In March, 1910, some eight hundred Russian immigrants arrived at Honolulu to work in the cane fields. It was discovered that a number of them were suffering from diphtheria. The entire contingent was immediately isolated on Quarantine Island by the Board of Health. The Board of Health I was unequipped to care for a situation of this size and asked the National Guard to take over the quarantine!” A detachment of one surgeon and ten enlisted men from the Hospital Corps was ordered to active duty and sent to Quarantine Island. They quickly inoculated all the immigrants and isolated them in three camps, one for the sick, one for the suspects, and one for the well.
For two weeks this detachment cared for the sick, fed and housed the well, and stood guard at night to prevent any break of quarantine. The immigrants were helpless, ignorant, and unable to speak English. This naturally led to misunderstandings and the detachment had to be on the alert at all times to keep the situation in hand. By March 22nd the danger of an epidemic had passed, and the Hospital Detachment was returned to civil life.
– History of the Hawaii National Guard pp. 58
A military hospital and quarantine was established for the purpose of taking care of the sick among the Russian immigrants and preventing the spread of diphtheria in the city of Honolulu.
The following orders and reports show the extent of the work performed:
Territory of Hawaii
The Adjutant General’s Office,
Honolulu.
March 8, 1910
Special Orders:
No. 2.
Permission having been granted to the Board of Health of the Territory of Hawaii to establish a temporary quarantine on the United States Marine Hospital Reservation on Quarantine Island, and to use all buildings and structures necessary to such quarantine, the Adjutant General is directed to assume control of such portion of Quarantine Island as may be indicated by the officers of the United States Marine Hospital Service, and to establish a quarantine camp thereon.
Dy order of the Governor,
JOHN W. JOXES.
The Adjutant General
Territory of Hawaii
The Adjutant General’s Office,
Honolulu.
March 8. 1910.
Special Orders:
No. 4
1. In accordance with the provisions of S. O. 2. A. G. 0. c.s.. the Adjutant General assumes control of all that portion of Quarantine Island lying west of a line drawn north and south. such line being 100 feet east of the row of buildings on said Quarantine Island known and designated as number ”3″ and ”1st Cabin Hospital.” and designates such portion of Quarantine Island as a quarantine encampment.
2. Captain A. N. Sinclair, retired, is returned to the active list of officers of the National Guard and, under the direction of the President of the Board of Health of the Territory of Hawaii, will assume command of and maintain a strict quarantine of the above described quarantine encampment. but will only assume jurisdiction over such buildings and structures within the limits of said encampment as may be placed at his disposal by the officers of the United States Marine Hospital Service.
3. A detail of four noncommissioned officers and six privates of the Hospital Corps will report for duty to the commanding officer of the quarantine encampment.
4. The Quartermaster and Commissary Departments of the National Guard, under the direction of the President of the Board of Health, will assume charge of the purchase, preparation and distribution of all subsistence and supplies necessary for the encampment.
5. All commanding officers will render assistance when required to maintain the quarantine established.
6. The service uniform will be worn by all members of the National Guard detailed for quarantine duty.
7. All service will be performed without arms.
8. All persons (except officers and employees of the United States Marine Hospital Service) are cautioned to observe the quarantine established and not to enter within the lines established by this order without first obtaining permission from the President of the Board of Health or the commanding officer of the encampment.
Any violation of this order will subject the person guilty here of to arrest and detention for the entire time of the quarantine and a fine of twenty-five dollars.
9. All persons quarantined. and all persons engaged in maintaining the quarantine, will obey the orders and rules established by the commanding officer of the quarantine encampment.
By order of the Governor,
JOHX W. JONES,
The Adjutant General.
May 6. 1910.
Hon. W. F. Frear.
Governor of Hawaii.
Sir:- I have the honor to report, that in compliance with your verbal instructions a quarantine camp was established on the United States Marine Hospital Reservation on Quarantine Island on the 9th day of March. 1910, under the provisions of Special Orders Nos. 2 and 4, A. G. O. 8, March 10, copies of which are annexed hereto.
On March 9th. the Territorial Board of Health placed in charge of the commanding officer of the quarantine camp two parties of Russian immigrants numbering 561, which number was increased from time to time to 800.
Three camps were established within the quarantine lines, a fourth being added later, as the various parties of Russians had to be isolated from each other. One camp was in a large stockade containing the necessary buildings for all purposes, one camp in a barrack building in which were placed 72 persons with diphtheretic throats, and another camp in three barrack buildings. Later the four barrack buildings composed one camp, and two camps of hospital tents and wall tents were established. Other diseases developing, such as measles, mumps, chickenpox, erysipelas, cerebra-spinal meningitis and whooping cough, the persons suffering there from and in contact therewith were isolated in separate tents.
The medical staff consisted of two doctors, at times assisted by from one to three other doctors, generally four nurses and a Hospital Corps detachment. A sufficient guard was maintained to keep all camps properly quarantined.
Ninety per cent of the immigrants were practically penniless.
Almost immediately upon the arrival of the immigrants they commenced to make demands for labor at $45.00 per month, although many of them on being questioned admitted that they had been promised but $22.50, the equivalent of 45 roubles, explaining their demand by saying that the purchasing power of a rouble in Russia was the same as the purchasing power of a dollar in the Territory of Hawaii. * * * *
By permission of the health authorities, during the quarantine Mr. Lightfoot had access to the camps of the immigrants as their legal adviser with his own interpreters.
On March 22, 1909, Mr. Richard Ivers, Superintendent of Immigration, and Mr. Lightfoot, visited the quarantine camps, and Mr. Lightfoot addressed the immigrants, advising- them to go to work and to accept the employment offered by the plantations. The results were negative.
Prior to March 22, 1910, Mr. L. Dombrovsky, a Russian interpreter who came to Honolulu with one party of the Russian immigrants, reported that 21 of the 251 immigrants in his party desired to accept work on the plantations at the wage offered, to with $22.50 per month, with free house. wood, water and medical attention, but were afraid to let the fact be known to the rest of the party for fear of bodily violence.
On March 22, 1910, a committee of six was selected from the 21 above referred to, to have cultures made from their throats, preparatory, if negative results were shown, to going to Waialua Plantation and making a report of the conditions concerning labor on the plantation. The committee was isolated a short distance from one of the camps, from which threats of bodily injury were shouted across to them in case they carried out their intention of going to the plantation to get information and observe conditions from which to make their report.
On Thursday, March 24th, the committee went to Waialua Plantation and, returning to the quarantine camp, reported that the conditions were as represented by the plantation agents.
On Friday, March 25, the remaining 15 of the original 21 above referred to, together with 12 others who had joined them, were taken from Camp No. 1 and established with the committee in Camp 4, being jeered and threatened when leaving Camp 1.
On Monday, March 28, of this party of 33 immigrants, 32 went. to and accepted employment on Waialua Plantation.
About March 19, 1910, a well developed scheme to keep the immigrants from going to work on the plantations, was reported, to wit: The establishment of a general fund from which all were to be subsisted, each immigrant to contribute one-half of the wages received for any labor obtained in and around Honolulu.After release from quarantine, the promise of immediate financial assistance from those having means, and the formation of an administrative council to conduct the business affairs of the immigrants.
* * * *
In this same connection, my information is, that a Russian named Vasilief, arrived in Honolulu during the month of March, 1910, with the avowed purpose of preventing employment of his countrymen on the plantations, and since his arrival he has been very active advising Russian immigrants not to accept work on plantations.
Upon the release of the immigrants from quarantine, the reported scheme to keep the immigrants from going to work above referred to, was put into active operation, * * * local people materially assisting with subsistence and medical supplies, while the administrative council compelled contributions to the general fund and tried and punished all those opposing them or failing to carry out their rules.
Respectfully,
J. W. JONES,
Col. and Adjt. Genl., Hawaii
– 1909-1910 Annual Report pp. 56-59