▁Ni ag ara ▁F alls , ▁New ▁York ▁on ▁September ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁John ▁We ber ▁was ▁decided ▁upon ▁by ▁a ▁vote ▁of ▁ 1 0 – 8 ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁Republican ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁Cong r essional ▁seat . ▁We ber ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Republican ▁to ▁the ▁Fort y - n inth ▁and ▁F ift i eth ▁Congress es ▁( M arch ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁– ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 8 9 ). ▁He ▁was ▁un success ful ▁when ▁he ▁sought ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁for ▁a ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁Fif ty - first ▁Congress . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁Republican ▁National ▁Convention ▁at ▁Chicago ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 . ▁We ber ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁Gra de - C ross ing ▁Commission er ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Buff alo . ▁He ▁held ▁this ▁post ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁We ber ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁Commission er ▁of ▁Im m igration ▁at ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁New ▁York . ▁On ▁the ▁opening ▁day ▁of ▁Ell is ▁Island , ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁Colonel ▁We ber ▁gave ▁a ▁$ 1 0 ▁gold ▁Liber ty ▁coin ▁to ▁ 1 7 - year - old ▁An nie ▁Moore , ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁foreign er ▁to ▁pass ▁U .