So many complaints and requests for aid are coming to our office from immigrants and others that it is hardly possible to take care of all the work connected with my duties.

The activity of the Agent benefits our city to some extent, and it is very desirable that our local authorities furnish a policeman for our headquarters, as New York does for the German Immigrant Society of that city. The policeman could devote all his time to the protection of immigrants who arrive at, and leave from, our railroad depots, and to the investigation of complaints made by immigrants that they have been cheated and abused.

The greatest evil prevailing in Chicago is that certain hotel owners, whose establishments are frequented by immigrants, hire dishonest, unprincipled runners, who exploit immigrants for personal gain, or, in some cases, for the enrichment of their employers. This sad condition should be eliminated; and it could be done easily: The Mayor would merely have to cancel the license of dishonest 3runners if they persisted in their nefarious work after having been fined in police court. And I consider the city authorities to be guilty of a great breach of justice in so far as they are wont to grant a license without previous investigation of the moral character of applicants who have been previously punished by a police judge. The same evil exists in other large cities. It is reported that the city of Detroit has withdrawn all licenses issued to runners.

On June 25, Johann Hassel, a German immigrant who now lives at Neenah, Wisconsin, gave a baggage master of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad $20 in gold in payment of an excess tariff of $12. The agent returned him only $8 in paper money as his change. The railroad knows nothing about this fraud, and so the baggage master can keep the difference between the value of $8 in gold and its value in paper money. The railroad ought to put a stop to this type of swindle. If, however, the railroad wants its ticket agents or other employes to retain the premium on gold, because they don't have the time to take care of exchange 4transactions, it is the duty of the company to so notify the traveling public.

A German girl, Amalie Schlichting, now living in Chicago, arrived in Quebec on June 20 via the sail-boat "Roret Brigham". Then she was brought with other immigrants to Sarnia, Canada, the journey lasting three days and four nights. At Sarnia, the immigrants were put aboard the steamship "Montgomery," which was under the command of Captain Nichols, and were taken to Milwaukee and Chicago, where they landed on June 28. Thus the entire trip took six days and eight nights. According to a statement made by Miss Schlichting, so many immigrants were taken aboard the ship that there was hardly room to move, and it was not possible to lie down to sleep at night. The entire journey from Sarnia to Chicago could be truthfully called "cruelty to animals". Captain Nichols should be made to answer for his infamous conduct. Witnesses will not be lacking.

Furthermore, the immigrants received no baggage checks in Quebec or Sarnia, 5and although Miss Schlichting delivered her baggage to the officers of the "Montgomery" at Sarnia, it was lost in transit. My request that the general agent of the Grand Trunk Line reimburse Miss Schlichting for the loss of her baggage was rejected. The young lady has brought suit against the company, and I hope that the law will see to it that she is dealt with justly.

Ernst J. Knobelsdorff, 97 Kinzie Street.

Chicago, Illinois, August 2nd, 1867.

H. Claussenius, president,

C. Knobelsdorff, secretary.