The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-30
COMFY ISLAND AND THE QUARANTINE.

! The Troubles About a Quarantine Station
How the Late Decision Of Judge Gilbert Is
viewed-Determined Opposition by Property
Holders-Quiet Submission Proposed by
| Others.
| For more than ten years the State authorities
have been in quandary to locate quarantine sta
ton permanently in the lower bay Of New York. At
one time 1t was thought that the quarantine had a
permanent home on the northeast shore OF Staten
Island: but the occurrences OF the summer of 1865
dispelled that hope. The people nhabting the sur
rounding country broke over the fences and en-
closures one night and burned down the buildings
The people OF New York and vicinity well recolect
the many acts of barbarity committed by the
enraged populace ut the tme-hOw yellow
fever patients were left either In the flames
or were carried and thrown about, ike SO
many sandbags, to perish. All this Vandalism
was perpetrated In order to give tangible
evidence to the authorities that the establishment Of
quarantine station or hospital was not wanted at
that particular spot OF Staten Island. Some spas
modc efforts made to reassert the authority OF
the law over the opposing dspleasure of the people,
but these efforts were finally abandoned. Even CON-
panies OF militia ordered to the spot for the proec
ton OF the ruins and Of what remained Of the build
ings erected were Of little use, for many OF them
NEEDED In opinion with the people who did the
damage and were at hest but unwilling executors Of
the law.
Another attempt was then made to procure Sandy
Hook for quarantine station. But Sandy Hook is
not New York soil, or rather sand, and New York
Legislatures have no authority nor jurisdiction
its sandy waste. This classic spot, If 80 it may be
called, belongs to New Jersey. The Jersey Bues'
proverbially jealous ofheir rights, and
of coaXing could induce them TO part with even
particle OF their jurisdIcional authority over the
smallest grain Of sand that the wild winds may
| wait on or upon the lonely level OF sandy Hook.
studded w,th mosquitoes and bog, near the Never
sink lights, thicky peopled with Jerseymcn, prac-
ticay out OF reach OF any epidemic that may be in.
| ported In vessels 10 Sandy Hook the new Jersey
Legislature would not think OF and refused TO grant
its permission " let New YORK occupy the Jersey
sandbank.
An appeal was next made to the Congress OF the
United states but whether 1t was local ealousies or
| the prOverbal inertia OF that body, whenever
| questions Of great moment outside OF the political
ring are to be determined for one or the other
! reason, or perhaps for both, nothing was done
T, although the general opinion Of the people
is That uniform system of quarantine
throughout the whole OF vast extent
of shoreline Is just much within the province Of
the national Legislature as uniform system Of nat
urazatlon, OF bankruptcy, OF finance or OF military
therefore thrown upon Its own resources and It's own
territory for the protection OF the health not only
OF Its own Inhabitants, but OF the whole country.
Many and various plans were proposed, and within
the last few years more practical measures were
ton. At one time, not more than about two or
years ago, the Commissioners procured a law To be
passed by our Legislature giving them power to Sc
lect part of Coney Island for their location OF a
quarantine hospital. AS the Commissioners were
about to proceed under the law and make personal
inspection Of the locality they again met the persist
ent hostility OF the people nhabiting the neighbour
hood who very reasonably, dreaded the approach
! Of infectious and contagious diseases to tho very
door OF their homes. large police force was re.
quired TO protect the officiating Commissioners and
their attendants and for the time the matter was
dropped, rs the old adage found 10 he TOO pow
crlul, that the peoples VIII no mans power coneth
against
authorized to select any shallow part Of the bay and
erect upon a bank an artificial island and there,
| surrounded on all sides by the purifying waters OF
the ocean, build on made ground or piles hospital
| capable or accommodating all whom late might
select part OF the western portion Of Coney Island
and erect thereon all necessary tenements for resi-
dences OF the officers and wardens ana other
| employees OF the commissioners Under this
law the Commissioners proceeded to make
| their selection; but they again met with de-
termined opposition, aud this time In the form Of
| legal proceedings. on behalf Of the inhabitants OF
| the town Of Gravesend, IN the county OF Kings,
| application was made 10 the supreme Court in the
Second Judicial district Of the State, for an njunc
| ton restraining the Quarantine Commissioners from
establishing their headquarters on any part OF Coney
tice OF This application. On the er pdrfe statement
or the petitioners one of the Judges OF the court
granted preliminary Injunction, or injunctonal
der as It Is called by the code and the Commission.
ers had again to abstain from all further efforts at
perecting their plans They moved, however, To
dissolve this inunctional order and met the allcga-
! tons OF the Inhabitants OF the town " Gravesend
with counter allegations, which, after argument,
proved sufficient to convince Judge Jasper ". GIl-
bert Of the Supreme Court that the njunctional
der heretofore granted should be vacated and set
aside, as was announced In the HERALD OF ycster-
day.
When this decision came to the knowledge OF the
people OF Gravescnd there was as may be expected.
great excitement. Those who took leading part IN
the contest against the Commissioners, as well IA
those associated with them felt indignant and gave
vent TO their feelings in no unmstakable terms.
Law though II may be what Judge Gilbert has de.
cidcd II certainly was to them not Justice they de-
ciared and list passed around, and signatures
were obtained, and subscriptions secured 10 employ
the most eminent counsel Kings county can AFFORD
10 contest the matter Nth the Commissioners stll
further, 10 appeal from Judge Gibert's de-
cisiOD, first TO the general term of the supreme
Court and then 10 the Court OF Appeals, In order
have the question finally decided whether the state
Legislature has the power 10 erect 'nuisancc''--
and such some Of them call the Quarantine establish
mcknight before ther doors, deteriorate their pro-
! perry IN value without due compensation and dis
pose Of the citizens rights without his CONSENT
| They claim that IL IL not only tho very spot
! which the Commissioners may select anu for tic
! value Oh Whlcu they are empowered 20 pay,
but the neighborlood Of an establishment ike the
Quarantine has its depressing influence on property
Tor miles surrounding IL, for the loss In tie value VI
| which no recompcnse Whatever IL provided for.
They also say that the Commissioners are allowed
quantity OF land thej wish 20 take. and that the
, whole west part OF the island commencing a few
rods west OF the Pavilion Hoiel and including The
only spot the island accessible by wafer u In
cess OF the powers which Tie Legislature has a right
70 grant And they are determined not only 10 have
either 10y appeal otherwise, but some hint even at
| more forcibe measures OF preventing the Commits
sioners from benenling by the dissolution OF the
former Inhibition.
But not all Of the people in that region are OF the
same mind. There are Others who take diGeTent
OF the subject. These say that since the court
has decided for the COMMISSIONERS there some
things 10 be advanced IN favor OF their plan. Since
only the officers quarters are 10 be located on the
island and the hospital proper Is to be on what aie
called the West Banks, no danger OF a spread OF
epidemic disease need be feared; that, In reality,
would be a benefit TO the whole business Of the
island II the present boat landing were entirely
closed to the public for AZ they maintain, the bad
reputation Coney Island NJ present enjoys X due
manly 70 ,ie crowas OF rowdles ana roughs nna
come by the boat IL IL only In the imme-
date vicinity OF the LANDING that gambling
tables spread that excuses occur and that
visitors are disturbed and insulted This point Is
! from one and half 10 two miles west OF the rail-
road terminus, and while at and around the latter
place over SEQ 600 are invested In hotel accominOda
tons, at the place where the landing Is the value OF
the buildings does not exceed $4,000 Not one OF
those who own any properly east Of the proposed