Is Ellis Island man made

Answer 1

Yes,

Close to the mouth of the Hudson River in New York harbor is an island of two and a half acres in extent, whereon land in the United States some of the citizens of the future.

Formerly known as Oyster Island, now called Ellis Island, it was in 1808 acquired for $10,000 by the State of New York when Daniel D. Tompkins was Governor. For a long time it was use for the storage of Naval materials, and some time in the "sixties" a newspaper reporter, in search of a sensation, discovered that if the powder magazine on the island blew up, millions of New York property would go to glory a few moments later. Congress made a note of the matter; the newspaper which had agitated the subject informed the public, in big head lines, that through its enterprise the national legislature was about to take steps to save New York from destruction. Then Congress dropped the whole thing; the civil War broke out, and the enterprising newspaper discovered new sensations. It forgot about Ellis Island, and New York managed to escape being blown up.

In 1880 Ellis Island, together with the islands known as Governor's, Bedloe's (on which stands the Statue of Liberty), and David's; Forts Lafayette, Hamilton, Wadsworth, and Schuyler were granted by the State of New York to the United States. When "Uncle Sam" wisely decided to look after his future nephews and nieces himself, and to stop the many abuses which occurred when the introduction of immigrants into this country was made under the supervision of certain states having great ports --- notably New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Louisiana --- he selected Ellis Island as the dumping ground for those who came to the Empire City.

Castle Garden, which Jenny Lind made historic with her marvelous warbling, had been for many years the landing place of our political magnates. All sorts of conditions of men, women, and children were allowed to gain a foothold in New York through its gates. The Board of Immigration --- a State board --- charged the United States Government fifty cents for every Tom, Dick, and Harry, good or bad, who fled from tyranny or justice from the old world to the new, and there are a good many pickings to be found in a couple of hundred thousand fifty-cent pieces.

So abuses grew worse and worse, and at last what is known as the Owen law was passed. It restricted the indiscriminate introduction of paupers into this country. But man is vile, especially in T-----y H--l {Tammany Hall - the then New York City political machine. - Lou Alfano}, and the late Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Windom, decided that the United States Government had better look after immigration itself.

Castle Garden became a thing of the past as far as immigrants were concerned. For a short time immigrants were landed at the Barge Office, but now they are looked after by United States officers at Ellis Island, in a manner which contrasts strongly in favor of the federal government.

No official record was made of the influx of foreigners into this country till 1820, but the immigration from the close of the Revolutionary way to that time is estimated at 225,000.

From 1820 to 1890 the number of immigrants had reached 15,641,688.