New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-06
THE QUARANTINE REMOVAL.
LITTER FROM COMMISSIONER HALL

relation 20 the c. enge OF the Quarantine station snd
the change Of pubic sentiment which has been oc "a
stoned thereby, deem proper, as one Of the Com
missoners appointed unGer the act Of the Legislature
to pubsh brief ,tateme NJ TO the cDd that The public
mind may be dsabused in respect to It's understanding
Of the facts and enabled TO form a right judgment
thereupon.
BY the twenty frst section Of the act il the duty
Of the Commsiopers "if in their judgment the public
health require, it, to provide temporary acconmoda
lions near Sandy Hook, land water for persons
arriving in the port Of NewYOrk sick with the vel
% low fever or other pestilentaI disease until the
present Quarantine shall be removed under this act
I" to some other place.
Tie Commissioners having deemed that the public
health did require IT, took immediate measures to
cure location for such temporary accOmmOc atoms.
having in view. at the same time failure selection Of
he proper pOsltOniO the location Of perm SITE
II Is well known that the Commissioners Immediately
after their appointment, endeavored to procure from
the authorities OF New Jersey permission TO locate
the Quarantine at Sandy Hook; but their efforts to
that end were entirely unsuccessful Having failed In
these endeayOrs they edistey looked about to Sc
cure the best location that could be obtained. Their
attention was directed to the following places
The Dry Romer.
The West Bank
The location of hulk in the lower bay.
The neck Of land ut the Great Kill.
CCney Island and Seguines Point, or the Wolfe
Farm.
The Dry Romer is large bar in the lower bay, ~
ing between Sandy Hook and COney Island and open
to the ocean. At low tide this bar j, covered with
about ten feet of water 1t is very doubtful whether
any structure could be erected upon this place which
would witt stand the action Of the currents and
storms 10 which it would be necessarily exposed but
assuming such 10 be the case, it would be the work of
several years to complete such structure and, a.
temporary location FOR present purposes this position
is entirely out If the question.
The West Bank commences near the entrance to
Al IA of
Staten Island The place proposed 10 the Commits
sioners Is about FIVE miles distant from Fort Hamilton
about three miles distant from the main land, and IL
covered at low tide BY about ten feet of water. H.
If course, subject TO the objections as the Dry
Roner and il also o. ected that the erection of any
structure thereupon would tend to divert the channels
and thereby effect serious if not Temediabe mi ures
TO the harbor.
The location of a hulk in the lower bay was found
TO be mpraotcabe; for the that the swell of
the ocean, and the motion of the hulk produced there
by, would renderit entirely unfit for hospital purposes
This is the unanimous opinion Of all the physicians who
have been consulted by the Commissioners.
The neck of land at the Great Kills extends from
Staten Island and is about one-third of the way be-
tween Scguinc Point and the entrance to the Mar
rows. The water at this point is very shoal and 1t
would require the construction of pier of at least
mile in length before sufficient depth could be obtain
cd for the purposes required This of course renders
this position unavailable for present purposes.
COney Island lies broad open to the ocean, and is
exposed at times to the beating OF heavy SURF which
would render it difficult, if not impossible to land
sick persons from boat; and no wharf could be con-
structed except in Gravescnd Bay. The towns of
Gravesend and Newt recht are near to this position,
and the shore from Coney Island 10 Fort Hamilton,
where the fever commenced last year. is thckly set
tied. Besides the distance from Coney Island to the
City Of Brooklyn is less than five miles and about
nine miles from the City of New York, and only about
three miles further of from Newly Ork than the pres
ent Quarantine Station. IL will be remembered that
it was found necessary last year to remove some dozen
infected vessels which were moored IN GraVesend
Bay and the vicinity Of COney Island. But another
objection to this location is, that it would be mposSi
bic to obtain possession of this place. The lease
which was at one time offered to the Commissioners,
after they had purchased the Wolfe Farm near Sc
gune's Point, and actually made themselves respon-
sible to pay MIR. Lush $23,O00, contained provision
that all the inhabitants of Gravesend shall have the
privilege Of fishing gathering seaweed and moving
hay, and all other the ri hs aud conditions originally
"grauted, reserved and contained 20 The sed town
and its inhabitants in and by the original grants.
These privileges entirely Incompatible with the
exclusive possession of the island for quarantine pnr-
poses.
lectod by the Commissioners, Is distant about seven
teen miles in direct line from the City OF New-folk
at the southeast of Staten Island IT Is at the
termination OF the channel which runs from Wards
Point round Segune's Point Water for temporary
Quarantine can be had by running ont pier about
one hundred and fifty feet. 1t is fine healthy l0ci'
tion and is completely isolated that Hospitals can
be built without danger to any OF the inhabitants by
safety while the infected vessels may be anchored in
the channel near the Knoll, where they will have
good anchorage and ride out their Quarantine IN
safety boarding station be kept at the present
Quarantine, and vessels not infected may come up at
once, be examined and proceed.
The Legislature has decided that the Quarantine
shall be removed The State OF NeT-Jersey has re-
fused TO allow 10 be located upon lands within their
iurisdicOn ard il therefore became necessary to select
q site upon either Long Island or Staten Island.
There suitable place ON Long Island for the pur
pose and other resort was eft except to locate
upon Staten Island andno position can be found upon
that Island which affords the advantages offered by
the place selected 1t is at the part OF the Island most
remote from the dense population OF our cities; the
lands in the mt ghbOrhOod are sparsely settled; the
depth Of water is sufficient to afford the required
conmodatiOs the structures necessary for temporary
accommodations be speedily erected; and no
difficulty in obtaining safe anchorage for infected
vesstIs.
1t will be Of course utterly impossible to fad any
place at which Quarantine station VIII be welcomed
10y those in the vicinity nor where some one will not
consider their private interests preludlced. l am
firmly Of the belief that no place could have been
selected, out e those which could be obtained more
suited for the purposes required aud none az which
local interests could have been less urousy Affected
4 reference 10 the map of the larbor of Newly ork
made to accompany the report OF the Harbor COM
missoners, will, think, convince any person who -
Wiling 10 be convinced that this place possesses ad
YaDtages superior To those of, red by any other. The
Comm, si0ners were obliged by the law under which
they were appointed, to select place, and the one
fixed upon by them has been approved by the State
Officers designated in the act whose approval was
necessary to be obtained.
You will please, Mr.. Editor, to publish tins plain
statement of fects, aud oblige GfoRGE HALL,
Chairman Of Con nissioutrs for Removal OF Odauntue
----------------.
UTLSON SNAIL GENERAL COMMITTEE.