The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-04-23
The New Quarantine Question.

The New Quarantine Question.
ARGUMENT OF THE sTALkN ISLANDERS BEFORE THE
QUARANTINE CoMMIssIoNERs--THE COMMISSIONERS
ARGUE THE QUESTION AND PERSIST IN THE sELEC-
TIoN AT PRINCES BAY-rHE STATEN ISLANDERS
OPPOSE 1.-THE STATEN ISLAND RAILROAD, ETC.
The committee appointed at meeting of tho citizens of
Staten Island I" wait upon the Quarantine Commissioners
and present their arguments against the removal Of Qua
rantine to the Devote estate, fronting Princes Bay
the Commissioners at their office yesterday morning
Judge CRot~Y first addressed the Board. He maintain
ed tina, the Health officer authorized by law to fix his
buoys wherever he chose and that the Princes Bay site
should selected the oystermen would be driven away
and obliged abandon their property that if the oyster
men should attempt 10 60 there and take Of the bay
OF dollars worth oyster property now planted
there they would be ARRESTED and brought 10 New York
for trial! lie believed that the estimate vi two millions
OF dollars being invested Staten Island in the oyster
trade, too low * the oyster trade 81 New York
Announced 10 eleven millions of dollars and over two.
thirds passed through the hands OF Staten Islanders
They had ALL less, an indirect interest III it. Ii
they driven away from the Princes Bay planting
grounds they have other place 10 20, but IL they
were allow ed remain the trade would double aud treble
The planting grounds extend for three miles out into the
deepest part Of The bay and from The sh to low water
fronting IL of one dollar per yard per ahnum Even If
they should no, be driven away people will have peu-
dice against the oysters on account OF their coming from
Quarantine, great the prejudice Oh the public
mind
that the value of the oyster trade had been overraed
Mr. BcsIM stated that 1000 men are annually EN-
poy ed in the oyster trade, and 1000 families are
dependent upon il FOR their subsistence. But aside
from this question of property he would speak
particularly Of the general health OF the ISLAND. At
the point proposed the island rs but pa or 3 miles
wide In almost direct line scross is the hickly pOpu
lated village OF Rossyie, which Is connected with New
York by two boats and this section of the island Is hcky
inhabited. The population not further from the Quaran
tine than the inhabitants OF Long Island from the in
Iected ships last summer The westerly ana southwestern
" winds the prevailing healthy winds. In summer
the winds southwestery and southcrly, and those
winds must carry any epidemic disease which may exist
Immediately iron the infected district 10 this popuos pOr
ton Of the snd and through there 10 New iork that
the location would be than the present where the
prevailing scatter The Infection if anywhere, in the
waters of the bay. He had heard that one reason Tor
keeping the Quarantine the island 10 afford cou
vencut place for the physicians 10 reach New York, but
be thought that q secondary consideration.
slr GsotSY stated that he learned that the Governor
had been informed that the amount Of interest in the Prin-
ce's Bay property was very much exaggerated lie isew,
he said that il anything il had been moderated as five
firms alone at hc knew did business @ $4,000 year
each.
CAPT VAN NAvr, in reply 10 question by the Chairman,
stated that in his opinion, one-haif Of the population Of
Staten llsnd either directly or indirectly interested
this trade and ina, for the Princess BY beds the cid
of New York would have been entirely without oys-
tcrs last winter.
Mr. BontN called the attention Of the Commissioners 10
the that the formation OF the banks Of the bay at The
proposed site was such, that last summer when good
deal OF bedding and many dead horses thrown into
the bay, had to he constantly employed at this point
to keep the shore clear and burn up the refuse.
ments OF the opponents at length. He conicndcd
that the legislature had Instituted tins commission for the
York city from epidemic which Is should
would be immeasuraby more terrible than the Norfolk
calamity. II was hot discretionary with The Commission
but they recommended 10 remove the Quarantine
ultimately. and 10 provide temporary hospital for
malignant diseases during The coming summer. The le.
eisaurc said IL must 60 where could Il goS They bad
talked Of making land Somewhere ia the middle OF the bay,
but would take year to do it, As 10 the objections OF
the oysterncn he did not believe that Dr. johnson intend
edin their pNser llsucs-hc had the
power do H. Tho people OF New ior; now went down
y, and near Quarantine and we're not nierfered with.
Mr.. Ian G. Ci-tiR stated that he had examined the
statutes that point and fond that there is statute
giving such rous o~cr a. are given tothc Ill slih Officer
fix his buoys wherever he thinks proper and dare
iranscres. No msn IN This room would deny word thai
Mr. Hall had said but r Legislature Of New York should
not oporlc The lives ct the ciens ol staten LLnd Tor
The purlcsc 81 projecting The cizrns OF New York.
Conin. cncr lN1 contendcd that th" health Of staten
fHnd could not bc tconriized, the population wa TOO
sparse to create epidemic, hat The Stc Of tc atnos
lhcre would NOT admit OF the spread OF M epidemic.
Mr.. Ion e. tug addressed The Commissioners AT some
rgib and hc thought that the Cii,rr Of staten Island
wcrc mi fHy n~are o ts proposition beng serious
one until very recently; they he'd sulpocd Ia De- -lrn
ply rurnp, Tor TIE nurpc of Frightening New icrscy
EiO giving The use Of Sandy Hook. E1t now, t9i
said 10 be fixed fact, they complained buory. They
had pctsiioned for the removal c Qingant.ne oil uc
Island, and wanted OF; wa "a rms uron The whole
Island, drawback uron hs trade, and dclrecidlng rs
rCa. e-te 80 long a. vas CA thc Island at al, people
we've s AID OF ne whole ISLAND Ntlc the health o. Now
York ant Cnyropa Was 81 be- considered should
forggttcn tat S{atcL Island wtS htky populated. " te
oyicrrren we're prevented FROM digging their oy,crs IN
the day tine they would do IT night. and thus, icrhaps
an epidemic might be introduced into uc city ~hcn they
brought theF oysieFS te New York. Il would bo mto~--
bic 10 keep them away from there railroad had been
chartered a. the scuhcry and oas,cr portions 81
hc ,ld and a. eoou The ferry franchises IN connection
were Frpnicd Il would 90 INTO operation. This
would take place in about gear and half.
or two ycars nhcn the railroad VA sprcd 10 be 10
operation, one great -ourcc vi profit which THE company
bsd Calculated upon the travel 80 pleasure seekers a.
The i0scr part q the Ilaud uroughDu! the summer
month, and especially On Supiay2. orc rea0n Why dis
Tari o. the i-lud had MOI been uic,ly scte1
cou-eaur OF de hack Of facilities " reach New York
city They expected 10 bring passenger. from hn,bov nv
The new railroad "a New York IN forty ninu,es Tbs would
render tie fnrthe part OF staten bland Ia clio prox
nifty 70 New York than ,he nearest part nov ~ 80 that n
quarantine shJ-lt be established ~ lruCCs Ray the
railroad would pas directly through The mot dangerous
district, aud not only lec ~ passengers thcrcoy, bu.
doubtcs spread .gon 90 New ORR cy. Tho danger
from infci would be greater than now, there would
b. more danger from the injected cscis than that
vhrh -uled q ii aztrw!sy u the long sidcrs lat
summer. TIE souihve-lcry winds would
flgh result, and no pccupiary con Iteration
should induce the Commissioner 10 threaten sriion
ls'and With such calamity Tie hid favored
the snirOu Of toucy Island and Sandy Hook bot they
could moi be- secured, hc thought that temporary *.
piieni, infected vc--cli coud be anchored Somewhere
down the bay, Until more eligible 80" coui be selected
d they cuicred iDo their contracts, 10 bind the
s'sip, thc law could not be repealed BY the nrSt irgts
aiurc hoy could rot take The property c these oyster
men without apprdial aut pay mcnt FOR nrst Tho lie
g. allure cannot destroy thc rights o cuzens, ard "
undertakes 20 establish nuisance, tIe ciG.rng havrs
ri.m to tuil 1t down Jury dcCtdc Stat Quarantine 80
be nui incc, Oh" Legislature canned Keep there unless
were -hoNn that Wa PLY steal nros-bily 10 take
II ans whore else An Injunction could be served on The
Commit ,iDncr ard the matter could be kent N litigation
UnH She snmfnrr Tosscd 80 uif b., Objection we've
summed up r The lirt that The site would Afford
greater protection 10 NCs York c.y, bui would Prove
greater damage IA ssinn Island There could DO anOcr
sto sslrctod, md the ciren % staten !1nd would
urf Uinoe cudeavofs So Keep Quarantine 90 che and
Comm. .oncr Oript,u BlvEN after q short running de.
hate, proceeded 81 state h answer ~ hc objections " The
Staten E.lTitr. n, stated that The COMMISSIONS,
obliged to procure some place temporarily. They could
procure SANDY Hook, bccSusc New Jersey would not
sell H. Thy could procure Ouney Island, because The
town o. Crave end would not cl 10: they could build
ground, bcca 90 u would Jake TO- long, sDd The lsr
Dor Cotnuiis .iOncr- would allow g. They could not
bud hoeOup ho.rtl, because that would b. but cs
pcrnent and would NJ any rsie take too long They were
obliged ~ cct ste Tor Temporary hospital, ana they
hsd chosen thc best place uley could nnd. They we're
gong 10 Keep hc contagious disease, IN The safest possible
place Perhaps tC state OF New Jersey, Va view or their
location being directly IN The rac % he boats going from
New YORK tcrc would come % trrfus ard ~ them have
Sandy Hook Tho COMMITS toner's bat nOt bccH more ec
tflT