Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-02-02
QUARANTINE REPORT
Upon the Location of New Per-
manent Station.
The Majority Eayors bombay Hook Island
and the Minority Reedy Island Adyun'
tages of the Two sites.


The report Of the Quarantine Station
Commission, filed with Governor Puttison
for transmission to the Pennsylvania Log
islature several weeks ago, was given out
for publication Thursday. There was
majority and minority report the former
signed by DIR, Henry Lehman and DR..
Benjamin Lee and Andrew Osborne of
Boothwyn, Delaware county, and the mi
norty report signed BY JOHN Huggard OF
Philadelphia.
The majority regard Bombay Hook
Island as The most available site for a
new quarantine station, though their re-
port also comments ut length on the
facilities offered by Pea Patch Island,
upon which Fort Delaware is located, and
Reedy Island, which have both been sug-
gested for consideration in the location of
new quarantine station.
Commissioner Huggard holds out for
Tinicum Island, the present site, but adds
that II the objection of the citizens of
Chester proves insuperable lie considers
Reedy Island the next desirable place.
OF Pea Patch, it is stated that in some
respects this island presents advantages as
location for quarantine and it is not un-
likely in an emergency, such as has oc-
Cured during the past summer, il could
be employed as "a station for detention of
passengers and disinfeGtion, for which
purpose the present bvildings, having
been constructed for the purpose of main
tanning Il considerable garrison, would
doubtless serve, and could be supplemented
by tents and barracks. 1t would not seem
difficult to locate on the island efficient
disihfectihg apparatus, and to provide
point of landing for the boats employed
Ill the quarantine service.
Reedy Island, which is next referred to-
is about five miles below Fort Delaware is
about one and a-half miles in its extreme
length. and its greatest width is not over
one.fourth of mile. As compared with
Pea Patch, Reedy Island is declared TO
have the advantages of decidedly greater
room in the ship channel; of being located
in less p0puluus portion of the territory,
the only settlement of importance being
Port Penn, which is located on the Della
ware side, about threG.quarters of mile
from the centre of Reedy Island, and also
of being further down toward the salt
water area Of the bay. Experienced pilots
have generally agreed that so far AS the
management of shipping is concerned
ReedY Island would be suitable for Il
quarantine station. The ship channel APP
prOachcs close TO the island, which would
permit bringing the vessels to n wllarf--a
matter of considerable importance in deal
ing with passenger steamers from infected
ports.
In passing from Reedy Island the
majority report says:
It does not appear, however, that this
location will meet the requirements Of
quarantine construction in the light of
present methods. Much greater area is
needed than this island furnishes, and, in
view of the close proximity of thriving
settlements, it would seem unreasonable
to eXpepd money in the construction of
such works, when, at no great distance
below this, an island exists that fultils, in
an exceptionally satisfactory manner,
almost every requirement for quarantine
on the largest scale, and permits of adupta-
ton by some not difficult engineering
operations in a most complete manner.
This is Bombay Hook Island.
Bombay Hook Island Is located in Duck
Creek hundred, Kent county, Del. 1t is u
narrow strip of land about seven miles
long, and varying in width from mile to
much less, separated from the mainland
by q narrow stream of water and consid-
cradle marsh. 1t includes in its entirety
the commission Is informed, about 5000
acres, of which about one-third, say 1000
acres, is firm ground, suitable for all build
ing purposes.
Attention is then called to the fact that,
although a creek separating the island
from the main land is narrow it is sutfi-
cient with the somewhat marshy shores to
prevent communication with the main
ldIIll, bNcE GduSGWdySt one OI WHICH
now exists for the purpose of carrying q
railroad on the island. The main land
Whereabouts is sparsely settled, aud as to
danger of conveying infection there does
not appear to be the slightest occasion for
alarm. AL the surrounding water is salt,
a desirable feature. The channel is wide
all along the entire length OF the island,
affording room for the anchorage of the
| greatest number of vessels that are ever
| liEnlp ~ no nbtuittaI m Dtra
water, which Can be obtained on the island
and the extensive territory, including
woodland, are advantageous sanitary CON
| ditiOus.
A suggestion is made of feasibility of
combining at Bombay Hook, by interstate
and international agreement, the entire
| quarantine service for Pennsylvania, New
| Jersey and Delaware. In Il further
| presentation OF the facilities of Bombay
| Hook it is claimed that the absence Of a
| natural deep water wharf is the only prac-
| teal objection that CAL be brought against
| this location rs Il quarantine station, and
it is declared that this defect can be RENE
died by the construction of pier.
Commissioner Iuggard's minority re.
| port says:
In my opinion there are three places on
the Delaware river where quarantine
| station could be established and success
fully maintained. These are the present
| Lazaretto, embracing Little Tinicum; the
second is Rccdy Island, and third The
| Pea Patch, where Fort Delaware is situated
! All my information relative TO the latter
| leads me to conclude that the Federal gov
ernment will not permit this plant 90 be
! taken by the adjacent states for any pur-
| poses. of all the sites for quarantine the
best is the Laaarettu with Little Iinicum
Island.
Protests against quarantine removal
have been made to this commission by the
| Board of Trade, Maritime EXCHANGE and
other commercial bodies of Philadelphia
| and feel sure that at no point can tile i'll
suranCe against disease by quarantine bt
as well maintained as at the present loGa
ton. when its proximity to Philadelphia
and its supervision by its authorities com
bine to give Philadelphia the most abso
Lutte protection from plague and all i'm
ported diseases If, however, the objection
10 the La2aretto and Little rinicum Sit,
| made by the citizens Of Chester prove,
| insuperable, | consider Reedy Island thS
next desirable place, and SO recommend
provided the authorities of the state o.
Delaware can be induced to give the Statl
of Pennsylvania at least equal power ant
rights in the establishment, maintenance,
and government OF an interstate quaran
tine.
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Real Estate sales.
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