The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-30
ELLIS ISLANDFIRESWEP
Main Building Of the Immigrant Sta
ton Completely DESTROYED.
FAMOUS GATEWAY TO AMERICA.

Ezaze Started in the Second Story of the
Great Immigration BuildinS-Rescue
Of Two hundred Frightened Immi-
srants-Property of the Poor Home
Seekers Destroyed in the storerooIns.
Exw YoRK CITY CSpecial).-The big immi-
srxnt landing bureau at Ellis Island was
reduced to ashes early Tuesday morning,
md two hundred and fifty immigrants
aareIy escaped with their lives. There
xare forty patients in the wooden hospital
building in the rear Of the main structure
Hho were carried out in cots just before the
Anspital took fire. The immigrants and
patients were safely landed at the Barge
DRce pier at 2 O'Clock a. m. Not one o.
sbsm received 80 much as a burn.
What caused this sudden condagration IS
mad NAV remain a mystery. William Burke,
chief Of the night watch on Ellis Island, de.
eIares he does not know the cause OF the
Ire. The fire started in the east end OF
xsde OF the main structure, which IS more
sam 1000 feet long and two stories in
ksieht. The first floor Of this building il
almost entirely given up to baggage, while
The eastern end Of the second story Is USED
Tor offices. The middle and southern por-
zion Is used for a landing bureau and de-
tsntion rooms. 49,,
n was in this part OF the building that
most OF 1.-THE $50 people detained on Ellis ISL
and were sleeping. The fire started In the
md of the building toward New York, and
ms not at first noticed in the detention
rooms. which are cut off from that portion
by partitions.
When Chief Night Waterman Burke no.
iced the fire it was licking around one OF
Sfre towers. He at once summoned the
thirty men employed under him, VINO
uuickly unlocked the iron gates leading
into the detention room, and aroused the
leepers, who were reposing on benches
md on wire cots, which the bureau provides.
One of the night watchmen was also sent
an the lump across the bridge to the wo.
mans dormitory, contained in a two-story
AuiIdinc in the rear Of the landing depot.
Meantime the men in the main building
had been rushed out and down the main
double stairway, at the west end, to the
boat.
Surgeon J. II. White and Assistant Sur.
seons White and Gideon had been aroused
Ey this time and they at once began to re.
Move the forty patients In the hospital. 1t
xns seen at a glance that the big main
1uildine was doomed, and it required quick
1urk to carry out the helpless sick before
tAe blistering heat prevented an approach
tothe hospital building.
Meantime some Of the immigrants who
had escaped from the main building mad
Become anxious about their baggage, and
anspite the fact that the vast building was
last being encompassed by the flames,
rushed back to save it.
In all the known tongues they insisted
shat their all was contained in the boxes
and bundles which they had brought over.
Captain Burke and his men had to fairly
Eight them back on the boat. They wept
and wrung their hands when they found 1t
Yas impossible to save their property.
The new immigration depot at Ellis
Island, New York Harbor, was opened on
New Years Day, 1891. The structure was
n gigantic proportions. 1t was built at q
sast OF about $500, 900. An idea Of the
4uildinS's immense size may be gained
krom the fact that more than four million
icet Of lumber were used in its construc-
greater part of the island, the
area Of which was something less
than five acres, but this was in
ereased to about eight by driving spiles
about the water front and filling in the va.
can't spaces with earth. The building was
Erree stories in hight, with a tower at each
sorner. The ground and upper floors
measured each 404 by 154 feet. The first
asoor was devoted to railroad and baggage
aransfers and private offices. On the sec
md floor the registrations and examina.
fions were conducted. Among the general
FEATURES of the building was a gallery which
extended completely around this floor.
From this the immigrants could be in
spected by the public or those interested in
sbom, without coming into actual contact
With them. There were rooms for paupers,
mother for lunatics, another for those sus-
Pected of being contract laborers, another
For women and children. and so on. The
telegraph and money exchange offices, pos
tl stations, information bureau, railroad
Aad steamship offices were oil arranged so
rs to give the newcomers the least posi-
bio inconvenience Sleeping-rooms were