1889-06-19-Wyoming
Diary of John Peter Sorenson
Sorenson, John Peter. Diary, pp. 51-81.
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Wednesday, 19,
Foggy, misty [-] but fair wind. The Danish broke down in song this morning, trying to collect money for stewards. It was agreed to give 25 ct each to bedroom and boothi and each to pay waiter himself. I gave out $ 1.00. Land in sight, portions of Long Island. At 1 oklok or so meet 4 large steamers, 1 North German Logud, 2 Cunard, 3 Inman, and 4 White Star Lines. All superior boats to ours. Arrived at Sandy Hook at 3:30 or so, at quarantine at 4, where we lay [p.70] (in harbor) nearly ½ hour waiting for doctor to come and inspect passengers, then to dock, where we came in at 5:50 or so. Tank [thank] the Lord for safe arrival to America's land again. Now may He bless and protect us on our further journey. Went ashore, bought a bottle of cough medicine. [--] got late for prayer but told people so and [-] excuse and prayer at 9 oklok. Got $4 more from president, making 14.00 I have to pay him on order.
Thursday, 20,
Went to bed onboard vessel. Got up early, help to see baggage ashore, also passing it through the custom house. All first- and second-class passengers have to sign a declaration and then show their goods to custom house officers as soon after as they like. By opening and have all boxes and parcels examined and if any new good is found not declared it is confiscated to the U.S. government. In certain cases fines is added thereto. The steerage is not declared but owners is called on to open box or parcel, and mostly [p.71] (New York) they give boxes or parcels a chalk mark shoving they [them] pass the customs. But if a trunk is extra snöret or lashed or look extra fine there is a great chance for it to be call on to open and examined and overhauled. Then our goods was put onboard a small steamer and all passengers and taken to Castle Garden where all emigrants have to pass the Emigration Commission men and sign their names and then show what for they come and where they go and if they have 3 to 5.00 to support them until they get work but mostly it is slighted and greased some. All went well. We elders stopped onboard looking after the baggage except the president, who went up along with the agent and passed them and I expect greased the commissioner clerks or someone all went. Most [p.72] (New York) got passengers onboard again and steamed up to Old Dominion Wharf and got passengers and goods landed and after a time onboard, the steamer Roanoke. The one from Liverpool to New York was cal[led] the Wyoming, which is old and pretty poorly. This Roanoke was a fine boat, the Milo from Copenhagen to Hull was tolerable. After helping Bro. Andersen to get tickets which he had got up in town mark and fined at office, I was call on to assist some passengers also to buy things; bread and cheese, also to help some to find the water closet and some children as the traffic and confusion both in streets and on wharf is desperate and it take a tolerable clear head to get amongst them. It is a horrible din and confusion, a real Babel, then after we got onboard, I was call on to locate the brethren, afterward the captain who is a nice man [p.73] (at sea again to Norfolk) and a Swedish Fin [Finn] to help locate and fin[d] steerage passenger. Got Jens Hansen, W. Chandler, and Sorensen and Carlson the hair man to do it and I see it done. Then found that Bro. Greenberg was missing and Bro. Samuel Nelson the Irishman was sick, was call on to administer to him in evening along with Bro. Neilson and Plowman from Smithfield. Feel tired now going to bed.
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