Collisions Abolished

The monthly rush of immigrants to our shores (TiME, Aug. 13, Sept. 10) still exists, to the discomfiture of immigrants and the distress of immmigration officials, but one of its dangers has been eliminated. A dozen or more ships, rushing to New York at the close of each month, used to anchor just outside of territorial waters, and when the month began at midnight, would rush through the narrow channel into Quarantine. Not only was there great danger of collision, but also in their haste ships occasionally came in a few moments too early--a costly procedure for the shipping companies.

In preparation for the October rush, the steamship companies last week made an agreement among themselves that the order in which vessels passed Ambrose Channel Lightship should be the order in which they arrived at Quarantine. Vessels arriving before midnight on Sept. 30, after passing the lightship, anchored in Gravesend Bay. Then, beginning at five minutes after midnight, their pilots took the ships into Quarantine, one every ten minutes, in their allotted order.

Thus in due order ships bearing immigrants came into New York harbor in the early hours of Oct. 1. One danger was averted; but Ellis Island, with a capacity of 1,700 immigrants at a time, was " swamped " as usual.

Commissioner Curran, in charge of Ellis Island, standing at the observation post at Fort Wadsworth, watched ten steamers go slowly into Quarantine with 13,146 heads of human cargo. Immigrants to the number of 1,400 were examined on the first day but a week will probably be needed to examine all the arrivals of those few minutes.