1st Session. No. 572. CHARLES H. BENDER, OFFICIAL STENOGRAPHER. IMPORTATION OF CONTRACT LABORERS, ETC. The committee met at the Westminster Hotel, New York, on July 25, 1888, and proceeded with their investigation as follows: TESTIMONY OF E. L. BOAS. E. L. BOAS, sworn. By Chairman FORD: Q. Where do you reside?-A. New York. Q. What is your occupation?—A. I am the passenger agent of the Hamburg American Steam-ship Company. Q. Where is your general office?-A. No. 61 Broadway. Q. Between what ports do the ships of that line sail?-A. Between Hamburg and New York, and since about two years also a line between Stettin and New York. Q. Stettin is in what country?-A. Germany. Q. Do you do a considerable business in carrying emigrants?-A. Yes. Q. Have you the data here, as called for by the subpoena, of the number of emigrants brought by your line each month since 1883?-A. I have them for the years since 1883. Q. Not the months?-A. Not the months; that would take too long to provide. I only got the subpoena yesterday afternoon. Q. You report, I suppose, to the custom-house official the number of passengers brought over by each steamer?-A. Yes, sir; but the easiest way to ascertain it is from Captain More, of Castle Garden, who keeps a regular record of all the arrivals here by all lines. Q. Have you more than one office in this city?-A. Our line has two offices; our firm only one. Q. Where is the other office of your line here?-A. 61 Broad street. Q. Where is the main office of the company?-A. Well, for the general business of the line in 61 Broad street; for the passenger business 61 Broadway. Q. I speak more particularly with reference to the headquarters of the company?— A. In Hamburg. Q. You have an agency for the sale of tickets?—A. No, sir; the main office is in Hamburg. Q. You have an agency in Hamburg for the sale of tickets there, of course ?—A. Yes, sir. Q. One at Stateen?-A. Yes, sir. Q. Have you other agents in the countries of Europe?-A. Yes, sir; in all the principal cities, but, understand me, they are not our agents; they are the agents of the line in Hamburg. Q. The agents of the corporation or company who own this line?-A. Yes, sir; in Hamburg. Q. Generally speaking, what system do you observe with reference to the employment of these agents; are they paid an annual compensation, or do they receive a commission upon the tickets sold?-A. Well, I wish to say here that any information I give as regards the agencies in Europe can only be on information that I receive, for we have nothing to do with the agencies in Europe. Q. You have some general knowledge ?-A. Yes, sir; I can only give my idea. As far as my information goes, it is that they are paid by commission, but there may be some that receive a salary, but of course we don't know much about that. Q. You have also, I suppose, a system of agencies in this country?-A. Yes, sir. Q. With reference to compensating the agents, is that custom observed in the United States, paying a commission -A. Exclusively; yes, sir. 3 |