New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-12
dc in the county, and that should an isotaea
could not assume epidemic FORM
MOB LAW AT FIRE ISLAND.
BITTER OPPOSITION TO THE QUARANTINE
PLAN

To REPUISE THE NORMASNIA's PAIoh-N"DiS'
ny roBcn-pREs1DENT WILSON OF THE
HEALTH BOARD GUARDING THE
SURF HOTEL AFTER BUYING
THE PROPERTY.
Probably the most unpopular man In the TWO 'oNn
sh,,s a. nabyIon and Isllp L. l.. is David 5 Sanis'
~ :. A. Cur, Hotel Fire Island. which is now
~ ~, ,,a state government as q quarantine station.
,r,. erst snrcestion made days ago. that INV
state would use Fire Island as quarantine s'".'
threw the people OF Islip and Bay @lofe mo i'''
NJ excitement and apprehension, ana Wheh II pe' cam.
definitely known on saturday that Mr. sannls had SOU
the Surf Hotel TO the State some OF the Leading ce"S
~ Islp. which takes in Bay Shore. gathered toeethe
10 ~. narket souore and held an Indignation meeting.
Then thew got boats and the nnberof thirty sailed
across the Great South Bay and mt O'CLOCK yes'er-
aay morning landed Fire Island The hotel was
apparently deserted, every one was A'IeeP ANU al
thirty tramped up and down the piazza IN searc'
NJ Mr. sammis or Mr.. Norton. his sonin,law and chef
lieutenant.
Mr. Norton fast asleep in bed was awakened by
the noise and hafdressed as he ran down TO the
piazza where he found himself confronted Oy Tue
luminous delegation. lie was asked II 1t were true
that Mr. Samrnis had sold the hotel for quarantine
purposes He replied that he had yet received no
Official instructions the subject but expected TINT
Mr. Wilson. president Of the New'foik Board oi
Health would reach Fire Island during the daS ana
formally take possession Of the hotel The deputauoh
then said that they would wait oil msht ana an unS
N necessary TO Mr.. Wilson, In dc!ehce OF 'neii
property and homes. In the meantime lucy "ouiu
prevent any passengers from landing on the is'ahu.
Their chief points OF objection 10 the use OF the Siso
rs quarantine station that the presence OF pos
s,bv infected passengers at the surf Hotel VIII tena
10 depopuate most the cottages on the souh shoe
the possible outbreak OF an epidemic ~Oi!u III '9eii
expose the people Of Isp and babylon to danger OF
Infection would contamnate the water ana spoH ue
fishing that the regular summer residents would
noxt wear be scared away the lip and Bay olore
districts; those places would therefore De P'ac"
c,,ly depOpulatcd and laid waste
Rurninc with Indignation, the deputaton, armed 10
tle teeth remained the watch all night prcpaiea 10
repel any invasion Of the islaHd by tHe Nor"'an"
passengers.
pv noon Yesterday when Mr.. Wilson arrived, their
number had been augmented 10 fifty and at the heao
NJ the crowd which filed into the dance hal OF the
hotel for consultation with Mr.. Wilson were d.
Daker president Of the slip Board OF Health super
visor Young Coroner Moore, John Vail. JOSIAH hoO,
,ios lanes InderhL ard other leading citizens OF
Islip Fire Island forms part o. the lshp township
and the local board of health asserting 10 the rcQueS
OF the townspeople to defend their property tue ue
CATION greeted Mr.. Wilson, Dr. Edison ard Or. Bryant
with superior and tolcrating air. Coroner Moore
aud DIR Baker acted as Spokesman for the opposi-
lion and I'm loud language stated the grounds OF their
affection 10 the of Fire Island as Il auarahune
station President Wilson simply laughed At the IDEA
that any danger to the township could arse from
the proximity o. the quarahtined passengers VThe
people who would be put Oh Fire Island. ne saiu
uoud only be those passengers who had no trace
OF the disease among them and would he Qnardnuhed
merely Is a precautionary measure linen rfesue''
Wilson appealed To the deputation on the sronno Oh
humanity not interpose any further frivolous ana
unnecessary objections the release from confinement
OF the unfortunate passengers. lie pointed out thh'
serious mischief must result II the saloon passengers
were 10 he pept up for many days at time In the
close and nlventlated staterooms and saloons OF an
,ntected steamer lie reminded them that every
DAVIS detention board the steamer brought the
danger Of Infection and nearer; but his aTgu-
mens were useless. for the deputation asserted that
the local board of Jurisdiction was paramount to the
State Board and would resist any attempt to Mnd
passengers.
President Wilson Informed Mr. sammls that Gov
ernor Flower had authorized the purchase for s2lo
COO and that he Ind certified check for S3oooo 10
pay rs soon the papers were signed MI samihis
then turned the property over 70 President wilson
MS the representative OF Health Officer jenkins, all
the guests and most Of the servants having gone
away Saturday afternoon.
So fierce the opposition that at go O'Clock IN
the evening transpired that the sympathzers with
the local Board Of Health had been considering the
feasibility OF cutting of all Geographic communica
main shore appeared to have decided 10 bid defiance
both to the bidding OF Governor Flower and the
Instructions OF the state Board Of Health. They
seemed 10 have become utterly lawlcss as well
reckless.
As II grew dark, who had been concealed In
the shadows OF outbuildings began to move about
more freely Pckets were posted and regular
system OF signals was arranged. There telling
the exact number OF engaged on the island but
there certainly could not have been fewer than CITY,
aud there may have been double that number
A taste Of their temper rad already been afforded
President Wilson and his associates. search being
deemed advisable. piles OF innammabc materials
found heaped up against either end OF the hotel,
which II lighted, would have destroyed the building
IN a short time for being old and dry, IT would
burn like tender
When the mnchnation Of the enemy were fully
dersto,d, Mr.. Wilson promptly divided bic associates
Of the Health Department and the newspaper men
into watches OF six each. who should patrol the
building throughout the night, each watch doing duty
three hours ut stretch. Even presi-
dent Wilson stood bis turn, and when this
arrangement was effected all hands felt more com
Portable.
The first news OF the Cepheus had been received 4
little after o'clock In the afternoon. when a dis
patch came TO hand saying the iron steamboat or
Point Lookout with 2G7 cabin passengers on board
This great surprise and annoyance T., MIR VII
son. who had sent special orders have the Cqpeus
arrive at Fire Island possible and IN
70 leave Quarantine later than the hour
Mr.. Wilson had already arranged with Captain Charles
Wcks Of the Fire Island Life Saving station to pll0
the Cephcus across the Bar ST first Captain Weeks
had dcmurred. ana rad finally told Mr. viii
son frankly that Superintendent Arthur Dominy
had threatened him with the loss Of his
place II he brought the steamboat In.
Mr.. Wilson then promised him a place which would
pay him ~. 200 year In he lost the 5000 place
lie already held for bringing the Cepheus over the bar
Wicks agreed TO this but when the Ccpheus appeared
OF the Bar at AS lie was not on
hand When it was dark he appeared and
said il was impossible for him to bring in The
Cepheus or even 10 60 out and explain the stuatiu
In spite Of his protestatlons II vas evlden, that