New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-03-31
Removal Of the Quarantine.

Removal Of the Quarantine.
The following IS sketch Of the debate had on
the bill for the removal Of the Quarantine in the Assem-
bly, "Wednesday evening. We copy from the Albany
EratsS Journal:
The House went into Committee OF the Whole,
Mr. ELDxRyfS in the Chair the bill providing for
the removal Of the Quarantine.
Mr.. VAN ORDEs opposed the BIZ. lie proceed
cd show that the excitement got up Staten Island
was ths result OF the lax police regulations Al
the Quarantine than anything else IL was not because
there was necessarily danger from contsgon, that this
removal 10 sought. Nor was II because the buildings
st Qas-anne were insufficient for they had coat the
State nearly g million Of dollars. The object OF the
c.zens Of Staten Island, In seeking this removal was
70 make their beautiful island locality for the villa, OF
men Of wealth. This 'sudablc object; and II
ths public Interests did not interfere no would Dc nap
py TO crafty them.
But under existing circumstances be could not do 50
particularly when he knew that whatever was offensive
or dangerous In the institution was the result OF neglect
ON the part Of the officers Of the Quarantine The Tees
the chief officer Ans his partners, were immense
The Governor had called the attention of the Legisls
ture ~ them, and IL for the Legislature 10 say
vbetber tbey should not be- reduced II those officers
were efsisbt aod properly discharged their duties
tbsre would be less cause for complaint To remedy
the evils complaaed Of the Con- missioDers OF Emigra
ZION had or would make efficient suggestions
tons which II carried out would do away with many
Of the causes Of complaint Mr.. v o. then proceeded
ct lopgsh 10 show that Sandy Hook was not proper
place tor a Quarantine
Mr. F,sK proposed M an I tn section to the bill
provision allowing Boarding Officer 10 reside at Staten
Island who At his discretion might permit vessels 10
pass on 10 New York, or require them 70 return 10
Qusrsnne at Sandy Hook. Mr. r. sustained the bill
The present Quarantine establishment was no qusrsu-
tine at ell II hospital establishment than
quarastne lie referred at length n the report OF the
Select Committee (whO were unanimous in favor OF
removal thOw that the estabishmen should be- p"
moved and 10 Sandy Hook An island containing 2ODO
acres--s besu,fu cedar grove, 90 admirably located
that II seemed designed by Nature for this very purpose
lie alluded also the danger Of having ths Quarantine
30 near the City O New York sDd coniended that with
contagious disesscs al staten Island II ntxt to i'm
possible 70 preserve the City from the contsgioo liz
referred particularly TO the representation that Sandy
Hook was appropriated 10 Quarantine purposes, Il
would be necessary "a erect breskwster. He denied
that this would be- necessary or II II was necessary It
would not be for the State but for the United states to
build
Mr. w. 8. SMITH advocated the bill MS Of the
greatest importance II was sought, not because II
was desired by the citizens OF staten Island merely
but because it necessary for the beet interests Of
the whole state II sought because the present Is
no Quarantine establishment at all II had been di
veried from its original object and was now huge
lszar house Formerly there were hut 80 individuals
ct the establishment average. When they reached
50. It caused panic. But now there are over LOO
patients there-pepned up Ia few contracted hospi
tas with two or three In bed, and miserable alten5
ance beside What kind OF humanity is this Was Il
not disgrsceiu To the state the establishment hsd
been msde receptacle for all classes Of invads sent
there not lepi,instely because they afflicted
with CONTAGIOUS diseases but because the EmigrsDt
Commissioners assumed the responsibility OF doing
wha, they should not have been empowered to do.
The Health Ocer had protested against the exercise
Of this power but The CommssiOners who should
never have had anything 10 do with the Quarantine,
paid no attention to these proies,atons The result
wa seen In the death Of many unfortunate persons
thus forced into the Quarantine.
Mr.. 8 referred 10 the Argument ihst 90 feet Ursula
ton good ~ miles. He would not debate tba,
argument. tor IL WAS question upon which doctors
disagree" But he would ask gentlemen whether they
would be willing TO have yellow fever cholera hos
pital within 60 feet Of their dselngst Gould they
therefore, be surprised that the citizens Of staten lsl
aud DESTROYS To have this tlusFAuiinc removed
And yst until tho Quarantine had been turned into
general poor.house and hospital ,here was but little
said about removal.
The Ferry ruas from New York TO Staten l.lsnC
every hour aud the track OF the boat Ia directly scros
the anchorage Of the vessels In quarantine There hsf
been numerous Of smallpox taken from The nj
ssma blown from these vessels Was II wise Ia have
Quarantine thus publicly plscodf
Mr. = denied that the mass OF the People OF New
York were opposed to removal. There te -
shIp merchants whose business 1t ia which brings
contagious diseases into the country and who are ri
ways prstiog about the commerce of NewfOrk. who
are opposed to removal The Pilots too were opposed
10 removal and cay that Sandy Hook il not good har
Dor Hat when did Pilots learn this Where We're
shey when the ships Bristol and Mexico were wrecked,
because those vessels cou ind no pilots They were
snuely sheltered in Spermacet Covethe very harbor
nov decred by these very pilots Did this look as II
Sandy Hook was no hsrborf
IL good hsrbor for pilot boats but do deny that II
IL good harbor for merchantmen
Mr.. SMITH then proceeded NJ length 90 annlvze
the testimony taken before tho Special COMMITTEES 10
show that sandy Hook proper place for the Qusr
Antne--thst no brcskws.er would be- necesssry-thst
the present Quarantine Is nuisance. and wholly insult
hceh and that the public health and the beat interests
at commerce aud common humanity demand the re-
movsl OF the estsbiishment
Mr. however. was not fully satisfied with the pro
cent hill. II WAS too limited in lie views. The grcs,
h.. .Na.f
with spacious and sufficient buildings. Yet there DO
ing nothing better before the House he should sus,n It,
The SPrAKrR spoke Of the bill a OF direct inter
est to the people OF the whole State and Of the world
The principal question, preliminary to action upon this
bill whether the present Quarantine was sufficient
lit not-snd this was his opnion-should II not be
removed rather than enlsged Or II the present lccs
ton renders efficient Police imyrsctcable not
probable that efficient Police could be- secured by
carrying the "a Jsrantine To paint remote from
the City, whereAhere would be fewer encroschments
upon it, grounds lie believed the public wal
qured the removal of the Quarantine and In hs opin
loo II vote could BE- taken In the City of Newly ork "a
Ia every 100 would vote for removal.
Mr. PrRLsY | have Just returned from visit
Of three days my District in New York and shough
mingled freely with my constituents. met with but
three who In favor Of removal and two OF those
up here last week lobbying for IL
The SPEASER only argued from what he sup
posed would naturally be the wsh of sensible
would oe properly DESTROYS OF keeping the City free
from presidential or contagious diseases He argued NJ
lrnktn inst tntft Nouiu Ne riNfh tffNtff
rity at Sandy Hook than AZ Staten sand and that this
alone was = suti ceni reason for removal The fact
that the present grounds and buildings could be sold FOR
. sufficient sum put up establishment OF tsiee
the capacity OF the present was incidental srgumen
In favor OF removal But no MISTER WHIST the expense
might beno MISTER " millions were necesssry-if the
puclc health demanded removal the change should be
made.
The SPEsSsR referred particularly 20 the im-
propriey Of giving the Emf grant Commissioner power
20 send sick fmisrsnts within tho purview Of 40 in.
f-cied hospiisl Those Commissioners had too much
power. They had too great control over thr Guar
sntine establishment and much of the mischief com
planned " In that establishment msy be traced . thu
manner In which this power hsi been exercised H.
concluded with expression OF the hope tbs; the biz
might p~s
Mr.. TAYLOR opposed the oil. The New-York
dele stion Ia both Houses unanimously opposed
TO IL and he doubted whether any Of that deegs
ton bad been solicited BY very respectable number
OF his constituents 10 vote for this blu Recess L. u
o clock
ErcRiHg >esssOa-sI o'ciock.
The Quarantine bill was debated until 10 |
pccct sod the eascting clause stricken o0t by vois
81 - 10 -
The question Of agreeing with the Report OF the |
OF the Whole laid on the tsble-AdJ.