Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-02-02
QUARANTINE SITE.
Fun Text of the Report of the Del
aware Quarantine Commission.

Clear and Definite Reasons for the Choice
of Bombay Hook Island as Against
Any of the Following Locations: Deep
Point, Fort Delaware, Reedy Island,
Collins Beach.
Following is the full text of the report of
the committee appointed by Governor
Reynolds TO confer with the Pennsylvania
Quarantine Site Commission:
~ Ms Ecseteneg, Robert j. Reynolds, Gopsrnor
SIR: In obedience TO your instructions OF
December 18Th, 1871, the committee appointed
by YOU upon the part of Delaware 10 meet and
confer with tho Pennsylvania State Quaran-
tine Site Commission, submit the following re-
port:
On the 18th day Of May isNs. your committee
was invited by the Pennsylvania Commission
70 meet with them, tho Board Of Trade OF
philadelphia, the Maritime Exchange, the
Vessel Owners Association and representa-
tlves OF our other commercial bOllos n nd cit-
7ens OF Chester and Delnware county. Pa. at
The rooms OF tho Board Of Trade in The city Of
Philadelphia and we there heard u fun DIS
ctI7si0n OF the question of the removal Of the
Pennsylvania Luzaretto from Its present locA-
tlon tabove Chcster) to some more eligible site,
where the protection against The Introduction
o. Infectious discusses by vessel could be had,
for the cities, towns, villages and station upon
the Delaware river and bay.
On the 1851 day Of June we accepted the In
vtaton OF the Board Of 1rndo u tho city Of
Chester aud with tho Pennsylvania Commits
sion We were shown the site of the LazArctto,
Chester and tho thckly populated country adj
lacent.
CA June 14th we accom- oanisd the Pennsyl-
ynnta CnmniRaion, boarding their tug al New
Gaelic and fully examined the delaware river
apd bay for II suitable sito for quarantine to
Tt: Deep Point, In New Jersey: Fort lela-
ware IN Del ware; lee ~ Island, In Delaware;
! Collins Beach, In Delaware, and Bombay Hook,
| in Delaware,
We wore accompanied by a representative
of the Philadelphia Pilots Association.
lint -ttph IN
could be acquired by a personal examination
Of sSiuo modern aud Well.equlppel uuaran-
! tine stations, and on July 18th, we accompanied
/ mo Fenneylvnnih Commission 10 Boston, Mass,
whore We were most courteou-ly received by the
city nillcials Of the Board Of Health. and taken
| 10 Gailops Island and shown their hospital,
warehouse and plan for disinfecting cGrRUes
| and luggage, and treatment Of the AiGk, and
received mnny suggestions az the result oil
their experience.
From Boston No came to Nav York city
| where We were most cordially eutertni ed by
thu New York state Qnarantino COmmssio
ers, aud shown he equipment Of hospital,
! crcmnthry &c, at swinburne Island and MO
extensive layatory, steam dislnrectinc arrange
inehts. ami rooms for the accommodation OF
! persons held rs 'suspecta' during the period
! OF incubation, on Hotfman's Island.
On IN y 18th at our request We met the state
| Hoard Of Health OF Delaware AZ Wilmington
aud acquainted that board with the object OF
| the appointment If IA commission by thG state
| OF PENNSYLVANIA, also what we had ascertained
| by our Investigations and asked the opinion of
| tnh "a ifl upon IN" matter OF eStaDliHntng an
| interstate quarantine, AMI reported that our
| Judgment selected bombay Hook Island as tho
! best adapted site for quarantine within til"
| r TORY of this State. Considerable discus-
sion was had but no deinIt opinion has been
| given your committee by the state Board OF
| Health.
on October 5lh wc accepted tho invitation of
| tho Board Of Health OF Chester Pa, and ac-
| companied BY the Pennsylvania Commission,
| we visited bombay Hook Island to cxanlino
! its suthh eness Tor quarantine purposes.
/ M al lie Inn, ulAH hty
| the very gra Importance Of the matter Of
| quarantine protection and have given their
| personal attention aul best efforts to tho
| investigation OF this matter. There Is n general
| desire 10 have our psupte, az well hs In 5se Of
| New Jersey and Pennsylvania. and indeed the
entire country protected s9 By quarantine
| modern science, to arrest and prevent the
IN reduction of contagious or infectious
| diseases.
Your committee beg to siy we found a
| strong desire TO procure Fort Delaware from
| the United states government for the purpose
of general quarantine, which we opposed be-
cause Of the close proximity of this location to
| DelawhrI City, and the entrance TO tne Chesa-
| peakc u Delaware canal
We also opposed Rsedy Island because Of Its
nearness TO Port Penn. We also objected to
| Collins Beach because Of 1t being upon The
mainland and liable to encronchments of
| dense population Ia the future
In our investigation Of the essential physical
! requisite for modern quarantine station,
| gathered from our observation and the opinions
| OF experienced medical gentlemen In charge of
| quarantines we ne convinced that the follow
| ing advantages must be had:
First. safe anchorage for vessels out OF tho
| track OF other shipping.
| Second. healthy location and an abundant
| supply of pure water.
| Third. Complete isolation las upon an island
| to prevent ali communication with and the
escape of persons held as "srIspects."
| Fourth. place accessible at all seasons of
| the year and exempt from Zoe embargoes.
Fltth. Ample acreage OF land: rendering 1t
| aaTanr nta
healthy persons from those infected or sus-
| pected OF being so.
sixth location where no possible DANGER
can eSi pof 4preadi Z diseases to our citizsns
or be carried to any part Of our Ilnmon coun-
| try.
The careful consideration of ali onini7ns
| reaching your commit convnces us that ut
but one point on either side Of Delaware bay
| ana river can those physical requirements no
| found, and that Is at Bombay Hook Island
about midway between Cape Hen,open Tor the
| reikwater, at tho entrance 10 Delaware bay)
and tho cities Of Philadelphia and Camden
This location. modernly equipped, will afford
the protection desired for The citizens OF Inc
states bordering upon the Delaware, and close
the ioor agsinst tho introduction OF disease, as
Is now done by other saaports, and ts enay
! Isolation VIII forever prevent the encruach-
| ment OF population.
! In view OF the apprehension Of the approach
Of cholera during the coming year the IMPORT
| hnce OF some prompt measure to protect this
| country seems imperative.
IHiJ S"N7iuoiihg tue lnEeNIbueu NAngef TO
our people, should infectious diseases be
allowed 10 pass up tho Delaware to tho present
| LHzhrettO or quarantine, above Chester, with
which city our State is In hourly coinmunica-
! tion by railroads and steam ont, your commit
tee 20 uinmend as a suitable location in this
! 2, Bombay Hook Island, as comb ming all
tho essentials required for the protection Of
our citizens and humanely caring for tho I'm
fortunate sufferers and those on ship board
| liable to contagion.
The ac ,lisition of tho entire island eau DO
effected by purchase from the several owners,
while the geographical aud political jlrisdic-
ton would remain with the State Of Delaware
Wa have the y easure to ass re You nf the
uniform courteous attention your committee
has received from the menib ors Of tho renn.
| sylyania commission; Inc Boards OF Hcnith
and Trade OF chester Pa; the health on ials
III Boston; tho New York State Quarantine
Commissioners AMI the state Doarfof Health
| of 'olaware. and shall hs gratined Il our la Or
shall be helpful in securing protec ion Tor the
| State and country from the "psstilenre that
walketh in darkness" and "the destruction
| that wasteth at monday"
Respectfully submitted,
| WILLIAM ORR, VI. d.,
j. THOMAS BUpp,
| l.. i. COCHRAN,
I f'nt, ~ fan