The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-01
the Commissioners OF Emigration.


COMMUNICATION FROM DIR. vACHE on rHE sUBJEor.
A meeting OF the Commissioners Of Emigration
held yesterday afternoon at p. NJ. Present-C,mmis
sioners verpanck I'm the chair Dunlap Kelly, Purdy
Kennedy. Carrigan Crabtree and witthaus.
After the minutes read Comm ssioner PuRDy
pounced that Mr. wit,haus, President OF tho German
Society about to withdra aud Mr. Gustav schxab
elected in hI place Commissioner. Commissioners
Kelly Carrgan ana Others expressed their regret at tho
withdrawal Of Mr. wtthaus, he had been OF the
most active and useful members Of the Board. Mr..
schwab then took his seat a Cou mis-, Toner.
Com. KELLY proposed the following. which passed
upsnimously:-
Whereas, The Commissioners OF Emigration having
associated with r. A. witthaus Prese., Of the German
Office; and whereas Ne wittnaus having retired from
the Presidency Of the Germaa Society thereby ssvsrng
The very agreeable association that m existed bstseen
this commif son and Mr.. Wtthaus; therefore,
Resolved That this Board allow this occasion
to pass without expressing sentiments OF their
regard for bis aaSle to his colleagues in thi
c"mnis.in for his devotion TO the discharge OF hii
duties In the Board for his ever watchfu care OF tas
emigrant, and the best interests OF this comm ,sion
and In the retirement Of X. Wtthaus one OF ths
Commissioners of Emigration, he carr ss with him tn
este and respect as we'll as the sncerest wishes
this Board for his future happiness and prosperity and
that be may be long spared BY benign Providence to
carry out the philanthropy he has evtnced toward
the em,grant az d the unfortunate Of every cline.
The following important communication, on the
val Of the Quarantine, then read from Dr. vachc,
Health Officer at staten leland
MARINE HOSPITAL, QUARANTINE
STATEN ISLAND, Feb. u, 1855. !
To THE Hon. CUBAN G. VERpLAEoK President Of tn
Board Of Com misroners OF Emigration
In reply 10 your rote informing me that the Commis-
soners Emig alton desire my opinion probable
operation Of the dill pending in the legislature
relative 10 thc quarantine, take the earliest opporu
nifty 10 accede to the request.
The bill Is entitled "An Act to Dispose OF the ousran
tine Property Staten Island and to Remove tbs Quar-
antine, and the Appointment Of an Emgran Physician
nd and fnr ftn I'm uf
Floating Hospital But It's provisions inclu 10 other
objects not indicated in II, title Of greater importance
than those which are mentioned.
On the subject Of the renova OF tho Marine Hospital
proper, to site more remote from the city OF New
York, more isolated IN position, have several times
oppressed the opinion to the saurc and elsewhere
that IL dcsratle object provided location could
be obtained equal 70 the occupied for that
pose and better adapted TO the enforcement Of san
tary police
combine every advantage that such an institution re
quires-hish and dry land good air. pure water, aud
ample for additional buildings, II demanded and
anchorage ground scarcely surpassed by that Of any
other farbor In the world.
Instead however OF providing for the only defect in
the present situation Of the inst tuition that ndor
quires TO be admitted which stringent law oil
inter might possibly correct the bill absurily
sggravates it, rather, abolshes The Quarantp alto
gether during and half months OF the year by
sending oil the sick who arrive at this port bet the
1st Of November and the 18th Of June regardless Of
the character Of diseases to the popalo1s
community Of Wards Island in the Fast river, whsre
extensive than the Marine Hospital and the inmedi
ately contiguous inhabitants are incomparably more
In the meantime, the Quarantine ground Is to be
without any hospital whatever, the proposed floating
eoifcc, so called, being required to be removed 70
be protected from injury BY the ice or ele
ments, Like one Of the Rabneau floating baths.
during this hong interval he act does not say but as he
Is Literally relieved on full pay from all duty for that
.o Of "a. 1ssl sass the
b. amply qualified to protect himself better " blu
In reference TO the contemplated floating hospital
compared with the present spacious buildings no two
medical man possibly entertain honest difference
stips, where death the PHI stefan humanity
appealed IN vain from the shore. They n-uperbly
objectionable In the summer temperature OF this eli
mate especially account OF their intolerabe heat
enhanced by tord reflection from the water, the damp
| atmosphere which must pervade them, from the iox
stratum Of evaporation in which they constantly
embedeed the stn heavier foss Of bay which would
Transporting the dead to the shore in unavortbe states
Of wind and tide the gales Shich would either drag
them from their anchorage, or seriously injuro them
with the waves and lastly their disturbing ana sicsen
ing effects their unfortunate inmates. ha. bosn
floating hospital at the OF Graves
end Bay which the nil fscstously selects for the
tics but am strongly inclihed 70 suspect that the
mark made rather q sarcasm upon the prepos'e
proposition than serious argument in It's favor
Into this necessarily confined and rolling receptacle,
IL is proposed TO crowd all the sick with courageous and
infectious diseases that arrive the doubls tide Of emit
in the world between the middle Of June tho md Of
October thus blending within the space OF ship the
various of cholera typhus fever small poI
yellow fever kc which were previously divided per
haps amongst hu ndreds OF different vcsseshc
pose u,h case in such place being At hani ~ con
tract the msiadies of others while the dead and the
dying ane Avat the caprice Of the elements TO favor
them with grave. The conception OF such
int nse focus Of mir ng disease and death should be
enough TO sbash tho most selfish and eaous heart that
has concurred Its creation have therefore, hes
tatioo In stating deliberate opiuon that such
hospital would DO too great outrage upon the feel
ngs OF citizens st large 70 be permitted 70 EXIT for
single summer It probable that lts
calculated any other than its temporary adoption
I'll the Quarant be could be sod well knowing that /,
could DO recovered for its present purposes and
utterly reckless Of future consequence 20 the health
and commerce Of the city Of New York. In this view u
the case consider II TO be duty tho part Of the
CONNIE cal immunity and The friends Of Humanity
erywhers TO strenucusy resist the fearful MEASURE
be urged in Its behalf That many person, Staten
Island whether pecur ary interested in tho object
not, may wish 70 see II achieved even II tho Quaranns
driven into the sea, is literally proposed in the
pending BILL IL quite probable, but regard all the
gunen that have been advanced Ia It's ayor apart Tom
those OF Interested speculation being altogether mis-
taken and upfounded
Residents In the closest vicinity TO the walls Of the
establishment not more exposed 20 contract the DIS
tire ated within them than the phabltsnts OF
Duane 81 cot Church Anthony and Hroadwsy from their
roImity 70 the City Hospital. The yellow fever ep-
demic which extended distance along the ,olth
lore in ls4s, was unqnestion,by derived solely from
the vessels which we're anchored too near the shore.
Prom The sbo!. number Of such received into the
Name Hospital alrno.t every year not physiean nor
nurse, nor patient nor any OF the nsgnborng resi
dents contracted the malay, there the slightest
ground for appiehonding any danger from any otasr
source than tho contamiI ated shipping.
But what the consequences would have been Of send
ing all the .hip fever, sms pox and cholera patients
trestes at this institution Wards Island where there
are always many Of comparatively mild and
ofenive diseases, aud multitude Of healthy person.,
who there provided with their orly home, may be
conIeoturec from its present casnous condition origin
atitg n few OF typhus ouotc.sy strodu .ed by
accident What the condition OF New YORK would
been, DO commercially ana socisly from the o.
Asntc cholera occurring smong the eighteen twenty
thousspd en- grants landed and provided for ~ The
Qrarartne, In 1853 bad they been permitted 70 dsp,
With their unventted taggsgo, In that populo1s city,