TINICUM - 5-15-1965

It's believed to have been America's first quarantine station. It protected hundreds of lives in the 138 years it operated at two sites along the Delaware River. Through acquisition of one site in the early 1740s, the state for the first time became owners of Negro slaves.

World War I pilots were trained there at a pioneer seaplane base. Their senior flight instructor was Col. William C. Ocker called the nation's "father of blind flying."

SUCH IS the record of the Lazaretto Quarantine Station, established in 1742 by the Province of Pennsylvania to protect Philadelphia from contagious diseases carried aboard inbound ships.

The first Lazaretto Quarantine Station was near historic Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia. It was also known as The Marine Hospital of the Port of Philadelphia. It was moved to Essington in 1800 when a yellow fever scourge alarmed Philadelphians. Ownership was transferred from the state to the City of Philadelphia.

The station remained there for 80 years. In the late 1800s the quarantine operations were taken over by the federal government and are now conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service with offices at Delaware Ave. and Market St. Marcus Hook.

OF THE ONCE – sprawling quarantine complex here, all that remains is the main building, one block house, the old physicians' building — now a clubhouse for the Riverside Yacht Club —and two small brick buildings. They are at the foot of Wanamaker Avenue, between 2nd Street and the Delaware River.

The main building — The Lazaretto — is a handsome three story brick structure of traditional Georgian design. It serves as the headquarters of the 50-year-old Philadelphia Seaplane Base and as a home for the base's operators and the property's owners.

They are C. Robert and J. William Mills, who with their families live in separate two-story wings of the 28-room building. A third brother, Frank Mills of New Jersey has an apartment in the building.

THE MILLS' father, the late Frank Mills, a pioneer civilian flyer, purchased the 11.32 acre property in 1937 from Philadelphia for $10,500, through a newspaper advertisement.

Not long after the purchase, approximately one acre and the old physicians' residence was sold to the Riverside Yacht Club which remodeled it into a clubhouse. The main building's appearance hasn't changed much from the day it was built. A porch runs the full length of the building's front. Several dormer windows dot the roofline. Some of the building's original 28 fireplaces—one for each room—have been, blocked up, however.

ALTHOUGH the Mills have spent large sums of money for upkeep, visitors often are critical of what they say is neglect of the historic landmark. Robert Mills replies: "It may not be used to the best of its potential, but it's our life.

"Everybody with common sense said we should have torn it down. My father spent every cent he had fixing it up." Despite the obscurity into which it has fallen, Robert Mills said many people still telephone to inquire about The Lazaretto. The property has been mentioned as a possible state Project 70 recreation area. Robert Mills doesn't like the idea.

"I'm for preserving open space. I voted for Project 73, but this is our livelihood." He also contends th« proposed route of the Delaware Expressway (Interstate 95) and the proposed new jet runway for Philadelphia International Airport are threatening not only the Lazaretto but the entire Tinicum harbor.

NO HISTORICAL marker is on the property to indicate its rich past. The area west of the Lazaretto property is where once stood Fort Gotlenburg, Printz Hall, the church, graveyard and other buildings in the Swedish settlement of Prinlzdorf, founded in 1643 by Gov. John Printz but it was early German inhabitants who were instrumental in getting the quarantine station established.

Early in 1742, they presented a petition to Gov. George Thomas complaining that "for want of a convenient house for the reception of such of their country-men as on their arrival here labored under diseases contracted in a long voyage, they were obliged to continue on board the ships which brought them, where they could get neither attendance or conveniences suitable to their condition, from whence many have lost their lives."

The governor immediately recommended the erection of a building at public expense "not only to accommodate such as shall arrive hereafter under the same circumstances, but to prevent the future importation of diseases into this city, which has more than once felt the bad effects of them."

FISHER'S ISLAND, containing 342 acres, some buildings and several Negro slaves, was purchased by the state for $1,700. Historians say this probably was the first occasion in which the state became owner of slaves. Six acres of land nearest the river were used for the quarantine station. In 1750 a number of new buildings were built.

In 1775, Dr. Benjamin Rush—destined to become one of the great figures in the growth of U.S. medicine — was instrumental in getting sick or wounded crewmen of Pennsylvania's armed boats furnished with provisions, drink and wash at the Lazaretto.  In 1777, a steward was appointed to the quarantine station on an allowance of $26 per month.  By 1794 there was a mounting interest in public health.

WITH GOV. THOMAS Mifflin taking an active role, a general health law was passed which led to an expanded quarantine station staff. A health officer, a consulting physician, and a resident physician ail saw duty at the Lazaretto.

"The Board of Health" created by an act of the General Assembly had the power to levy a hospital tax and even borrow money and other needful things. On Aug. 7, 1799, the board of health of Philadelphia purchased the Essington site for $2,000 from Morris and Reuben Smith.  Robert Mills has a copy of the 1799 transaction. On Nov. 21, 1799, the U.S. government bought from John and Mary Taylor the adjoining six acre property to the west of the Lazaretto and used it as a wharf and warehouse. It is now owned by John Bosacco and is called the Governor Printz Marina.

BOTH THE SMITH and Taylor land titles came down through Swedish grants, according to Guy C. Bell, a title company official. "It is interesting to note that the Taylors, who made the conveyance in 1799, and their predecessors. . . had been in title since Feb. 2, 1683, when Christopher Taylor bought from De LaGrange, who had acquired the title to Tinicum Island through Governor Printz's heirs." Once the land had been acquired in 1799, buildings were quickly erected at Essington. Quarantine operations were established early in 1801.

A BREACH OF quarantine caused some excitement in 1804. John Ferguson, skipper of the schooner "Monongahela Farmer," had permitted 32 people to go ashore while undergoing quarantine but efforts to indict failed.

There were angry words again in 1824.  A man dangerously ill with smallpox landed from an oyster boat in Chester where citizens sent him to Lazaretto in a market wagon. While waiting to be admitted, the man asked for a drink of water, then fell dead in the market wagon.  Philadelphia newspapers bitterly attacked Chester for the act.

A MAJOR TRAGEDY struck in 1870. A ship loaded with logwood arrived from Black River, Jamaica. Its captain had died and was buried at sea. While undergoing fumigation, canal boats were sent from Philadelphia to remove the logwood. An unidentified woman and baby on one of these canal boats sickened and died. It was pronounced yellow fever. Filthy rags were taken ashore and burned.

On Friday July 1, 1870, Ann Eliza Enos and Ann Sharp were stricken at a Tinicum hotel operated by Jacob Pepper. They died within a week. Pepper also died. By August 13 the scourge had killed 10 people, including Dr. William S. Thompson, The Lazaretto physician; Robert Gartside, the quarantine master, and Mrs. Mary Gartsell, a quarantine nurse for 15 years.

A great cry went up to have the quarantine station moved to I Little Tinicum Island in the middle of the Delaware River. A petition with the signatures of 1,000 Delaware County residents was presented to the state legislature in 1871 seeking action.

Gov. John White Geary even paid a personal visit to the station. But the so-called removalists were beaten at every turn in the legislature.  Their strong stand, however, is said to have been a factor in the station's shift farther downthe river—to Marcus Hook —within a decade.

MANY OF its doctors and surgeons were notable names in early Delaware County medicine The daughter of Dr. Jesse W. Griffiths, one of The Lazaretto physicians, married the Rev. Mark R. Watkinson, whose plea led to the motto "In God We Trust" being placed on U.S. Coins.

The road which led to The Lazaretto from Mr. Watkinson's church in Prospect Park was called The Lazaretto Road. It is now Lincoln Avenue. A painting of the Lazaretto hangs in the neighborhood room of the Atwater Kent Museum at 15 S. 7th St., Philadelphia.

BY THE TURN of the 20^th Century and the removal of the quarantine station, the Tinicum harbor had become a teeming pleasure resort area. The Philadelphia Athletic Club was at The Lazaretto, called "The Orchard." The Philadelphia and the Corinthian Yacht Clubs were eslablished.

The Philadelphia Yacht Club

The Corinthian Yacht Club

THE AVIATION PHASE of Lazaretto was a colorful one About 1913, the site became a civilian flying school catering mostly to rich men's sons. Called the Essinglon School of Flying, it was operated by Col. Robert C. Glendinning and George C. Thomas on a lease arrangement with the City of Philadelphia. The two men had about six planes. The late Joseph N. Pew Jr., son of the founder of Sun Oil Co., learned to fly there.

By authorization of Congress in 1916, the Essington Seaplane Base became one of two squadrons designated to protect the eastern U.S. from the growing war threat. The Lazaretto was the main barracks and the base was known as Chambers Field. It was operated by the Army Signal Corps.

When war came the Essington group became the 45th and 143^rd Aero Squadrons. The men trained at Essington then were transferred to Gerstner Field near Lake Charles, La.