REPORT. To the Senate: The following resolution was passed by your honorable body on February 18th: "Resolved, That the commissioners of quarantine be required to inform the Senate, within ten days, what the expenses of the commission were from the date of the last appropriation by the Legislature to the present time, with a detailed statement of each item; also, what debts are now due and owing by the commission; also, whether in their opinion the quarantine establishment cannot be made selfsustaining by appropriating a portion of the large fees now accruing to the health officer of the port, to the maintenance thereof, without injustice to said officer." The commissioners of quarantine make answer respectfully as follows: First. The expenses of the commission, as called for in the foregoing resolution, have been the sum of $37,993.43, as per schedules hereto attached. For the particular items thereof the Senate is referred to the bills in detail, on file in the office of the Comptroller of State. Second. Schedules of the debts now due and owing by the commission are attached hereto. Schedule "D" is a list of the indebtedness of the commission which accrued prior to the year 1880. For additional items of indebtedness to those herein given, the Senate is respectfully referred to the annual report of the commissioners for the year 1878, pages 14 and 15. The commissioners are advised that these claims are now pending before the State Board of Audit. Third. Touching the last clause of the resolution as to whether, in the opinion of the commissioners the quarantine establishment cannot be made self-sustaining, etc., the commissioners respectfully state that the powers and duties of the commissioners are defined by law; that the powers and duties of the health officer of the port are also defined by law; and that the subject on which the Senate desires an opinion is one which has not been considered by the commission, and of which they have no knowledge. They therefore prefer not to express an opinion, but to remit the same back to the Legislature for its judgment thereon. The commission having, by reason of extraordinary demands upon the "Care, Maintenance and Repair" appropriation, exhausted that fund before the close of the quarantine season, the commissioners, acting under a high sense of public duty, advanced the sum of ten thousand dollars in order that the efficiency of the establishment might not be impaired and the city and State suffer by the introduction of contagious diseases. The boarding station at upper quarantine, consisting of eight acres of land, improved with the dwellings of the health officer and his two deputies and the necessary out-buildings, docks, etc., were purchased by the State in the year 1873, for a sum exceeding $150,000. Since the acquiring of this property up to the current year there has been but little money expended upon the buildings for repairs. The late health officer, Dr. Vanderpoel, brought their dilapidated and almost uninhabitable condition to the attention of the commission, and a careful examination, conducted under the direction of the commissioners, made it evident that before these dwellings could be considered tenantable, thorough repairing was unavoidable. In this the commissioners did no more in the protection of the property of the State than they would have done in the protection of their own property under like circustances. The necessity for extended repairs to the hospital ship "Illinois," and the imminent danger which might have resulted from delay, is perhaps best described in a letter addressed by Dr. Vanderpoel to the commissioners, at about the close of his official connection with the quarantine, which reads as follows: It "Hon. THOMAS C. PLATT, President Commissioners of Quarantine: DEAR SIR-I desire to call your attention to the necessity of some immediate action with reference to placing the hulk "Illinois" in a safe and habitable condition for next summer's work. is now ten years since she has been out of water to have her bottom repaired. Much of the covering is off, and the borers must be at work upon it. Last fall a dangerous leak occurred, which was temporarily closed by nailing some boards outside. During the last storm these were torn off and have been again temporarly replaced. If the vessel is taken out of water, her bottom repaired and other very necessary repairs made, she can be made to last several years. Unless action is soon taken, it will be impossible to carry out the provisions of the law relative to boarding in the lower bay, the commerce of the port will be iujured and the health of the community jeopardized. Respectfully yours, S. O. VANDERPOEL, Health Officer of the Port." The boarding steamer" Governor Fenton," was found, upon investigation, in such condition as to be practically useless, and it was only after a thorough survey by experts that the commissioners decided that they would put the boat in order, rather than ask the Legislature to replace her with a new one. Under the personal supervision of one of the commissioners the necessary repairs were made at a reasonable cost, and she is now in good running order. The repairs to the steamer "N. K. Hopkins," were for the most part only those required in order that she might pass inspection under the United States laws. Swinburne and Hoffman Islands, in building which the State expended nearly one million dollars, have had only such expenditures made upon them as were absolutely necessary to prevent more serious damage by the elements. Further damage to the property and a serious loss to the State thereby can, in the opinion of the commissioners, only be prevented by a large and immediate additional expenditure upon these islands. In conclusion the commissioners respectfully state to the Senate that they have endeavored in every manner consistent with the requirements of the service to economize their expenditures. They have secured from the steamboat "N. K. Hopkins," a revenue as per schedule "C" attached, which has gone far toward paying her running expenses, and they trust that the experience which they have had during 1880 in the important work intrusted to their charge, will result in increased efficiency and a still more satisfactory exhibit for 1881. All of which is respectfully submitted. T. C. PLATT, J. A. NICHOLS, Commissioners of Quarantine. I concur in the main with the above. So far as the matter of the selfsustaining of the department is concerned, I unite with my associates. in recommending to "remit the same back to the Legislature for its judgment thereon.' DAVID W. JUDD, Commissioner. BILLS PAID OUT OF THE APPROPRIATION FOR "CARE, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS." Appropriation for the care, maintenance and repairs of the quarantine establishment.... May 1st. Balance of account rendered. $15,000 00 23 33 Knox McAfee, salary as secretary, May, 1880.. Petty cash... Benj. G. Steemer, salary as messenger, May 2 to June 19. Frank B. Munsell, salary as superintendent, March, 1880. $15,023 33 $150 00 150 00 25 00 25 00 42 00 24 00 150 00 300 00 187 50 187 50 187 50 187 50 95 00 John Salveson, salary as engineer and keeper of Swinburne Island, January, 1880. 95 00 John Salveson, salary as engineer and keeper of Swinburne Island, February, 1880.... John Salveson, salary as engineer and keeper of Swinburne Island, March, 1880..... $95 00 95 00 John Salveson, salary as engineer and keeper of Swinburne Island, April, 1880..... 95 00 John Salveson, salary as engineer and keeper of Swinburne Island, May, 1880.... 95 00 John Salveson, salary as engineer and keeper of Swinburne Island, June, 1880 95 00 Maggie E. Vredenbergh, salary as cook and laundress, 175 00 Edward Cunningham, services as carpenter, June 25 to 24 00 60 00 45 00 60 00 271 60 40 00 60 00 65 00 10 00 315 93 1 50 11 25 Thomas R. Jeffrey, salary as captain, November, 1879.. Jesse Conklin, services as ship keeper, December 1, 1879, John J. Donovan, services as fireman, October, 1879... C. B. Keogh & Co., office fixtures. Herring & Co., Herring office safe. Isaac F. Youngs & Co., office fixtures. Thomas Noble, cleaning office, March, 1880... Edward Meurer, supplies for steamer N. K. Hopkins.. Hoboken Coal Company, supplies for steamer N. K. A. Brinkerhoof, supplies for steamer N. K. Hopkins. 5 00 13 00 11 00 8 80 122 52 11 48 70 00 218 00 62 40 110 62 28 00 131 10 37 00 48 70 17.00 12 00 386 63 106 88 787 57 349 90 865 50 1,027 75 |