necessity for this improvement had long been felt, the old room not having anything like the proper capacity to contain