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Steerage Passenger Conditions
by Hannah O'Connell Hugo’s description of his time spent as a steerage passenger was modest in comparison to the inhumane conditions which emigrants had to endure. Two years prior to Hugo departing Finland, United States officials traveled undercover, across the Atlantic on all major steamship liners, posing as European immigrants to observe the conditions of the steerage, the cheapest accommodation available. What they witnessed was described as “evil and revolting.” The book Finns in America, described the Finns departed from Hangö “whose passports, luggage, and tickets were examined as if they were taken from beasts.” The steerage was divided into three compartments—families, single women, and single men. Hugo rode SS New York which could accommodate up to 1,000 passengers in steerage. Though the ship was outfitted with running hot and cold water and electric ventilation, it was insufficient in serving the large number of immigrants on board. Each passenger was provided a berth, also known as a bunk-bed. Berths were two tiers, each bed had about two and a half feet of space above, six feet long, and two feet wide. Hugo’s mattress was most likely made of straw or seaweed, with a life preserver for his pillow. There were no hooks to hang his possessions, and no space to store his belongings. His berth would have served as his bed and dining area. Sea sickness was the most common illness for the immigrant passengers. There was a hospital on the ship, but seasickness was not a condition that was treated. There were not enough washrooms to accommodate all the steerage passengers, and there were no sick buckets provided. The floors were usually wet, and unwashed. The vomit from the seasick usually stayed on the wood floor for a long time before being cleaned. To get service from the crew, immigrants would offer bribes. If the weather permitted, Hugo and other immigrants could find relief from the squalid conditions on the top deck. This was in stark contrast with the first class accommodations, which had a library, smoking room, and a large dining hall, seating over 500 passengers, with a massive glass dome to let in natural light.
Food Available Onboard
Food on the ship was usually poorly prepared herring and potatoes, or some other type of meat. Coffee and tea were also provided. The portions were sometimes small. Other times, the food was so old passengers could not eat it and half of the prepared food would be thrown into the sea. Fruit and vegetables were not served. Though fruit could be purchased at the commissary, most often immigrants were coming to America for economic reasons and,thus, could not afford such luxuries
Left: SS New York Right: Immigrants coming to US
"There we could start to be on our own and I was looking for my brother Albert that promised to come and meet me. But instead I met some other men from Terjärv as follows: My cousin Victor Bredbacka, Adolf Häsjebacka, Victor Lytz, Matt Lytz. My cousin Victor came and asked me if I was Hugo when I got off the ferryboat, and I told him yes. He told me that Albert my brother had gone on the ferryboat to meet me at Ellis Island, but I left Ellis Island before Albert came there. The men decided to wait till Albert would come back from Ellis Island. The men did not wait at the ferry waiting room but instead went away to a salon for some drinks and I had to go with them. It was against my will, but I could not do anything, but had to follow them in. I could take soda lemonade what I wanted, they tried to tell me that I should take beer, but I said no, and it was right. If I had taken beer, my brother Albert would have met me as a drunken bum before I got to the place where my brother lived in uptown. When my brother did not come for some time back from Ellis Island, then Adolf Häsjebacka took me for a walk further away from ferry slip and when we came back, my brother had come from Ellis Island and the other men did not know where we went, and they left for home, before we came back to the ferry slip. When Adolf and I could not see the men, and the ferry boat had come back to New York, South ferry, there was nothing else to do, except to leave for uptown where my brother lived at present time, to 2797-8th Ave. c/o Joel Johnson, because we could not find the other men. When we came about a block from the house where my brother lived, we met him and I felt happy then. He took me into the house and up to the third floor. There I met many that came to see me to find out about some news from Terjärv, Finland. One of them was my Aunt Emelia’s husband John Timmerbacka. After a while when I got some clothes taken off, they told me to take a bath when the long trip over the oceans were over. Had a good bath and after when I got my clothes on I could go to the table and eat in peace from the noise of the waves on the water. But after that I was told that they want me to come and get some pictures taken of me on my first day in America with the following: Brother Albert, Joel Johnson, Victor Bredbacka, my cousin, John Timmerbacka and myself. It was Miss Eufemia Sandvik that took the picture on the roof of us. Later on in the evening we went to Alfred Björk’s home and met Ernst Carlson and many others that I did not know before even if they were from Terjärv."
Hugo Nelson Photo: Nelson Family Collection
by Toni Nelson Before being permitted entry into the United States immigrants were required to have a minimal amount of money to settle or to afford travel to their final destination. They were asked if they had at least twenty-five dollars.This money was paid to the emigration office and the traveller was given a bill of exchange to be paid off at their destination port. Most Finns were joining friends and family, some of the major Terjärv expatriate communities were in Bronx, New York, Grays Harbor County, Washington, Thurston County, Washington, and Eureka, California.
Repayment of Loans
Hugo wrote later about repaying his debt, "Sent some money to New York to my brother Albert so he could send the money to Terjärv, Finland to my uncle (Morbror) that money he loaned to me for traveling expenses when I went to U.S.A. (sixtyfive dollars or 325 FM) On the 25th of January. On March 23rd I sent money for traveling expenses to U.S.A. to old country, Finland 418 Finnish Marks. so I could feel free in that matter first of all other matters."
Albert Nelson, Hugo's brother.
Photo: Nelson Family Collection
Ferry boat near Ellis Island. National Archive Photo no. 90-G-125-6
