Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-09-15
FIRE ISLAND.
Neighboring Places Resist Its Use
For Cholera Purposes.
Islip and Babylon Claim That Their
Rights Are Paramount to Those of
the State aud Threaten to Re-
sist the Health Officers

ment at Fire island than during the
whole summer season. The sale of the
place to the state for quarantine pur-
poses has created great hubbub among
the towns of 1slip and Babylon, who
predict all kinds of dire calamities with
the result of the landing of the passen-
gers from vessels infected with cholera
upon the beach.
Saturday night after the news was re-
ceived that Gov. Flower had given or
ders to buy the island the board of
health of the town of Islip, in which
Fire island is, called mass meeting of
citizens of the town to protest against
landing of passengers at any place with
in the town jurisdiction. Suffolkdale,
where the meeting was held, was crowd
ed when Supervisor W. III. Young, the
president of the board of health, called
1t to order. Speeches We're made by many
prominent residents, who denounced
the proposed use of the island, predict
ing great injury to the property adjoin-
ing and the ruin of the oyster and fish
industries of the great south bay.
committee consisting of Supervisor
Young, Justice Clerks Studley, O'Brien
and Howell, DR.. W. A. Baker and J. S.
Gilbert constituting board of health,
was appointed to go to Fire island with
twenty deputy constables to protest
against the use of the island for quar-
antine purposes and to resist the land
ing of passengers.
They left in sail boats 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 Babylon by
special train, arrived in a sail boat at
3 o'clock in the morning. They were
quickly surrounded by the deputies,
| who made demonstrations against D. S.
! S. Sammis, owner of Fire island, max
| ing all kinds of threats against him for
selling it.
President Wilson informed Mr.. Sam
| mis- thatGovernorE1ower had authorized
| the purchase for 1910 600, and that he
| had a certified check for $50, 900 to pay
as soon as the papers were signed. Mr..
Samnis then turned it overto Presid ent
| Wilson as the representative Of III ealth
! Officer Jenkins, all the guests and most
of the servants having left Saturday
| afternoon. When President Wilson ap-
peared after breakfast, the local board
of health and a hundred others from the
main land, the crowd mostly of boys
and men, made demonstrations, using
! threats against the state, MIR. Sarnmis
and every body concerned
Coroner W. III. Moore OF Bay Shore
continually harangued them. At II
o'clock President Wilson met the board
! of health, explained all the circum-
/ stances of the purchase and the intend
ed use of the island Supervisor Young
| and DR.. Baker stated that it would ruin
! the property and industries and en-
! danger the health of the adjoining COM
munitieS. and asserted that the local
board of jurisdiction was paramount to
! the state board and would resist any
attempt to la1S3 passengers
At the time of the sending of this dis
| patch affairs were assuming d serious
aspect at Fire island. Although only
/ 7:3O o'clock in the evening this will
| likely be the last word sent, as it has
! transpired that the synpathizers OF the
| local board of health have been cOnsid-
ering 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 bidding of Gov.
! Flower and the instructions OF
! the state board of health. They
seem to have become utterly lawless as
well as reckless. As IL grew dark men
| who had been concealed in the shadows
| of outbuildings began to move about
more freely, as if they were certain of
concealing their identity. Picl1ets were
! posted and a regular system of signals
was arranged. There was no telling
! the exact number of men thus engaged
] on the island, but there could not have
! been fewer than fifty and there may
! have been double that numb Der.