The Boats |
Dormitories |
"Immigrants saved money for years just to be able to afford the boat ticket. Depending on the time of the year and the country of departure, the steerage class tickets could range from US $12 to $60 per person. After acquiring the tickets, the families went through a medical and legal screening before boarding the ship. In the larger ships, the steerage class was located next to the engines and on the lowest inhabitable floor. The passengers slept in crowded rooms with rows of bunk beds, with up to six bunks from floor to ceiling. Being close to the engines, the rooms were really hot and it had a strong scent of sweat, fuel, and smoke." Faiths and Freedoms, 2016, Religious Diversity in New York City. "Since all steerage tickets were sold without space reservations, obtaining a ticket was easy. Principal shipping lines had hundreds of agencies in the United States and freelance ticket agents traveled through parts of Europe, moving from village to village, selling tickets. After 1900, in addition to a ticket, however, immigrants had to secure a passport from officials in their home country." The Immigrant Journey, 2016, Oh Ranger.
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"Ellis Island's numerous dormitories were filled to capacity nearly every night with immigrants who were being temporarily detained. From 1900 to 1908, the dormitories consisted of two long, narrow rooms, one on either side of the balcony. Each room accommodated about 300 detainees, who slept in triple-tiered bunk beds that could be raised, thus converting the dormitory into a daytime waiting area. At night, immigrants received blankets to spread over their canvas or wire-mesh 'mattresses.'" Third Floor, 2016, National Park Service.
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