Across the Plains

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - MONDAY. - It was if I remember rightly five o'clock when we were all signalled to be present at the Ferry Depot of the railroad. An emigrant ship had arrived at New York on the Saturday night another on the Sunday morning our own on Sunday afternoon a fourth early on Monday; and as there is no emigrant train on Sunday a great part of the passengers from these four ships was concentrated on the train by which I was to travel. There was a babel of bewildered men women and children. The wretched little booking-office and the baggage-room which was not much larger were crowded thick with emigrants and were heavy and rank with the atmosphere of dripping clothes. Open carts full of bedding stood by the half-hour in the rain. The officials loaded each other with recriminations. A bearded mildewed little man whom I take to have been an emigrant agent was all over the place his mouth full of brimstone blustering and interfering. It was plain that the whole system if system there was had utterly broken down under the strain of so many passengers.