Page:Immigration and the Commissioners of Emigration of the state of New York.djvu/143

Rh etc., etc. All bills for these articles are sent to the Superintendent of Ward's Island, and, if correct, are certified by that officer and the steward, and approved by the Ward's Island Committee. These and all other bills for supplies, for work performed, and all claims on account of Ward's Island and Castle Garden, are, previous to each semi-monthly meeting of the Commissioners of Emigration, submitted to the Auditing Committee, consisting of three members of the Board, upon whose approval they are presented to the Board of Commissioners, and ordered to be paid in the following manner: All bills and claims are numbered and entered in a book kept for that purpose. A warrant is drawn and signed by six Commissioners (this number constituting a majority and quorum of the Board), setting aside to the credit of the Vice-President of the Commissioners of Emigration, from the commutation fund in the hands of the City Chamberlain, a sum equal to the aggregate amount of these bills and claims. A check is then drawn to the order of each claimant (for the amount respectively due to him), signed by the Vice-President, and countersigned by one of the Commissioners of Emigration. Receipts corresponding with the number of the checks are taken by the treasurer in a book kept for that purpose.

C. Business with the Counties and Institutions.—Claims against the commutation fund for indemnity for expenses of emigrants who have become chargeable to any of the several counties of this State are made as follows:

The agents appointed by the Commissioners at Albany, Rochester, Suspension Bridge, Buffalo, and Dunkirk, or, where there are no such agents, the superintendent or overseer of the poor in the locality where a recently arrived emigrant asks relief or assistance, is required to render, under oath, to the Commissioners of Emigration, monthly bills, accompanied by an affidavit of the person who has received relief or assistance, in which the following facts have to be set forth, namely: Name and age of person; name of vessel in which such person arrived at New York; the name of the master of such vessel; last place of residence before coming to New York; and that he or she has no relations or friends in this country, able, at their own charge, to support