Page:Immigration and the Commissioners of Emigration of the state of New York.djvu/79

Rh to establish agencies for forwarding passengers from New York to the Western States and Territories."

Charles H. Webb deposes under oath: "I am Superintendent of the British Protective Emigrant Society; have occupied the station three years. From my own knowledge, I have known frauds upon emigrants. One of the common frauds practised by the emigrant boarding-house keepers is that they generally have five or six persons about their establishments, who, if they cannot prevail on the emigrant to accompany them to the boarding-house they represent, when coming from the Quarantine to the city, on their arrival at the dock seize their baggage by force, and have it carried by cartmen, who are privy to their operations, to the boarding-houses. With the baggage once in the house, the emigrant, if dissatisfied with the accommodation and wishes his things removed to another place, is met by the landlord with a charge for either storage or one day's board, compelling him to put up with the accommodations offered him, or pay five or six dollars without an equivalent. These boarding-houses make it a rule, for instance, if emigrants arrive at 7 o'clock P.M. and leave the next day at 10 or 2 o'clock, to charge two days board and lodging for what in fact constitutes only one day. The keepers of emigrant boarding-houses are invariably foreigners, the natives of each nation preying upon their own countrymen. The runners represent to the emigrant that his charges are sixpence sterling for each meal, and the same for lodging, and no charge for cartage of baggage to their houses or for storage while it remains there. When the emigrant is ready to leave, he calls for his bill, and is surprised to find that he is required to pay from $1 to $2 per day for his board, and often $2 to $3 cartage for his baggage. The keepers exercise their right of lien on the goods until the price is paid."

"I was in a boarding-house in Cherry Street," says Hiram Huested. "A man came up to settle his bill, which the landlord made out at $18. 'Why,' says the man, 'did you not agree to board me for 6d. a meal and 3d. for a bed?' 'Yes,' says the landlord, 'and that makes just 75 cents per day. You have been here just eight days, and that makes just $18.'"