Part of the Author’s Party—All Eyes to the Statue of Liberty _Facing page_ 206 Croatians and Italians—Swedes Arriving—Loading the Barges, New York _Facing page_ 210 Rushing Immigrants on Barges—Inspectors and Immigrants at Ellis Island _Facing page_ 214 Stairway of Separation—Checking into Pens _Facing page_ 218 Excluded for Age—Waiting for Immigrant Friends _Facing page_ 222 The Immigrants’ Track Through Ellis Island, _Facing page_ 227 Mr. Broughton Brandenburg, as he Looked when He Passed through Ellis Island as an Immigrant _Facing page_ 230 Stonington—The Barber-shop—The Squadrito House _Facing page_ 234 Night-porter’s Staff at Siegel-Cooper Company’s (_Nunzio Giunta in front of post_) _Facing page_ 242 Nicola Curro at Work—Ina Americanized—Saint’s Figure, covered with Bags of Money _Facing page_ 264 Nicola Curro Studying English in the Author’s Home in New York _Facing page_ 280 CHAPTER I THE IMPETUS AND THE METHOD That there was a tremendous increase in immigration in prospect was announced by the agents of the great immigrant-carrying lines of steamships as early as January of 1903. All Europe seemed stirred with that tide of unrest. It was to be a great year for the departure from the Continental hives of the new swarms, and an authoritative foreign journal prophesied that the sum total would be 1,500,000 for the twelve months. In America the cry was redoubled that the doors of the United States should be altogether closed or rendered still more difficult to pass. The Shattuc bill was about to find favor in the House of Representatives, the Lodge bill was cooking in Boston, and in every newspaper or periodical of the land articles and editorials were appearing that attacked or defended various phases, conditions or proposed remedies of immigration. Even in the German and Italian papers, which speak for Germany, Austria and Italy, the most fertile immigrant-producing grounds, there was but the barest trifle printed that was _from the point of view of the immigrant himself_. In the American papers there was absolutely nothing.