FOR SEVERAL YEARS THE PEOPLE OF STATEN ISLAND, and particularly those in the vicinity of the Quarantine establishment, have considered it a dangerous nuisance, and have been anxious for its removal.

The public is familiar with the efforts that have been made and the partial success that was supported to have been attained by the removal of infected vessels to the lower bay, and the erection of Hospital buildings at Seguine's Point. Also that the buildings there were destroyed by the people, and that in consequence the old Quarantine establishment became fully as obnoxious to the people in the immediate vicinity as before.

Recent cases of Yellow Fever outside the Quarantine limits caused great alarm in the neighborhood and hundreds fled, fearing contagion. There were no threats of violence made openly, but the Quarantine officials knowing how strong the feeling was against the establishment had anticipated some such demonstration as the destruction of the buildings, and these anticipations were realized last night to the fullest extent.

At about 10 o'clock the Small Pox Hospital, situated on the north-west part of the Quarantine enclosure on the hill was discovered on fire. Several persons had succeeded in getting inside the grounds and it was well underway before any effort could be made to save it. As soon as the light was discovered outside there was a large concourse of people surrounded the walls and demanded admittance avowedly for the purpose of extinguishing the flames. 

Suspecting them to be accomplices of those who had already commenced the work of destruction, the officials inside endeavored to prevent their entrance; but they soon battered down the gates, scaled the walls, and in a very brief period every building on the Quarantine grounds was in flames. They entered the smallpox and yellow fever hospitals, and every other building in which there were any sick, carried them out on mattresses and deposited them on the ground.

They then seized all the spare beds and whatever other combustible material they could find, placed them under the porticos and staircases of the buildings and set them on fire. The few officers who were inside did all they could to prevent the conflagration, but they were easily beaten down by superior numbers, and even the family of the Health Officer had barely time to leave their residence before it was on fire in several places. To complete the work of destruction, all the outhouses, fences, even to the pump, were burned; and now there is not a building standing except that known as the Women's Hospital. About 700 tons of coal caught fire and is also now entirely consumed. The conflagration continued until daylight.

The following is a complete list of the buildings burned last night within the Quarantine enclosure, being all the buildings used for hospital purposes, excepting one, the lower or Woman's Hospital, fronting the Bay. This, however, was set on fire as late as five o'clock this morning, and was only saved by the greatest exertions from sharing the fate of the rest.

The Small Pox Hospital was a brick building, 30 by 60 feet, of two stories, and having two piazzas. It stood on the hill back of the Doctor's private residence. There were no patients in this building, as it was undergoing repairs, and the sick had been removed into the nearest adjoining shanty. Five shanties, 200 feet long, set up on brick pillars about two feet from the ground; they were filled with brick, and of one story.

Three shanties, 125x25 feet, up the same height, and built of the same materials as the others. One of these contained the small pox patients, one the yellow fever cases, and the other diseases of various kinds, and the rest were occupied as sleeping rooms for the stevedores, and another for the use of the nurses. They were all filled with iron bedsteads, bedding, crockery, and other furniture peculiar to an hospital. Connected with each of these were various out-buildings. There were four large heaps of coal, all of which were fired and destroyed, say about 150 tons. Some of the shanties contained cooking and other stoves and ranges.

The Saint Nicholas, a large building used for the accommodation of passengers in quarantine; it is 60X130 feet, three stories high, of heavy brick walls, and having porticos at each end; the stoop and pillars of brown stone; it had a piazza on the east side. There were also two large brick out houses destroyed. They even burned the pump. The fences were set on fire in more than twenty different places. Two large breaches were made in the west wall, through which they entered the premises. Dead house and dissecting room.

A barn 30X50 feet, and two stories full of hay. Two horses were in this barn and a lot of hogs. They took the sick wagon, a cart and a light wagon, and ran them into the fire. Carriage house and coal house, 600 tons of coal, a lot of steam heating apparatus, a brass 6 pounder, an ice house, &c. A baggage house for emigrants, fire engine house, 25x50 feet, engine, 250 feet of 36 Buckets burned, together with much luggage.

After the mob had dispersed, some one got into the lower building, called the Women's Hospital, and set it on fire. It was soon put out, and is now the only hospital on the ground. Fifteen of the Harbor Police have been on duty at Quarantine since April last, constituting three boats' crews. Edwin A. O'Brien is coxswain of Boat No. 7. His associates are Frederick Blair, Joseph H. Bogle, Martin H. Dixon, and Ira Garland. One of the above officers heard a party on a Staten Island boat, only a few days since, offering to make a bet that the Hospital buildings would be burned before long.

Other circumstances led them to suspect that a movement would be made to burn the buildings. Boat No. 7 went on duty last night at 7 o'clock. About 9:12 o'clock P.M. they first saw a fire, and supposed it to be inside of Quarantine. They pulled for the shore, and two of the crew went up the hill to ascertain the cause. They returned in a few minutes, and reported that the west wall was broken down, that a great number were inside, running to and fro, with no one to guide them, hallooing, shouting, and exulting at the rising flames.

One line of six shanties was on fire, and the incendiaries were busy pilling up the bedding in the rooms. Beds already on fire were carried and placed against the doorways, to set them on fire. Mr. O'Brien ran to Dr. Thomson's house for instructions. There were a few stevedores about the house armed for the purpose of protecting it. Dr. Thompson directed the Quarantine steamer to be got ready and sent to the City; but on farther inquiry she was found not to be at her dock.

Mr. O'Brien and his party then started for the City, with the above-named crew. They left at 20 minutes past 12 and arrived at 10:14 A.M., after a hard pull. They were delayed for a quarter of an hour by a sturgeon, which, without invitation, jumped on board their boat, planting himself under the thwarts. He measured five feet in length, and weighed 150 pounds. He was finally quieted after much persuasion with the end of a boat hook, and lay still. He was brought to the city as a trophy. The policemen insist that he is in some way connected with the outlaws of Staten Island.

When the boatmen first landed and saw the mob at the gate, they stationed themselves there to keep them back. They were, however, assaulted with rocks, a large quantity of which was piled up near the gate. Finding they were determined to force an entrance, they were obliged to retire before the shower of stones and a very large force. The gate was then broken open, and there was no further obstruction to their entrance. An engine had already been drawn in through the broken wall on the west side. Hundreds now poured in through the gateway and rushed up the hill, shouting and hurrahing.

The stevedore's man who was shot was near the shanties, not making active resistance, but merely looking on. It appears the men employed inside the grounds were armed with muskets, with bayonets attached. They were very much excited. The man received three or four balls or slugs through his body. What the provocation was for shooting him, is not known. One of these persons placed a musket at the breast of one of the Police. (His name is Carl, and he is employed inside.) When the boat left, the Small-pox Hospital was on fire, and on the way up they saw other buildings in the group burning.

Report of these facts was made to the Superintendent with a request for a strong force, 50 men were accordingly dispatched by the 3 o'clock boat. The light of the conflagration was distinctly seen until after 3 o'clock, at which time it was not known whether Dr. T's. house was burned or not. He expressed his determination to defend his domicile to the last extremity.