Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-02-09

TOT fhNOrinE heeuy ihiaHus
The Joint special committee of the Penn
sylvania Legislature 10 select new site for
a quarantine station met Monday at the
CITY hall, philadelphia, for organization
and to hear what the city officials and
maritime interests Of the port had to say
upon the question.
Whatever site may be selected Director
Better said, should possess two essential
features. 1t should be near the main ship
channel and there should be safe and
ample anchorage. Both of these requisites
are found ut Recdv Island, while neither
of them exists AT bombay Hook Island.
The former covers 100 acres of land, amnle
for all the needs of the State and govern,
inent, is near the channel and can he fitted
IN 1T reasonable expense bombay Hook
island is three quarters of mile from the
lS-toot channel and over mile to the "a
foot channel, while the river is live miles
broad and in southeast gale is exposed
to u sweep Of 40 miles of wind blowing up
the bay.
Joel Cook discussed the physical advant-
ages Of the two islands. To acquire and fit
mp Bombay Hook Island would cost three
teurths Of q million dollars, lie thought,
The state would have to hug the 5000
acres of land embraced in the island, ard,
considering the circumstances under which
il would be taken, he did not believe q
Delaware Jury woull undcrvalue HE land
or the good will Of the excursion business
now conducted there. At $50 an acre the
land would cost 100000 while the pier,
which il would be necessary to build,
wonld cost S2OO,0OO or more according to
its length. If water - feet deep is to be
reached the pier would be d milo long.
Representative Bliss SAID he felt sure
that as the Delaware Commission had
recommended Bombay Hook, and ltcetly
Island is SO near town, that the Della
ware authorities would not consent to the
latter Island being used for u quarantine.
William l.. Tucker said he wanted to
make clear to the committee what are the
intentions OF the national government In
this matter. II intends to maintain TIC
hospital and signal service At l,ewes. and
erect at Recdv Island disn fecting plant
y vessel arriving at the Delaware Break
water would signal to Lowes that all was
well and proceed lip the bay without stop.
| ping. At Rcedy Island the vessel would
| be examined, and If il was found that
the officers had deceived the l.ewes sta.
| tiun the ship would be sent back to that
| place to land her sick
Captain Shackturd. of the International
Navigation Company, told some of the
| practical objections to bombay Hook
| Island AS a quarantine station. The island
| is exposed 10 the winds that swecn up the
| bay, and the anchorage would be no safer
| than at the Delaware Break water.
Pilot Long said he had seen times when
| 1t was impossible tn board vessels ut Bonn
bay Hook. fnc ice now is three feet thick
| down the river and would crush pile pier
| of ordinary construction that extended a
| fifth OF the distance across the river. The
| Hook, i'll the opinion of all river men with
whom he had talked, isnot a suitable place
| Tor quarantine station.
As the government intends to establish a
station for examination and disinfeCtiun
At Reedy Island, George H. Earnshaw
thought that the periunctory duties de-
volving upon the state quarantine could
be performed at Little rinicum.
The committee agreed to make trip
down the river upon one of the city ice
boats aud inspect the various sites sug.
gested for a station, the time to be selected
by the city authorities.
Judge Clayton, at Media, Monday de.
livered an opinion. refusing to grant the
motion for a special injunction made by
the city of Chester to restrain the city Of
Philadelphia from leasing and occupying
Little linicum Island for disnfeclinp
| plant. The injunction is refused, with leave
to renew the motion should necessity re
quire it.. No exception was filed