Wilkes Rips King's, Sets Record With 10-0 Start

311 Non-emergency Number Also Faces Hang-up

Wednesday, January 14, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





Huddled masses' goal was never Hackensack &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With its heirlooms, photos, history and memories, Ellis Island is one of
the most stirring places in AmericaWalk into the Great Hall and sense the hope
and anticipation of the 12 million immigrant souls who passed through it from
1892 to 1954. Listen to their recorded memories. Marvel at the courage it took
to cross the Atlantic toward a promising, but uncertain, future. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Nearly 40 percent of all living Americans can trace their ancestry back to
the 28-acre island in New York Harbor, where U.S. immigration officials once
processed 5,000 to 7,000 newcomers per day. How many of us in Northeastern
Pennsylvania are the descendants of Slavs, Irish, Italians and others whose
first sight of America was the breathtaking view of the Statue of Liberty, the
Manhattan skyline and Ellis Island? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The renovation of the Great Hall and the opening of the museum there in
1990 after decades of neglect was the perfect example of a successful
public/private partnership. But many do not realize that much of the island,
more than 22 acres, remains in ruins. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And the recent U.S. Supreme Court battle between New York and New Jersey
over ownership of the island has revealed some appalling proposals for
possible development of those acres. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Officials in New Jersey, which is claiming ownership of much of the island
from its nominal owner, New York state, under the terms of a 19th century
treaty, have floated some frightening ideas for the historic island. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "You can do a great deal with 22.5 acres," former Democratic Congressman
Frank Guarini told the New York Times. "Of course you want to keep the
character of the island the same, but there is enough room for a hotel, a
conference center, and other facilities." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Another New Jersey Congressman acquired funding for a pedestrian bridge to
link Ellis Island to his state several years ago. The funds were later
withdrawn. Preservation groups fear such a bridge, if built, would destroy the
historical accuracy of the site, which is accessible only by ferry, just as it
was during the heyday of immigratio

Huddled Masses' Goal Was Never Hackensack 
With Its Heirlooms, Photos, History And Memories, Ellis Island Is One Of The 
Most Stirring Places In America.

Huddled Masses' Goal Was Never Hackensack With Its Heirlooms, Photos, History And Memories, Ellis Island Is One Of The Most Stirring Places In America.