The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-06
TRANSFER OF DRY roRruGAs.
Marine Hospital Service Would
Regret TO Give 1t Uu.


Regret 20 Give 1t Uu.
washington, March 5.-The proposed
transfer of Dry Tortugas, which Is now
regarded as the most important auaran-
tine station off our Southern coast, to the
war department, would necessitate the i'm
mediate selection of another location for
the station off the coast of Florida.
The quarantine season against ports In
fected with yellow fever and other infec-
tious diseases begins April /: so If the
war department decides to resume control
over Dry Tortugas and Fort jefferson,
which is located there, no time viii be
lost by the marine hospital officials in Mt
ting out another station.
Already some correspondence has been
had with officials of the service on the
Florida coast, and several of the FLORIDA
keys have been suggested as suitable
places to which the station might be trans
ferred. Among them are Fleming Key.
which Surgeon Murray at one time con-
sidered superior to Dry Tortugas as u To-
cation for a quarantine station; Mullet
key, on which the state of Florida now
maintains station, and Bahia Honda,
which is east of Key West.
Owing to the admirable location of Dry
of all vessels bound to the United States
from the West Indies. the north coast of
South America, and Central America, and
the perfect character of the quarantine
station, it viii be given up with great re-
gret by the marine hospital service il the
war department insists upon taking pos
session.
The annual report shows that in 1895,
hfty-one vessels were disnfected at the
in rfx i've MI
number last year was much greater, but
the figures are not yet available
yellow fever patients are not treated at
Dry Tortugas station, but at Bird KEY.
six miles away
The same advantages claimed for Dry
Tortugas as a point for quarantine are
claimed for II as a strategic point for the
feet operating against Cuba. It was
used during the civil war as a base of
operations against the Confederate states.
A report made by Surgeon Murray two
years ago contains some valuable informa
ton regarding the location the harbor and
the condition of old Fort Jefferson. The
group of keys, or islets of which Gordon
Key, upon which the station is located, Is
the center, cover an area OF eleven SQUARE
miles. Gordon Key consists Of ten acres
On 1t are the old fort, the Torfugas har
Dor light having range Of thirteen miles
and the quarantine station The anchora ere
to the northwest of Gordon Key has an
usable area of by 1h miles, with from 10
II fathoms of water and excellent holding
ground. Into this anchorage are three
channels. and Surgeon Murray saws with a
little care any vessel in the world now
built or to be constructed can 60 without
a pilot
Surgeon Murray's report would seem 10
indicate that the fort is In a bad state
of repair The channel into the inner Ler-
Dor goes entirely around the northeast o,st
and south sides Of the fort, and is narrow
and tortuous. In places IL is less than zoo
feet wide The depth of the channel is
four fathoms by selection, but there e a
ffteen-foot bead" near the north entrance
which is a menace TO all vessels of fbat
draft The short turns OF the channel
give trouble In handling vessels more than
go feet In length, ana 1t Is scarcely pos
sible to move a 3O0-foot vessel without
touching shore.
The coal shed at the wharf only has
capacity Of $50 tons. The source Of water
Is from rain only, but IS abundant If prop
erIy conserved, the rainfall being about
thirty inches 1t Is retained In seven Gig
terms.