December 5, 1906
Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
The steerage conditions on the boat were terrible, the food, the space, we were all crammed together, it was so uncomfortable. I got so cold, I felt frostbitten. The good news is that Anna,Julia and I were all on the same boat! Also we got to see the Statue Of Liberty! I was so excited when I saw, and entered New York bay! And I touched the new ground! I still can’t believe how terrible the disease is back there I hope you make it. Anyways I hope to have a better life here.
I can’t believe we are finally here! Me and Julia were scared for inspection but Anna comforted us , by making us laugh. I had my stuffed animal/bag, Mr Piggie, and all the things I need to live. When I saw the medical inspectors I was scared, worried and excited that we were here. It smelled like people and it smelled terrible. I heard people talking, they were talking in French,English and other languages I do not know. I think they were saying things about how hard the journey was. There was so many people. And around us there were people going through all sorts of tests. And when I got to the medical exam I was scared. People were doing all sorts of things, terrifying things, like having eyelids yanked up and so many terrifying things.
Also, my sisters, Dorthee, and I were scared for all the inspections. During the mental inspection we had to put together a puzzle, that was easy.The legal inspectors asked us what are name is, what we did at home, what we want to do here and why we came. None of us were detained but we did have to wait a long time. We went down the staircase of separation. Then went left, got on the ferry going to Manhattan
I am excited to begin my new life here! I miss all you guys! The good news is I made a friend here name is Lulu, she is the owner’s daughter of the tenement
Hope you survive,
Josephine (Cydney)
December, 5 2018
Dear Grandma,
It has been a terror on the boat. The sea is so high and the food is awful. I stole meat from the first class. I know I’m kosher but I was just so hungry. Mom died of fever and Dad and I are super sick. Now I understand why it is called “a floating coffin.” I am going to try to sleep now. I will write on the same page in the morning.
December,6 1906
I have woken up to a horrific noise, sounds like a huge wave crashing up against the bottom of the boat. I smell salt water too so I went up to the top of the boat but I wish I had not… I went to the top to be splashed, soaked to the skin. Plus there was a group of waves coming straight for us… I ran as fast as I could to warn everyone. We went to the top but just as I got up, I was knocked out cold. All I could hear under being knocked out was “Help!” “Help!” “Help!” I woke up and half of the steerage passengers were dead. My next door neighbor Heinz and his dad Otto and school friend Paul were also dead. It is a terror lots of people are screaming “there all dead” Somehow God has spared my dad and me and my best friend Walter and the lives of two dozen others… I just found out we will arrive tomorrow. Write you when I get there.
December,7 1906
We just got here and I found out that I will have to go to a various number of “tests”. I heard rumors that they take a hook and curl your eyelid with it. I am very scared that I will be detained. The first and second class passengers have just gotten off the boat, just as I was about to walk off the boat, security held me back. It turns out that steerage passengers have to wait one day to go to Ellis Island. Write you when I get there.
December,9 1906
There is a great big room on Ellis Island that’s twice the size of the Brandenburg Gate. The architecture is so impressive that the Eiffel Tower has new competition. There are so many lines of people on the floor, it looks like a living maze, the inspectors look so tired.
So far I passed the medical test, they used a hook, but they also made us walk up some stairs. They also asked us to sit down and stand up without using our hands, but then there was a legal test… they asked questions like this,”What is your name?” “Gustave Heitzer.” “Your nationality?” ”German.” “Can you read and write?” ”Yes.” “Do you have $ 25 on you?”-”No $ 19.” the inspectors are talking. I’m super scared.
I got through and I’m going down the right stairway!!!
December,11 1906
America is strange. People are throwing rocks at me, my bag is so heavy and the streets do not seem to be paved in gold, and it is not easy to get any money whatsoever. Life looks good so far for rich people but not the poor.
Badly,
Gustave (Dante)
Dec 5, 1906
Dear Grandfather,
I journeyed over as a steerage passenger. I felt excited to start a new life but at the same time nervous as I started to wonder if I was going to be deported back to Greece. I felt good when one of the first-class passenger gave my family and me three apples. I felt really uncomfortable when a kid from second-class asked if I was poor. What I enjoyed was that there were people from all different countries all speaking different languages. I believed there was about 50 different languages.
Arriving at Ellis Island I was carrying a little cloth bag with my boat ticket, money, blanket and eye medicine. I was scared thinking I was going to be detained. The medical inspection was frightening when I had the eye inspection. And it felt like the inspectors were digging deeper and deeper as they asked more and more questions. Most of the kids in steerage were getting teased by first and second-class kids. I heard birds chirping, people were mumbling about if they were going to get deported or not. It smelled like litter, body odor and moldy food that people had left here from past journeys.
Next there were a lot more inspections. At the mental test line I was relieved that the doctor gave me a smile not a frown. Well, the legal inspectors were staring at our family like crazy and I think they were even whispering “Why is that family so big?” Sadly we got detained but it was only for about half a day and it did not feel like that long but… that was for me because I was in my journal writing this letter. The staircase of separation was long and hard. Hard to say goodbye and a long journey to walk down the stairs and board the ship. But at least would see them soon.
I felt excited to start my new life to learn English and to make new friends. But the things I miss most are my friends family and all the delectable foods!
Love your daughter,
Marie (Emilia)
December 5, 1906
Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
The steerage on the boat was terrible. It was very windy and the air felt dirty all the way at the bottom of the boat. One uncomfortable thing was the food and sleeping.The steerage had bunks stacked two or three high. We were all crammed in one tiny space, so we did not have room to really do anything. In steerage they could here the storms rumble very loud unlike first and second class. “The storms are coming, and there coming fast!” said William.We got served meals in a few pails but the food that the first and second class got was so much better, we even ate the garbage sometimes because it was better than the food they gave us. On the boat there were all different kinds of people. There were Dutch people, Italian people and so many more people. I saw all of them for the first time, I hadn’t seen that many different kinds of people in my life before. There were so many people I couldn’t even count them all.
One good thing on the boat was that I am a kid and the kids played and did other fun things. The adults didn’t have anything fun to do. When we first entered New York, I was so happy, I cried when I saw the Statue of Liberty.
When we arrived at Ellis Island I was happy, at first. I was carrying my trunk, with some pictures of my family, books, and clothes. When I first saw the medical inspectors, I got scared. The people around me were getting their eyelids lifted with a button hook. The button hook would turn your eyelid inside out so they could see if you had the disease trachoma. I could feel the button hook on my eyelid. After the eye exam everyone was being watched walking up the stairs. The inspectors would watch you walk up the stairs so that they could see if you were hurt or had back or leg problems or to see if you were breathing heavily or had a fast heartbeat. I heard people screaming in pain, crying and answering the inspectors questions. It smelled gross because people had been traveling for a long time with no showers and people were being held there for a long time.
After the physical exams, we had to go through more exams. One of the tests was the mental test. For the mental test, you had to solve a puzzle in three minutes or less. It was hard but we all did it and passed. Another test was given by the Legal inspectors. For the Legal inspectors test you were asked a lot of questions. Some of the questions were: Where are you from? Where are you planning on going? How much money do you have on you right now? What is your full name? Who are you traveling with? If so did they work? What do you want to so when you are older? Do you go to school? Will you go to school? Can you read and write? I was not detained, but if you were you would sleep in the dorm rooms until they called you back for further inspections and if you did not pass those inspections you might be sent back to your home country. The stairs of separation were where you go when you are done with all the exams. That did not mean you passed all the exams. The left aisle was for the people who were going to New York, the middle one was for the people who were detained, and the third one was for the people going to travel beyond New York City. Everything was very cramped and you had to leave your bags in the middle of a room. Also you were crammed into a small space with hundreds of other people. This was also where the eye exam was taken.
I feel happy about my future but also I am questioning how good New York really is because it has not been as great as people said so far. I am also really excited to leave Ellis Island. I miss you and the culture like our religion there and everything there but I am happy to start a new life here.
Sincerely,
Jacob Van Blerkom (Ivy)
December 5, 1906
Dear Grandpa,
The journey on the boat was very hard and kind of gross. We traveled in steerage which was very hard. The food was so gross that me and ma stole food from the first class garbage can. Which was actually pretty fun. There were hundreds of people crammed into this one medium sized room. It was not fun at all. When we first arrived at the New York Harbor I felt the most excited I have ever been in my life, but I was very nervous because I did not know if I would pass the tests.
We arrived at Ellis Island we took the tests and the whole family passed, and have just finished being inspected by the inspectors at Ellis Island. It was scary because you never know if you will get in. The tests are pretty hard. But we passed. There was this one person though who was dressed like a boy, but was really a girl. She was wearing a suit and tie, and top hat. The man interviewing her was asking her all kinds of questions about her, like where she works and where she plans to work. I did not think she would make it through, because she’s a girl, but finally the man let her through.
A minute ago we heard that the boat was two hours away. I miss you a lot, and ma and grandma do to. I hope you miss me. It is so cold that I feel my skin burning, and tingling from it. I hear the gulls honking and flying in the wind. I see the current in the water. It looks very strong. I have some questions for you though here they are:
- What is our house like?
- What school will I go to?
- Are the streets really paved with gold?
- Are there good restaurants?
I will tell you what we have been doing since we have been done with the tests. We walked down a staircase to get ferry tickets to Manhattan. We ate lunch, but it was a mess. There were a bunch of gulls flying around eating our food. My brother Leonardo got some of his food stolen. Luckily I didn’t get my food stolen. Some people got bit by the gulls. This whole experience has been hard, but ma says we will be at Manhattan in about twenty minutes.
There is some bad news though… great uncle Joe passed away on the way here, he got very sick. I know you will be very sad because your brother died. I would too. I am so sorry that your brother died though. He was very nice and we all loved him with all of our hearts. He was one of my favorite people.
I am thinking about my future… what will it be like in a big dirty city? Mom said there is no school in the summer, which is really cool. But aside from that I wonder what it will be like. I’ll tell you what it is like next time I write to you, which will be every night.
Sincerely,
Jack (Julian)
December 5, 1906
Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
When we got on the boat (named M.S. New Jersey) I was with Josephine, Julia and a lot of other strangers. The wind whipped my face, it was so cold. The food was so disgusting in steerage so we had to steal food from the first class people on the boat. It smelled awful! We were so cramped and uncomfortable that we got no sleep! Me and Julia got a bunk, so I could be with the little one. Josephine slept with Dorthee. Julia was so scared so she came into my bed and I woke up with a bloody nose because my nose was squashed up against the wall. . The waves were choppy. Once we stole a banana, cereal, and some yogurt, our stomachs were full. It was a feast! (comparing to what we already ate) When we first entered New York Harbor, people cheered, and screamed. Julia was running around the ship screeching with happiness. Josephine came up to me and shouted with joy to the wind. We were finally here!
When we entered the strange place, the inspection room, I was carrying my pillowcase with all of my stuff. My hands, toes, and ears were ice cubes. When I first saw the medical inspectors, Josephine clung to me. I wished, no, prayed we would all pass. The inspectors looked really strict. Once when we finally got to the top of the stairs, the doctors asked us questions and stick a button hook in your eyelid and twist, so your eyelid is inside out. The doctors also watched us walk up a set of stairs and see if you limp, or anything else that might be different. There was an Asian family behind us, and they were very nervous.The mom was muttering words I could not understand, the children crouching behind their mom, wailing. OMG! There were so many sounds in different languages, I got a headache! It smelled like dirty clothes and nasty stuff.
I saw a family who didn’t pass both tests. They had to take a mental test where you would do things like solving a puzzle. The Legal Inspectors would ask you questions about yourself. To make sure you were allowed in New York They asked you questions like: “What is your name?” “What is your home country?”.Luckily, we passed and were not detained. Once we passed, we went to the “Staircase of Separation.” This is a staircase that leads downward. It is separated into three parts. The right way led to the railroad ticket office. The right way led to the ferry to Manhattan. The middle way led to… the detention rooms. We took the right way.
I feel like this will be a good future for me! Dorthee got a house for us and the owner’s daughter (Lulu) is Josephine’s best friend.
Sincerely,
Your granddaughter,
Anna J (June)
December 5, 1906
Dear Alice,
We are on our way to America!!! As you know my dad lost his job. My family wanted to save as much money as we could, so we bought steerage tickets. The boat was absolutely crowded. Here’s the bad news, Mum and Father passed away. I cried so much that my eyes turned red. There were these two other kids on the boat that I saw, they looked like they had a lot of fun. When I went to bed the first night an Irish man slept in the bunk under me. The bedding felt like rough wood against my skin, the pillows were as hard as a wall, and I could barely feel my feet which felt like cold ice in the winter. “We slept on triple stacked bunk beds,” said the guy next to me. But after three hours of tossing and turning, I finally got to sleep. In the morning I woke up and went to the deck. I loved the water but I could not go in it here, so I would just stare at the water and it made me feel like I was at home. Then the best day arrived, we got into New York Harbor!!! I was so happy I leapt on my feet and sprung to the door.
We arrived!!! I had a lot of luggage, and it was heavy, but it was all worth it!!! I was still scared. I wished my parents could be here now. I wished I had my Mum’s skirt to hold onto or father’s beard to pull, then I got to the eye checking station. They made me look all around, but I passed. I felt bad for this person in front of me that had not passed. I could tell because she had an E on her back. I kept walking up the hall and the sound got so loud, family members happy or sad just talking and talking and talking. The smell was fresh but stinky at the same time. I had to plug my nose in some places there.
Then I had to do the mental tests. They made me arrange blocks into a square. It was kind of easy. I went onto the next test. At the legal inspectors test they asked me a lot of questions, like “How much money do you have?” and “What is your full name?” and “How old are you?” Once I passed I went to the staircase of separation and went down the one that said New York. The left went to NY the right went to NJ and the middle was the staircase for detained people. And then finally I was there!!
I am really happy to be here, but I miss you a lot. I am going to tell Father’s work that he passed away, and I am going to have to find a job myself. I’m so glad I’m finally here, and was worth the long trip.
Sincerely,
Sophia (Lila)
December 5, 1906
Dear Mom and Dad,
Being in steerage is not that fun. The water rocks back and forth and it is shakey. The boys and I were on the same boat, and so was Grandma. The least comfortable part on the boat was when it started getting shaky and a lot of people started getting sick. The most memorable part on the boat was when I ran up on desk and saw the Statue of Liberty! And when I first saw New York Harbor I was so happy. I wish you were here.
When we got to Ellis Island, we heard people screaming and crying because the long journey was over! And all I had was a photo of you and a few other things. When I first saw the inspectors, people who check you, I was so scared! When the inspector looked at me he lifted my eyelid and asked questions that were very hard to answer like “how old are you?” All the people around us looked so frightened and scared. I heard screaming and crying, it was not a good sound. And it smelled like cake that was out for a couple days.
We did have to go through more inspections. Mental tests and legal inspectors checked us too. I was not denied! I was so happy! On the staircase we all went down the right side. One person sad, “I tried a tomato for my first time and I spit it out.” I love tomatoes but I have not had one in years and it seems like there are a lot in the states, and i can’t wait to get some.
At this point I am very excited about my future. But i do miss everything back home and when I get enough money all come visit!! I can’t wait to see you guys!
Love,
Edward (Lily)
December 5, 1906
Dear Mama and Papa,
The journey was harsh. I met a kid from Germany. The boat was so crowded, I often could not find my way around. Orneo was very sick she was in bed for the whole time but because she slept she past through all the inspections with me. The water was raging as it hit against the boat. The best part of the ship ride was, how big it was, I know it was crowded but you could still get around. I did not want to go inside that much, so I mostly stayed outside. At the end of our long journey I saw Lady Liberty watching us promising to us that we were going to pass. Finally we got off the ship the air was crisp.
We saw the Great Hall, it was huge. My bag felt very heavy in my hands. It was scary when I first saw the inspectors. Would I be sent back? The inspectors were gazing at you when you walked up the stairs seeing if we had something wrong with our legs. I saw people being detained. It sounded so loud I couldn’t hear my voice. There were so many fragrances mixed together from all the people. I heard so many different languages.
Then the inspection started. The mental tests were hard but fun. We had to read and put together a puzzle. Then there were the legal inspectors. They stared at my cousin and me when we passed through. Though we got detained because we didn’t have enough money but, only for two days we got out by solving some questions. Luckily, I can read and that helped us pass. Finally we went through the Staircase Of Separation Balen was waiting for us with water welling from his eyes with tears of joy.
I miss you guys so much and wish you were here and I miss everybody and everything back home. It has been hard so far even though we haven’t entered New York yet. I will get the money to send for you. Can’t wait to see you. I will pick you up where you get the ferry and train. I know I will get alot of money at work.
From your son,
Martin Weinstein (Nico)
December 5, 1906
Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
Steerage was a gloomy place. Not a lot of people from Ireland were there. I remember that someone from Italy was there. Lots of people were there and I did not have much privacy. I couldn’t take it, it was so crowded! The beds were hard so I mostly spent my day walking around. I talked to a lot of people that felt the same way-gloomy and out of place. It felt good when I heard that people had empathy for me. We passed the Statue of Liberty and finally went to Ellis Island. I was wondering, would we be free or would we be detained.
The Great Hall was really big. I trembled as I walked up the stairs to get to the building, I carried a suitcase and my identification card each in a different hand. I was hearing mutters by the immigrants, and booming voices by the inspectors. I came inside Outside the temperature was cold, and inside the temperature was freezing.First was the eye inspection, I gasped when I saw the button hook(The button hook looked like a curved needle so that did not help my fear) but there was no turning back. The eye inspection was the most painful inspection that button hook did not help me.lots of people screamed with pain. The inspection where you walk up the stairs was easy, and so was the next one.(where the inspectors told us to sit down and stand up without your hands. I passed. A person next to me passed too, but she did struggle a little bit. I decided to comfort myself by seeing how this place smelled it smelled a little bit like sweat my guess was because everyone is nervous.
The inspections weren’t done. We still had the mental tests. The inspectors made a puzzle for the immigrants lots of people passed, but some were so mixed up! We all so had to do the legal inspection. The legal inspectors were so tough! When it was my turn I wanted I marched right up and answered all the questions. When I saw the stamp on my identification card I was relieved. I passed! YAY ME! The stairs were not great either as I saw some immigrants going straight down the stairs to the detention room. I went down the stairs of separation and turned right to the railroad ticket station and the will take me to the Lower East Side of manhattan. America here I come!
Sincerely,
Annie (Paloma)
PS America was new to me and all of the other immigrants. Some tasted tomatoes for the first time: “I eat the tomato. I spit it out. I couldn’t take it!” was something I overheard.
December 5, 1906
Dear Mother and Father,
The journey on the boat was awful though daytime was fun. Edward, Michael and a few other kids on the boat and me played up on deck and made pranks until the captain got trapped in the bathroom and oh my! He scolded us good but we always would get away with it right? Later in the day around 8:47 when I was trying to fall asleep something happened and it was that a boy named Leo saw that I was having trouble sleeping so he took me out onto the deck and said “I think this will help you fall asleep, out here listening to the water splash against the boat.” and I took his advice and it felt wonderful to finally have fresh air at night time. And it did make me tired.
Today me Edward, and Michael are going up to first class and going to steal people’s food because it is so bad. Then all of the sudden we heard rumbling, we saw pointing and there it was looming over me the famous statue of liberty. It felt like a dream to see the bronze statue of liberty, almost like I had went to a different planet she was so pretty! I heard someone yell “my new home, my new land! Me and Martin were carrying briefcases that weighed about 10 pounds.
We got off the boat, and we saw the inspectors with their piercing eyes, and Edward cried. They looked at us climb up the staircase in the Great Hall. and made us sit down and stand up without our hands. Then we had the legal inspectors who asked me stuff like who I am do I go to school and do I have parents. But the person who was in front of me and got detained and guess what I did… NOT!! Then we went down the left staircase and we are now on the ferry and that is how I am going to end this letter.
The inspectors were really mean and they lifted up our eyelid with a button hook and it was very scary. The mental tests were sort of easy it was just a puzzle so i passed it in 30 seconds.
Sincerely,
George Michael (Penelope)
December 5, 1906
Dear Grandpa,
Being a steerage passenger was terrible. Pender, father, and I hated it. We watch the first and second class passengers got off the boat in America easy while we have to stay on the boat they got off just because they payed more! I had so much fun exploring the boat and playing dominos in steerage but, some things about exploring the boat I hated, like how first and second class could be having the best time in their lives while we were having the worst time in our lives! One morning there was a terrible rumble so we went outside and we said together, “Oh my god.” I felt so happy that I would get off this boat and I saw people praying!
Now I feel even worse because we were not free yet. I was carrying a heavy box. I felt like the medical inspectors would do something weird to me and they kinda did do something weird to me. The medical inspection felt weird my eyelid but, it was fast and we had nothing wrong with us. I heard people yelling, crying, and pushing. The people around me were getting detained and separated and passing the test. I couldn’t smell anything because I was so cold.
I thought we were done with inspection but we weren’t done, we had a lot more. The mental tests were even harder than the medical inspection because I got a L on me but, I answered the Questions easily and fast. We were so flustered that we barely made it through the legal tests first try because they asked us hard questions like why did you come here. We were not detained but, the person right in front of us was.and I saw him go up the stairs and into a room. We were so lucky that we didn’t get separated on the staircase of separation because I heard it separates many people. Then we took the left staircase to the ferries not the right staircase to the railroad and not the middle to detention.
I miss my house, my stuffy but, the thing I miss the most is my family’s graveyard and you grandpa.
Sincerely,
Lars (Sawyer)
December 5,1906
Dear Grandma,
You will not believe the boat ride I took from the West Indies to Ellis Island! There were so many people. My sister and I were on the boat. The journey was terrible because everyone was packed and there was no space for some people. I felt terrible and I threw up and got very sick because I felt nauseous. Sarah took care of me by getting me medicine. I stayed in bed for a few days. I got better 3 days before we arrived at Ellis Island. My favorite part of the trip was talking to Sarah about getting to Ellis Island in my bunk at 9pm last night. I felt sad because it took me a long time to get here but excited because I’m finally here.
It was amazing to finally see Ellis Island. I was carrying my suitcase and my suitcase had my clothes and stuff that makes me sleep. When I first saw the medical inspectors, I felt nervous thinking about how they use the button hook. The medical inspection was good. The doctors did the inspection because they want to look for diseases and make sure you are healthy when you get to Ellis Island. They inspected us in the Great Hall. One of the things that they did is they used a button hook and pulled your eyelid up to see if it was healthy. I wanted to scream “Ahhh!” Another thing they did was making sure you didn’t have a fever using a thermometer. The people around me were also getting examined. I heard babies crying “Wahhhh” and the inspectors talking to the patients. I felt wind on my skin. I hear water sloshing with the corner of my eye. I saw seagull. I wanted to cry. “These conditions are horrible,”said Sarah. The Great Hall smelled like fish and chips because one of the inspectors was eating fish and chips.
I was examined by more doctors. It was terrible for me because even though I passed it still was bad because I almost had a heart attack that I would be deported. The mental test was good because the inspector said that I had a good brain. They asked me questions about laws and problems and they had to ask you problems with laws and the person who checked me said I got one problem wrong but the rest was right so they let me go. Sarah and I went on one stairway and I turned left. And we got out of the great hall and were free. If you didn’t pass you would be deported back to where you came from.
I miss my dog, Peter, because I used to snuggle with him every day before bed. I feel happy about my future because since I immigrated here my children will be able to stay here and be a citizen of America and get a good job and be successful. My children won’t have to go through everything I went through.
Sincerely,
Audrey (Selah)
December 5, 1906
Dear Saxboomber,
Steerage conditions do not fit my high standards. It was so cold I could not feel my face, I thought I was going to turn into an iceberg. I was with my 7 friends , Antonio, Mario, Luigi, Francesca, Federico, Giuseppe, and Alessandra. I was very confused because I didn’t know what to do and I really wanted to leave. I liked watching the seagulls get blown away in the wind and the water smashing against the boat. I was relieved to be alive because a lot of people died and or turned back. I felt pain and regret, but ready to start a new life once I saw the New York harbor.
I was carrying all the goods in my brown suitcase that I have that I didn’t sell to get tickets and I was wearing a sweater, 2 jackets, and a wool coat. My skin was dry and my eyes were tired. When I first saw the inspectors I saw them looking into people’s eyes.When it was my turn they stuck a hook in my eye and the process was very painful. I was scared they would find something and pull me out of line. I also felt scared because the day before I had scratched my eye and it was still swollen. I worried from seeing people getting separated from their family members. I saw all the inspectors were all men and they had frowns. It smelled like dirt and it smelled weird. I heard people crying, and babies too.
One of the mental tests were to sit down and sit up without using your hands.They asked me if I ever went to prison in my country and I said no. Luckily I was not detained. I overheard someone crying that they would have to go back to their country and they were in the middle aisle of the Stairs of Separation. On the Stairs of Separation I went through the left side and not the middle, if I went down the middle I would be sent back.
I feel happy to finally be in the New York Harbor!
Sincerely,
Vincenza Guido (Shaffer)
December 5, 1906
Dear Auntie,
I came over as a steerage passenger on a boat where I threw up,I played with a cute baby and was amazed by the Statue of Liberty. One day on the boat I was about to go to sleep when I saw a hand try to steal my precious pearl necklace that mom gave me. I grabbed it and hit the man who had tried to steal it. His name was boby , he said to me that he needed money so that when he got to New York, he could bring over his sister. I gave him my silver pinky ring. The next day, I was on the top deck getting some fresh air, because I was nauseous, when the boat suddenly rocked really hard and I threw up over the side, I was very uncomfortable with everyone watching and laughing at me but it happens to a lot to people.The next day I went back up onto the top deck and saw a very cute baby. She was from Syria she had big chubby cheeks and two cute little front teeth. I played with her for hours and hours until the sun went down and we had to go to sleep because we would be entering New York harbor the next morning. That was a very good moment on the boat. The next morning I woke up before the sun even came up, packed all my stuff and went to the top deck. We entered New York harbor as the sun hit the Statue of Liberty, it was beautiful. Just as that beauty and hope of liberty was soaking into us, the boat docked in the island of heartbreak.
I was carrying a brown rusty chest which had most of the stuff from my home country, such as a Pearl necklace my mother gave to me. When we finally got to Ellis Island ,we went for the test I was so scared that I would be detained. When me and mother went to the inspector for the button hook test, mother went first I went second and we both passed all the inspections. I was so happy to hear that because we were going to live together in New York. But the medical inspection was the scariest one in my opinion because you can have a eye disease and you do not even know. Me and mother were so scared because me or mother could be detained, but they said our health was good so we went on. When I saw a baby taken from their family, I was so sad and the eyelid oh my goodness the eyelid, was so scary and when the inspectors said THIS one has to go back, it is also scary. The sounds they made were “NO PLEASE DO NOT TAKE MY BABY! NO I HAVE TRAVELED SO FAR DO NOT TAKE ME AWAY!.” It smelled like sweat everywhere and the smell of tears on the floor.
The metal test were so scary because if you got one question wrong then you go BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY. Me and mother were so scared that we were going to be detained and lost without each other for God no’s how long. And I would be so sad if mother is away from me. The Legal inspectors were the scariest part of the inspection they new what they were doing and I know they were looking for a eye disease, but I heard little boys and girls screaming “STOP PLEASE STOP STOP PLEASE STOP IT HURTS STOP”. When I heard it I thought I was doomed forever. If you were detained you would spend the night in a pen. It looks just like a chicken pen some have told me. Waiting takes so long it might take hours to go on the boat to take you back to your home country. The staircase of suspension is where the inspector know that you are telling a lie and send you to court.
My trip was exciting and scary. It was exciting because I finally made it to Ellis Island, but it was scary because it was a new place and lots of scary rules.
Sincerely,
Sara (Skylar)
December 5, 1906
Dear Eleanor,
My experience on the boat was passable. On the boat there were many other passengers from many places in the world. The languages sounded like woven music with magnificent sound and energy. But the boat itself was not that magnificent. The bunks were very small and the food was dreadful. Once when I was on deck, a first class passenger dropped their wallet by accident and didn’t notice and I got five dollars! But the very best part was when we first saw the Statue of Liberty. It was beautiful. It’s seven-pointed crown and it’s glinting torch.
After fourteen days we finally disembarked and crowded onto the shores of Ellis Island. The stuffy air was like a cloud of smoke. In my bag, which was very old and made of wood, I was carrying my journal, the wallet I found, my ink and pen, my cow bell, and a picture of my best friend, Christopher A. Hill. All of the immigrants filed into an enormous hall called the Great Inspection Hall. There were many inspectors. They looked gruesome with their buttonhooks. Though some looked nice and had no buttonhooks. The medical inspection was horrible. The inspectors used the buttonhooks to harshly peel back your eyelid to check for a blindness disease that is very contagious called trachoma. It felt like my eyelids were being ripped off of my eyes. Around me, other people were passing, but some got detained. They would dreadfully be separated from each other. I heard dozens of languages, wails, cries, and screams. It reeked of dirty clothes, mud, and sweat.
The inspections were not over, though. Next we had mental tests. The inspectors had us put a puzzle together to test our memory. I passed, taking about twenty seconds to do it. The next test was the most terrifying. I heard it was called the legal inspection. They would ask you questions that they have asked you before to see if you have the same answer. One of the questions was, “have you ever been in prison?’’ I feel very lucky that I was not detained. But unluckily, my father was detained. He got one of the questions wrong. He told us to go on, and that he would come back soon. We had to part ways at a staircase called the staircase of separation that was split three ways.He took the middle steps, which led to the detention rooms.We met back up with him a few days later. I took the steps to the left.They led to the ferry where we went to New York. If you wanted a train ticket you would go to the right.
I think that me and my family will not have that much a difficult time here in the new world. We have been doing fine, and I think that we will continue to do so. “I am very happy that we too, speak english,’’ said my mother after we arrived. I miss you and our home very dearly.
Sincerely,
Edward (Vincent)
December 5 1906
Dear Dad,
We just got to the boat and we’re deep down in steerage. I’m having a bad time and I wish you were here. I’m with Brother, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt, and Uncle. I am seasick because we are all the way in the bottom of the boat and it’s shaking around. I am also getting bored because I can’t see anything outside and I’m used to seeing things outside. One good moment I had was when I finally went to sleep, after a long time of trying. Once on the boat, I heard a man named Gustave Hietzer say, “…From the garbage can… we would eat pieces of meat even though we were Kosher, but we were so hungry so we took it.” I smelled the Hudson River and it did not smell good. When I got to Ellis Island I felt scared because I didn’t know what they were going to do to me.
We just arrived at Ellis Island and I saw the Statue of Liberty on another island. I went into the Great Hall and I could see a statue in the upstairs part of the hall. I wanted to touch it, so I did. It reminded me of touching a rock. I saw beds that we’re supposed to sleep in and they did not look comfortable. I also saw the three staircases which I knew meant something, but I did not really know. I was carrying the pictures of Italy and our family photos. When I first saw the medical inspectors, I was worried because they had hooks in their hands. The medical inspection was painful, but I passed. The people around me were from other countries. I know that because I talked to them and they said where they were from.
I knew they were immigrants because I was talking to them and they said the places they were from. Some thought I was weird because I did the thing with my voice where I used different tempos. Some people were sick and had to leave, but our family was safe. The sounds I heard were “ow” and “that really hurts!” I thought there would be food that I would have liked to smell because I was starving, but there was no food so I didn’t get to smell anything. After a long day, we have more inspections. Then I went to the Legal Inspectors and they asked a lot of things like where did come from, how old are you and things like that.
Bye Dad, I’m going to see soon in America!
Sincerely,
Leonardo (Will)
12/10/06
Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
I hate food the in steerage. For having to do chores I didn’t really care that much but the fact that the food tasted like we were eating out of a dog’s mouth made me churlish. But I had to persevere in order to make it to where I am now. It was also vital that I ate anyway. I saw all the really rich first class people. I asked them if I could have some of their food and they said, “No.” So I was already infuriated. To be honest the really rich people are really rude, more rude than you’d expect. When the boat finally reached New York Harbor, I felt really curious because I had never seen it before.
Dorothee let me and my sisters explore while she did everything kids couldn’t do. I thought that we should split up because it would equal more exploring but Dorothee put Anna in charge so it’s not really my choice. We stayed together which I wasn’t happy about. Dorothee had all our suitcases and the money so we weren’t really carrying anything. If you don’t remember Dorothee, here is an explanation on how I know her; I haven’t seen her since I was two, since Josephine was four and since Anna was six. As an eight year old the medical inspectors kind of freaked me out. I was scared because they had buttonhooks to lift my eyelid. Now I could see my eyes worked just fine but… I passed all the tests! Some people would get deported if you failed the tests. One kid got deported by them self and had no adult with them. I heard the sounds of the kid who got deported screaming and the mom fighting. Most people didn’t shower so it smelt really bad.
The mental tests were really nerve racking because at this point I could get deported at any time. Anna went first and I went last, however we all passed the tests. I convinced the legal inspectors not to use the buttonhooks. It wasn’t very easy. The legal inspector that checked me was very sweet because he knew how old I was so he didn’t use the buttonhook. Luckily I didn’t get detained. I wanted to explore the staircase of separation but Anna didn’t want to so we didn’t.
I miss the soft couch at our old house, I miss mommy and daddy, I miss you guys but I feel kind of excited to explore my new future. I hope we can keep writing letters to each other. America is great, there are so many things to do here! There is so many things to do to the point where I don’t know what to do next. Well I miss you and I love you and I can’t wait to receive another letter.
Love,
Julia (Zara)
December 5, 1906
Dear Mom and Dad,
Steerage was horrible, we got small spaces to sleep and me, Edward, George and Grandma were getting sea sick and just sick from all the rocking and shaking. We vomited. It was very cramped in the boat. There were millions of people on the boat. It was crowded in steerage, but the only people I knew was Edward, George, Grandma, and our foreign friend we met named Jacob. An uncomfortable moment was at night when I heard talking, crying, and more talking about gold on streets, and if it was really true. One good moment on the boat was when we got herring, the fish, to eat, but it wasn’t good, but it helped with sea sickness. When we first entered New York Harbor it was so nice because we finally made it to America!
We first arrived at Ellis Island and we saw the Statue Of Liberty and all of us were so happy, but missing you so much! I was carrying a suitcase that was rusty and had locks on for protection. I had a book, clothing, pictures, and sacred things in my suitcase. I was also carrying a picture of all of us together. When I first saw the medical inspectors I thought “What are they going to do to us?” I didn’t want someone looking under my eyelids! They used a button hook to look under our eyelids. Also made us do a puzzle and asked us questions. We had to walk up stairs too. It wasn’t that bad. Some people were being detained, I felt so bad for them. “Storms were coming! Quick!” said some people in the hall. It was so loud. I heard so many people saying things, but they were all speaking a different languages. It smelled like hope because people were happy to make it.
We were in so many inspections that we had to wait in so many lines! We had to do a puzzle for the mental tests and all of us passed. We had legal inspections which when they looked under our eyelids and it hurt so much and it was gross! We all passed, but if under your eye was red you wouldn’t pass. I was not detained. None of us were detained. We all went down the right staircase. That meant we were going to America. If you went down the middle staircase you were detained. If you went down the left staircase you were deported. It was called the staircase of separation.
I feel that my future is changed in a good way. If I was in Italy it would have been different because we were poor. I miss you both and and I miss our home. I can’t wait to see you both in America.
Sincerely,
Michal (Ziva)
