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Re: [TSL] diverted from Ellis Island
Aejordan@aol.com on 08/07/2010

Jim writes:

... When her mother came to the United States on the Canada in February  
1921, she was supposed to land in New York on Ellis island. However, the  
passengers were discharged in Philadelphia because there was an eye disease  
epidemic on Ellis Island. ...  I have never heard of a ship being diverted  to 
another port because of a health condition on Ellis Island.....
 
and Sue replies .....
 
..... it was overcrowding 
rather than health issues.  Who  knows what rumours may have abounded on 
board at the time and also maybe  added later, through embellishment or 
speculation as the oral story was  handed down.

-------------------------------
 
On these type of "issues," stories, etc. I always find it best to consult  
period materials as opposed to books written later.  The New York Times is  
fully digital and available for free in many public libraries or else for a  
fee on the Internet.
 
I did a quick search "Ellis Island" and Philadelphia for 1921 and the first 
 story that comes up is, "Says Ellis Island Is Not Infested, Deputy 
Commissioner  Indignantly Denies Immigrant Got Typhus There.... " dated Feb 20,  
1921.  Read a little further and you see the story says the steamship  
Rotterdam which was due on Monday was ordered diverted to Boston due to health  
restrictions at this (New York) port.  
 
The Canada is not mentioned but it is easy to see how she too could have  
skipped Ellis Island.
 
A further search of "diverted" and "Ellis Island" and Philadelphia brings  
up a story dated Nov 1, 1923 with the headline 11 Ships to Bring Quote Here  
As Many More Have Been Diverted to Other  Ports to Relieve Congestion.  
 
Often when someone says "I have a story" the first thing I do is plug the  
key words into a search of the newspapers of the era.  Start the search  
there and you can see how much truth exists .... or not .... in the  memories.
 
Allan Jordan
 
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