Entitled: "Physicians examining a group of Jewish immigrants, 1907." Photograph shows immigrants gathered in small room, two with shirts off being examined by physicians; eye chart written in Hebrew hangs on wall. In the 35 years before Ellis Island opene
Entitled: "Physicians examining a group of Jewish immigrants, 1907." Photograph shows immigrants gathered in small room, two with shirts off being examined by physicians; eye chart written in Hebrew hangs on wall. In the 35 years before Ellis Island opened, over eight million immigrants arriving in New York had been processed by New York State officials at Castle Garden Immigration Depot in lower Manhattan, just across the bay. The Federal Government assumed control of immigration on April 18, 1890 and Congress appropriated $75,000 to construct America's first Federal immigration station on Ellis Island. Artesian wells were dug, and landfill was hauled in from incoming ships' ballast and from construction of New York City's subway tunnels, which doubled the size of Ellis Island to over six acres. The present main structure was designed in French Renaissance Revival style and built of red brick with limestone trim. When it opened on December 17, 1900, officials estimated 5,000 immigrants per day would be processed. After its opening, Ellis Island was expanded with landfill and additional structures were built. By the time it closed on November 12, 1954, twelve million immigrants had been processed by the Bureau of Immigration. Immigrants who were approved spent from two to five hours at Ellis Island. Arrivals were asked 29 questions including name, occupation, and the amount of money carried. It was important to the American government that the new arrivals could support themselves and have money to get started. The average the government wanted the immigrants to have was between 18 and 25 dollars. The inspections took place in the Registry Room (or Great Hall), where doctors would briefly scan every immigrant for obvious physical ailments. Those with visible health problems or diseases were sent home or held in the island's hospital facilities for long periods of time. About 2 percent were denied admission to the and sent back to their countries of origin
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Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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