The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-06-24
ELLIS ISLANDFIRESVEPT
Main Building Of the Immigrant Sta
ton Completely DESTROYED.
FAMOUS GATEWAY TO. AMERICA.

Blaze Started in the Second Story OF the
Great Immigration Building-Eescue
of Two Hundred Frightened Immi-
Grants-Property of the Poor Home
Seekers Destroyed in the Storeroo:ns.
NEW YORK CRY Especially The big immi-
grant landing bureau at Ellis Island was
reduced to ashes carly Tuesday morning,
and two hundred and fifty immigrants
barely escaped with their lives. There
were forty patients in the wooden hospital
building in the rear OF the main structure
who were carried out in cots just before the
hospital took fire. The immigrants and
patients were safely landed at the Barge.
Office pier at 2 o'clock a. m. Not one O.
them received go much as burn.
What caused this sudden CONFEDERATION Is
and NAV remain a mystery. William Burke,
chief of the night watch on Ellis Island, de-
clares he does not know the cause OF the
Are. The fire started in the east end or
side of the main structure, which Is more
than 1000 feet long and two stories IN
height. The first floor Of this building ID
almost entirely given up to baggage, While
the eastern end Of the second story Is useu
for offices. The middle and southern por-
tion is used for landing bureau and de-
tention rooms.
1t was in this part Of the building th9t
most of the $50 people detained on Ellis Isle
and we're sleeping. The fire started In the
end of the building toward New York, and
was not at first noticed in the detention
rooms, which are cut of from that portion
by partitions.
When Chief Night watcnman Burke no.
ticed the fire 1t was licking around one OF
the towers. He at once summoned the
thirty men employed under him, VINO
quickly unlocked the iron gates Leading
into the detention room, and aroused the
sleepers, who were reposing on penches
and on wire cots, which the bureau provides.
One Of the night watchmen was also sent
on the lump across the bridge to the wo-
mans dormitory, contained in two-story
building 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. q. White and Assistant Sur.
peons White and Gideon had been aroused
by this time and Ghey at once began to re.
move the forty patients In the hospital. IL
was seen at a glance that the big main
building was doomed, and 1t required QUICK
work to carry out the helpless sick before
the blistering heat prevented an approach
to the hospital building.
Meantime some Of the immigrants who
had escaped from the main building had
become anxious about their baggage, ana
despite the fact that the vast building was
fast being encompassed by the flames,
rushed back to save it.
In all the known tongues they insisted
that their all wss contained In the boxes
and bundles which they had brought over.
Captain Burke and his men had to fairly
fight them back on the boat. They wept
and wrung their hands when they found 1t
was 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
of gigantic proportions. It was built at
cost of about $5o0,000 An idea OF the
buildings immense size may be gained
from the fact that more than four million
Seet of lumber were used in its construc-
tion, The huge building covered the
greater part OF the island, the
ares of which was something less
than five acres, but this was IN
creased to about eight by driving spies
about the water front and filling In the va
cant spaces Will cdItu. Aho poIo -
three stories in hight, with tower at each
corner. The ground and upper floors
measured each 404 by 154 feet. The first
ioor was devoted to railroad and baggage
transfers and private offices. On the sec
ond floor the registrations and examina,
tions were conducted. Among the general
features Of the building was gallery which
extended completely around this floor.
From this the immigrants could be In
spected by the public or those interested in
them, without coming into actual contact
with them. There were rooms for paupers,
another for lunatics, another for those sus-
pected Of being contract laborers, another
fer women and children, and 30 on. The
telegraph and money exchange omces, pos,
tai stations, information bureau, railroad
and steamship offices were oil arranged 80
as to give the newcomers the least posi-
BILE Inconvenience. Sleeping-rooms were
provided on the floor above.