Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-29
FIFTEEN CENTS A WEEK
IMPORTED FEvERS
New York'a Painful Experience In the
Early Days.
Ispet ial Correspondence.l

lSpec ial Correspondence.l
NEW YORK, Feb. 25.-The quarantine
department ut the port of New York
lacks two yesrs Of being century old.
In 1904 the citizens, having been repeat
edly frighten sd by the importation of con-
tagious diseases, demanded that quaran-
tine be established. The state responded
with an app opriation for the construc-
ton of hospital and outbuildings, and
for that purpose gave Governors island.
Four years Later yellow fever scourge
passed over tho city, and before il passed
away New Workers demanded better
protection and the removal of the station
to more distant point. In 1909 an act
was passed n the legislature authorizing
the purchase of large plot of land at
Tompkinsville, S. l., where the light
house depa rtment is now located, and
directed that a marine hospital and
boarding station be established there
Despite the protest of Staten Islanders
these direct us were carried out not
long after.
A second disastrous yellow fever epi-
demic broke out in New York in 1903,
but the results We're most serious on
Staten Island. From then on up to 1880
several others scarcely less serious in
effect followed. Frightened and indig-
nant at tho risks thrust upon them, the
Islanders held frequent Indignation
meetings protesting against the continu-
ance of tho department on their shores.
No attention was paid by the Legislature
b. h. 81. ltr,- fu nf
the island alternately requesting and de-
manding yhe removal of the hospital to
some renloter place. The indignation
was at fever heat in 1913, when yellow
fever in Us worst form visited the island
with serious results.
The petitions became more numerous
and finally the tardy lawmakers ap-
pointed u commission to secure a new
site. Ar attempt was made to buy a
portion Of Sandy Hook, but the state of
New Jersey refused to ratify the pur-
chase Coney Island point was consid-
| ered bu. for some reason unknown the
proposit on to go there was dismissed.
| Finally, after much waste of time, u
site was procured Mt Seguine's point, on
| the extreme southern shore of Staten
Island. Hospital buildings were erected,
| but the neighbors being angry that q
plague should be sent to them, turned
out on the night of May 6, 1857, and
| burned down every house which had
| been constructed.
New Jersey again refused to allow
Sandy Hook TO be used for quarantine
purposes. Impatient over the delay, and
having discovered a remedy to get rid of
the annoyance, east and north shore
Staten Islanders gathered on the nights
of Sept. and 2, 1853, and removed all
the patients from the hospitals at Tomp-
kinsvi lie. They then burned down all
the state property which could be fired.
At ,heir wits end for station, and
having: been practically driven off the
land, the steamboat Falcon was bought
| by the authorities and anchored in the
lower bay, where she served as fever
hospital. Subsequently the merchant
men Umpire City and Illinois were pur-
chasel for the same purpose. Plans for
an artificial island on the west bank
were formulated, and IL 1868 it was con-
struc5ed and hospitals built. It was
named Swinburne island. One mile
farther north, on the same bar, Hoffman
| island, another of the same kind, was
also built and completed in 1872. In
1874 boarding station was established
on Staten Island short distance north
of the Narrows.
Tie two "hospital islands," as they
are called, are built ON a sand bar. A
heavy crib work was first constructed
and surrounded with large rocks extend
ing above high water mark. The in
terror Of the crib work was filled with
sand and covered with asphalt. Since
the improvements in 1884, when 1000
immigrants were under observation on
both islands, new buildings have been
con structed. On Hoffman island there
are four-two dormitories, the superin-
ten1ent's residence and building con-
tanning boilers for disinfecting. drying
and eating rooms. Stone and iron only
are used in the construction of these build
inps. The former have galvanized iron
walls, which are covered with fresco,
Willie the floors are made Of asphalt.
Tie berths and bathtubs are of iron and
in keeping With all the appointments on
the island germ proof.
All the hospitals are on Swinburne
island, and also the cemetery and NOR
tuary. Unless wish is expressed to
tne contrary, all persons dying of con-
tagious diseases are invariably cremated.
When the crematory was built, all the
dead which had up to that time been
buried at Seguine's point were disin.
tered by order of the commissioned
aud cremated. This property is ne
longer used for quarantine purposes.
Four years ago the old ship Illinois
having outlived her usefulness as float
Jag hospital, the merchantmen g. ID.
Carleton was bought, dismasted, and
| fitted up fer ratients During the win
Ter months she Is tied up in Erie basin,
and in the spring she will be anchored
in the lower bay several miles north OF
Sandy Hook, out of Tho way Of inward
and outward bound vessels.
Health Officer Jenkins receives sal
airy of $4,000 year and q fine resi-
dence. He is appointed by the governor
and the senate confirms the appoint
,nent. He serves fer two years or until
( the appointmeaJ OK his successor. Sub
! ject TO his commands there is a staff OF
, surgeons and two revenue cutters. His
hours of duty are from sunrise TO sun
set. No vessel Is allowed TO pass the
quarantine station after sundown, al
though occasionally this rule Is sns-
pended.