The New York herald., 1870-09-16
JUHKETTING AROUND THE HARBo2.
Visit Of the Commissioners Of Emigration and
Other Public Officials to the Quaran-
tine Establishment and Wards
Tsland-A Jolly Party.

After the meeting of the Board Of Emigration yes.
terday the members and large number OF gentle.
men representing interests more or less identified
with the emigration question assembled on the
wharf In front OF Castle Garden and patiently
waited for about twenty minutes until the Andrew
Fletcher gaily decorated with the State and national
fiags, hove in sight aud took all the waiting
pany on board. At the suggestion Of
DIR. CarnoohsD, who felt that the quar-
antine grounds might with propriety be
made q subject Of casual inspection, the assembled
party concluded to first visit the West Bank Hos
pital.
The trip down. the bay was exceedingly delight
full. and nobody felt like Offering the slightest OBJ
jecuon to the change in the programme. Swinging
into the wide waters Of the lower bay the Fletcher
very soon drew up at .he staunch wharf OF the
West Bank Hospital and discharged its passengers
on the pier. The company In the meantime had
dispersed themselves over the boat In the cabin,
with its soft plush seats and other delicate attrac-
tions, the venerable and popular Judge Bosworth
reclined on a camp stool and made the atmosphere
red0lent Of mlrth and music, and DR.. CarnOchan
showed the visitors the wOndrous achievements OF
the Quarantine Commission under the new manage
menr.
Among The gentlemen present were Victor Place
French Consul; James Galway. General Shaler, Will
liam Heinway, Eugene Kelly, william Won Sachs,
Commissioners OF Emigration, Richard O'Gorman,
James James B. Nichoson Andreas whitman, a. willy Wal Wal.
lach, James Lynch President OF Irish Emigrant So
ciety; Frederick Setback, President OF the German
General Miller John J. Blair, Nathaniel Sands, DR..
Cecarrlni, DR.. Esseigor, Captain Joel Mallory and
Mr.. Hicks.
Is curiosity which as arisen from sea, not alto
gether a with the beauty OF Venus IT. is true but
for humanity than the heathen goddess with all
her tender influences could accomplish. West Bank
Is structure built upon sand bauk. 1t covers two
acres OF ground, made by the construction OF wall
OF crates filed with stone TO form the outer line
the interior was then flied in with mud and
Out OF these crude materials good island
admirably su maas @ 9 q hexasonal sas nal dSgna iopm
m0datlons in the wards for 24o patients, with every
accommodation Tor cooking and laundry purposes;
the hospital buildings are complete with the excep-
tOn OF bathrooms and closets Tor the patients the
dinerent wards want which the Commissioners
should attend to at once. The sewerage Is admira-
bly, arranged, an eight-inch water pipe running all
round the structure and dscnarging into the sea-
The supply Of water is obtained from the rain Which
falls on the slate roofs OF the buildings and is re-
celved In twenty-five csterns and three tanks, hold
ing $4,000 gallons OF water, which Is distributed
through filters. thus giving q plentiful supply OF
pure water to the establishment. The Island,
garded as the harbor OF safety from imported
contagion for this city, s barren enough in appear
shrubs positively none. Out Of this material put
into shape in three years. we have a fine quaran-
tine establishment. But the hospital wards are
models OF cleanliness and fine ventilation. FOrtu.
nateiy, and thanks to the cIrcumspectOn of DR..
CarnOchan in enforcing the rules OF quarantine
hospital wards on West Bank have not been much
used this summer. The island Is under the control
of superintendent james O'Rourke, who has
been for seventeen years q most efficient
011cial in the quarantine service. Before
tn the burning OF , the quarantine buildings
intendent, and was subsequently transferred to the
command Of the hospital ships Falcon and Illinois,
He now controls the destnies OF West Bank and ful
s his duties TO the satisfaction OF Commission.
ers. When the West Bank structure was made, upon
i,s apparent doubtful foundation, people thought
sea; but, nevertheless, it looks to-day as firm as
Manhattan Island. The swaves Of the ocean beat
the Palisades on the Hudson forty-fve feet at the
base, and slopng to the verge OF the structure pro-
tects 1t from the storms which assatl it.
The Commissioners Of Emigration made survey
OF the little sand peeped into the cleanly arranged
wards, looked with some curiosity at the gas house.
small brick structure detached from the build
ings which supplles0 the institution with fine,
clear gazoline light-and. partook OF the hos
hearty manner, Commissioner Nicholson reminding
them all the time that the boat was ready and that
Wards Island their Orfg1nald estimation, was long
way or SO the party, fortified by the air Of West
Bank-that little st. Helena, without Its sorrowful
history-and assured, no doubt, that ample protec.
ton against the spread of contagious disease was
provided In these outworks, which stand between
the city and The approach OF plague and pestlence
river.
Arrived at Wards Island Mr. Nicholson the in de.
fatigabe chaperone Of the body known as the Com
missoners oil Charities and Correction, took the
visiting party in hand and did well for them.
Mr.. O'Gornan the president, and Mr.. Isaac Bell,
vice president, showed the gentlemen over the
Island and explained the working or the nstitu-
tions on the island In full and interest
Ing detail. Mrs. Mooy and Mrs. jacob,
matrons OF the Wards Island institution, showed
the visitors over the building and displayed the ease
and comfort with which over fourteen hundred per-
sons are comfortably provided Tor within the walls
Of the institution.
AT seven O'Clock in the evening, after dinner IN
which Richard O'Gorman and Isaac Bell exceed
themselves in wit, humor and eloquence, the joyous
party returned to the city, very well pleased with
the manner In which they disposed OF the day.