Chapter 4: The Arrival in New York and the Journey to the West (Part 2)

As has already been stated. The emigrants are taken from Castle Garden to the various depots between 4 and 5 o’clock, either by boat or by carriage. The carriage leaves first, around 4 o;clock, and if you plan to be among its passengers. Be sure to be at Castle Garden precisely at 4 o’clock. The passengers gather below, where the small boats lie. Seek this place out, whether you are leaving by boat or by carriage. The carriage stands in the courtyard, facing the door, right in front. Because it is usually piled high with baggage, there remains little room for the passengers, who must then follow on foot; and because the carriage follows a very busy street, care must be taken not to get lost in the melee, especially must one keep an eye on the children.

Most passengers transfer to the station by boat. Because there is more than one railroad, so also there are various boats. And you must determine which one to take, or where you must be for departure. So here too, your railroad ticket must be shown, because otherwise you cannot be told, even if you give your destination as such-and-such a city, where to go, since, like rome, all roads lead to it. Finally the time has come when they allow the passengers to board the boat, then you produce the ticket again. This to make sure you are not brought to the wrong station. The spokesman is usually at hand for advice here, too.

So it’s off to the station. There will often be another extended wait, since the emigrant trains usually leave between 7 and 8 o’clock. No emigrant trains leave in the A.M.

Henceforth may God be with you, that He may guard you on your voyage west, and provide you with temporal happiness, as you desire, as well as letting you find eternal joy. Do not abandon Him, and He will no abandon you. Abide by God although in a strange land, and He will abide with you, and you will not be terror-stricken, when on that day to come, when your mortal wanderings here on earth are at an end, and you stand before the judgment seat to give an account of your conduct.

We issue an admonition against staying over in cities longer than necessary when setting out for the west. By detraining at the stations in Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Dubuque, etc., one must get ones luggage to a reliable hotel, with all the expense that that entails. If you have a recommended hotel, don’t let yourself be shown to another one. and make sure that it is the right one, to which the luggage has been brought. It is important to keep a watchful eye on your luggage in the Chicago Depots. Complaints about the hotels and railroads should be reported to the editor of “The Luxemburger Gazette” in Dubuque, Iowa, at once, he can provide assistance and relief.

Perhaps we can make a brief reference, if it not be too inconvenient, to 3rd class passengers.

When the ship is lying in New York Harbor, the customs agents board her. Then every cabin passenger declares how many pieces of luggage he has, further whether he has any thing subject to duty, and what it is. Then he will have a small tag fastened to him, which will be used later at the duty inspection on the dock. There is no inspection point on the ship itself. When the ship has tied up to the dock, the cabin passengers disembark below into a large hall. Their luggage will also be brought here straight away.

Then each one must present himself to the customs director with the tag he received on board. This official can easily be identified by his insignia. He will assign one of the customs agents to examine your luggage. In the case of sealed trunks, you will have to see that they are opened. Because of his many other duties, it is not always possible for the spokesman to be on the dock for the landing of the cabin passengers. If someone wishes him to be present, he must inform him before departure as to which ship he will arrive on. If the spokesman is not at hand, hand your luggage over to the express company for looking after, in exchange for a receipt. Don’t get involved with any railroad agents. And don’t turn over any baggage to them, rather seek out the spokesman in his office, who can direct you to cheaper services than any agents, especially since all agents cannot be trusted; the majority of them do not adhere strictly to the truth. The forwarding agency on the dock, called the Express Company, will transport the baggage to any address for a moderate charge.

It can happen, that the immigrant, having arrived on Saturday, and who cannot continue his trip that some day, must stay over in New York until the following monday, since in America most rail service is suspended on Sundays. The trains which do run, however, are through trains, without intermediate stops. Therefore, the passengers do not need to lay over on Sundays enroute. Very seldom, only if a ship comes in on Sunday with a great many passengers, will a so-called emigrant train leave with 3rd class passengers, and, of course like all emigrant trains, only toward evening. So the Catholics must concern themselves with how to fulfill their obligation and hear Holy Mass. Because the St. Raphael’s Society now has a special Chapel for the use of immigrant, it is easy to discharge their christen duties, even if not quartered at Leo Haus.

Should there be any among the immigrants who wish to get married. They may apply to the spokesman for this purpose. He will arrange for the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony to be celebrated in the Chapel of Leo Haus. It should be unnecessary to point out the Catholics are forbidden, under The Pain Of Mortal Sin, from attempting marriage except before a Catholic Priest.

The Irish Catholics have long had a house in the vicinity of Castle Garden, in which the immigrants of that nationality have had available to them, lodging and meals at low prices. It has associated with it an information bureau for employers and employees, and has the requisite Chapel. And even before the Irish, various Protestant sects had such immigrant houses.

Only the Germain Catholic lacked so important a home for the people for many years. An opportunity to remedy this truly pressing need came with the Golden Jubilee of the Priestly Ordination of the Holy Father, Leo XIII in 1887. A collection among the German Catholics of the United Stated was undertaken by “Catholic Days” of Chicago, producing the greater part of the amount necessary to purchase the building at #6 State Street in New York, in the vicinity of Castle Garden, which will serve as a home the immigrant in the future, and to which has been given the beautiful name Leohaus. Leohaus already this summer has in operation an outfitted and useful Chapel and will in the future, serve as a domicile for arriving German immigrants, if they wish, providing inexpensive lodging until they are ready to move on; little by little inaugurating a worker — information bureau, providing a land agency, and all important information services. Leohaus is under the direction of the spokesman for the St. Raphael’s Society and operated by nuns. It was consecrated on All Saints Day, This year, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Wigger. [of Newark]

Following exactly all the regulations that are given. Under the protection of God, and the care of the St. Raphael’s Society, you will complete your journey happily. If there remains something else to be done, refer it to the spokesman. If you have a friend following you here, refer him the spokesman, rather than get mixed up with some sort of agent since the agent handles things not completely honestly. Especially in America, they look after their own interests more carefully than those of others. But don’t fail to show gratitude to the St. Raphael’s Society. Though the word and alms, the Society can, to the degree that its resources permit, extend to many others the benefits you have enjoyed.

So much for the spokesman.