St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-12
ATpemendous Hubbub Among
the People of the Town
ship Of Islip.
Decided Disposition Manifest
ed to Resist the Officers
OF the State.
Indications That Some Of the
LaWless Intended to Burn
Property.
About Fifty Of the More Des-
pepate Are Posted on
Picket Duty.

SURF HOTEL, FIRE ISLAND, n. Y.
Sept. 11.-There has been more excite
ment in the last twelve hours at Fire
island than during the whole summer
season. The sale Of the place to the
state for quarantine purposes has
created a great hubbub among the peo-
pie of the towns of 1slip and Babylon,
who predict all kinds of dire calami-
ties with the result of landing passen-
gers from vessels infected with cholera
upon the beach. Last night, after
the news was received that Gov. Flower
had given orders to buy the island, the
board of health of the town OF Islip, in
which Fire island is, called mass meet
ing of citizens of the town to protest
against the landing of passengers at
any place within the town jurisdiction.
Suffolk hall, where the meeting was
held, was crowded when Supervisor W.
II. Young, the president of the
board of health. called it to
order. Speeches were made by
many prominent residents, who de-
nounced tile proposed use Of the island,
predicting the great injury to the prop
erty adjoining and the ruin of the
oyster and fish Industries of the great
South bay. A committee, consisting Of
Supervisor Young, Justice Clerks Stud
ley, O'Brien and Howell, DR.. w. A.
Baker and j. S. Gilbert, constituting
the board of health, was appointed to
go to Fire island with twenty deputy
Constables to Protest
against the use of the island for Quaran-
tine purposes, and resist the landing of
passengers. They LETT in sailboats late
at night. arriving there in the morning.
The deputies were placed on guard
when President Charles W. Wilson and
DR.. Cyrus Edison, of the New York
board of health, who had come to Baby
Ion by special train, arrived in sail
boat at o'clock in the morning. They
were quickly surrounded by the depu-
ties, who made demonstrations against
DR.. S. S. Sammis, owner of
Fire island, making all - kinds of
threats against him for sell
ing it. President Wilson informed Mr..
SammIs that Gov. Flower had author
lied the purchase for $4,000, and that
he had a certified check for $4,000 to
pay as soon as the papers were signed.
Mir. SammlS then turned it over to
President Wilson, as the representative
Of Health Officer Jenkins, all the guests
and most of the servants having left
yesterday afternoon. When President
Wilson appeared about 10 o'clock this
morning, after breakfast, the local board
of health and hundred others from the
mainland, the crowd mostly of boys and
men, made demonstrations,
Using Threats
against the state, Mr.. Sammis and ev,
erybody concerned. Coroner w. IL.
Moore, of Bayshore, continually ha-
rangued them. at II o'clock President
Wilson met the board of health, ex-
planned all the circumstances of the
purchase and intended use of the island
Supervisor Young and DR.. Baker stated
that 1t would ruin the property and in
dustrles and endanger the health of the
adjoining communities, and asserted
that the local board OF jurisdiction was
paramount 70 the state board, and would
resist any attempt to land passengers.
At the ending of this dispatch affairs
are assuming serious aspect at Fire
island. Although only 7:3O o'clock in
the ewing, this will likely be the last
word sent tonight. as it has transpred
that the sympathiZers of the local board
of health have been considering the
feasibility Of cutting off all telegraphic
communication between Fire island and
the city. The men from Islip and other
points on the main shore appear to have
decided to bid defiance both to the bid
ding of Gov. Flower and the inStruc-
tiOns of the state board of health.
They seem to have become
Utterly LaVvless
as well as reckless. AS it grew dark.
men who had been concealed in the
shadows of outbuildingS began to move
about more freely, as if they were GER
tam of cOncealing their identity. Pick
cts were posted, and a regular system
of signals was arranged. There was no
telling the exact number of men thus
engaged Oh the island, but there GER
tainly could not have been fewer than
fifty, and there may have been double
that number. A taste of the temper
and cunning of these fellows
had already been afforded Presi-
dent Wilson and his asso.
ciates. A search being deemed adyisa-
bic, piles of infiammable matter had
been found heaped up against either
end of the ramshackle hotel, which, if
lighted, would have DESTROYED the
building in very short time, for, being
old and dry, it would burn like tinder.
When the Vaccinations of the euemv
were fully understood, Mr.. Wilson
promptly divided his associates of the
health department and the newspaper
men into watches of six men each, who
should patrol the building throughout
the night. each watch being on duty
three hours at stretch. Even Presi-
dent Wilson stood his turn: and when
this arrangement was affected all hands
felt more comfortable
The Cepheus Fails.
The first news of the Cepheus had
been received after O'Clock I'D the after
noon, when a dispatch came TO hand
saying the iron steamboat was off Point
Lookout with 2G7 cabin passengers or
board. This was a great surprise and
annoyance to Mr.. Wilson, who had sent
special orders to have the Cepheus
arrive at Fire island as near noon as
possible, and in no event leave quaran.
tine later than the noon hour
MI. Wilson had already arranged
with Capt. Charles Wickes, of the
Fire island life saving station
to pilot the Cepheus across
the bay. AT first Capt. Wickes had de
INJURED, and had finally told Mr.. Wilson
frankly that Supt. Arthur Domlny had
threatened him with the loss of his
place II he brought the steamboat in,
MI: wilson then promised him place
winch would pay him $1,000 year in
ease ne lost the $500 position he already
neld l0r bringing the Cepheus over the
par. Nlckes agreed 10 this, but when
the CepheHS appeared off the bar at 6 :4(