The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-09-12
PANIC REIGNS.
Armed Men Attempt to Prevent the
Landing Of Passengers.
A NEW DIFFICULTY IN THE FIGHT
AGAINST CHOLERA.

NaBlVCB OF flT6 1Sldu0 Z ~ W fATh1S w VAAcu
They Hear That People From Cholera
Ships May be Landed There-They Even
Attempt to Burn Buildings, and Health
Oficers and Reporters Are Forced to
Stand Guard.
SURF HOTEL, FIRE ISLAND, Lone ISL
AND,4N. Y, September 11.-There has
been more excitement in the last 12
hours at Fire Island than during the
whole summer season. The sale of the
es created a great hubbub among the
people of Islip and Babylon, who predict
all kinds of dire calamities as the result
of the landing of passengers from the YES
sells infected with cholera. Last night,
after the news was received that Govern
or Flower had given orders to purchase
Fire Island, the board of health of the
town of Islip, in which Fire Island is,
called mass meeting of the citizens of
the town to protest against
the landing of passengers at any
place within the towns Jurisdiction. A
committee of six, constituting the board
of health, was appointed to go to Fire
Island with 20 deputy constables to pro
test against the use of the island for
quarantine purposes and resist the land
ing of the passengers. They left in sail
boats late at night, arriving there in the
morning. The deputies were placed on
guard and when President Charles G.
Wilson and DIR. Cyrus Edison of the New
York board of health who had come to
Babylon by special train, arrived in sail
boat at in the morning, they were
quickly surrounded by the deputies who
made a demonstration against ID. S. S.
Sammis, the owner of the island,
Making All Kinds of Threats
against him for selling it. President
Wilson informed Sammis that Governor
Flower authorized the purchase for $210-
600 and he had certified check for $780,
900 to pay as soon as the papers were
signed. Mr.. Sammis then turned the
island over to President Wilson as the
representative of Health Officer jenkins.
All the guests and most Of the servants
had cleft yesterday afternoon. When
President Wilson appeared the local
board Of health and a hundred others
from the mainland. the crowd being
mostly bay men, made angry demonstra-
tions, using threats against the state,
Mr.. Sammis and everybody concerned.
Coroner w. FL. Moore of Bay Shore
continually harangued them. At eleven,
President Wilson met the board of health
and explained all the circumstances of
the purchase and intended use of the
island. Supervisor Young and DR..
Baker stated that it would ruin the
property and industries and endanger
the health of the adjoining communities.
He asserted that the local boards juris-
diction was paramount to that of the
state board, and local board would re-
sist any attempt to Land passengers.
Affairs are assuming a serious aspect
at Fire Island. Although it is only 8
o'clock in the evening, this is very like
ly the last word that will be sent tonight,
as it has transpired that the sympathiz-
ers with the local board of health have
been considering the feasibility of cut
ting off all telegraphic communication
between Fire Island and the city. The
men from Islip and other points on the
bid defiance both to the bidding of the
Governor and the instructions of the
state board of health. They seem to
have become
Utterly Reckless, as Well as Lawless.
AS it grew dark, the men who were con-
cealed in the shadow of the buildings be
gan to move about more freely as if they
were certain of concealing their identity.
Pickets were posted and a regular system
of signals arranged. There is no telling
the exact number of men en-
gagged on the island, but certainly there
could not have been fewer than so and
there may have been double that num-
ber.
A taste of the temper and cunning of
these fellows has already been afforded
President Wilson and his associates. A
search being deemed advisable, piles of
infamable matter were found heaped up
against either end of the hotel, which, if
lighted, would destroy the building in a
very short time, for being old and dry it
would burn like tinder. When the
Vaccinations of the enemy were fully
understood, Mr.. Wilson promptly divid-
ed his associates of the health depart
ment and the newspaper men into
watches of six men each, who should
patrol the building throughout the night,
each watch doing duty three hours. at a
stretch. Even Mr.. Wilson stood his
turn. When this arrangement was eff
fected all hands felt more comfortable.
The first news of the Cepheus was re-
ceiyed little after 5 in the afternoon,
when despatch came to hand saying
that an iron steamboat was off Point
Lookout with 267 cabin passengers on
board. This was great surprise and
ANNOYANCE to Mr.. Wilson, who had sent
special orders to have the Cepheus ar
rive at Fire Island as near noon as possi-
BILE and in no event to leave Quarantine
later than the noon hour. Mr.. Wilson
had already arranged with Captain
Charles Wicks of the Fire Island Life
Saving station to pilot the Cepheus
across the bar. At first Captain Wicks
demurred. Finally he told Mr.. Wilson
frankly that Superintendent Arthur
Dominee
Had Threatened Him
with the loss of his place if he brought
the steamer in. Mr.. Wilson promised
| him place which would pay him $l2oo
year, in case he lost the 5000 position
he already held, for bringing the Ceph-
eus over the bar. Wicks agreed to this,
| hut when the CenheuS appeared OFT the