watchman noticed smoke coming out of one of the rooms, and gave the
alarm of fire.

There were more than a hundred immigrants on the island, as well as a
large force of people to care for them. In addition to these people,
there were some fifty patients in the hospital. In all, there were two
hundred and thirteen people in the buildings when the fire started, but
the discipline was so perfect, and the employees of the Island were so
well trained, that not a single person was injured.

The patients from the hospital were removed from the wards in quick
time, taken on boats belonging to the Island, and brought to the Battery
without delay. The rest of the people were put in the tugs and the
various kinds of river craft that hurried down the Bay the moment the
fire was discovered.

Some anxiety was felt lest the papers and records of the Immigration
Bureau had been destroyed in the fire, but it was found that most of
them were in safes and had escaped injury.

New buildings will be put up as soon as possible; the work on them will
be begun without delay. This time, however, they will be built of brick
or stone, and not of wood.

* * * * *

Many of our friends have asked us whether Robinson's Crusoe's Island had
really been swallowed up by the sea, according to the report which was
given out, and which we mentioned on pages 243 and 290 of THE GREAT
ROUND WORLD.