▁the ▁late ▁nin ete enth ▁century , ▁reg ulations ▁on ▁imm igration ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁were ▁increasing . ▁There ▁were ▁four ▁west ▁coast ▁ports ▁where ▁imm igr ants ▁could ▁enter ▁the ▁United ▁States : ▁San ▁Diego ▁and ▁San ▁Francisco ▁in ▁California , ▁Ast oria , ▁Oregon , ▁and ▁Port ▁Town send , ▁Washington . ▁Federal ▁legisl ation ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁required ▁medical ▁ins pe ctions ▁for ▁arriv ing ▁imm igr ants . ▁Sh ips ▁arriv ing ▁at ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Ast oria ▁on ▁the ▁Columbia ▁River ▁had ▁to ▁travel ▁to ▁the ▁dis in fect ing ▁station ▁in ▁Port ▁Town send , ▁ ▁away , ▁if ▁disease ▁was ▁found ▁on ▁board . ▁The ▁communities ▁of ▁Ast oria ▁and ▁Port land ▁ag itated ▁for ▁closer ▁quar antine ▁and ▁dis in fect ing ▁facilities , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁them ▁too ▁close ▁and ▁so ▁proposed ▁a ▁site ▁across ▁the ▁river . ▁ ▁The ▁location ▁selected ▁for ▁the ▁station ▁was ▁Kn app ton ▁C ove , ▁which ▁had ▁a ▁def unct ▁fish ▁can n ery ▁with ▁a ▁wh arf ▁and ▁buildings ▁that ▁could ▁be ▁converted . ▁The ▁government ▁purchased ▁the ▁site ▁for ▁$ 8 , 0 0 0 ▁( ), ▁over ▁the ▁ob jections ▁of ▁the ▁Washington ▁residents . ▁The ▁station ▁was ▁established ▁May ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 8 9 9 . ▁The ▁building ▁which ▁had ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁can n ery ▁super int endent ' s ▁house ▁became ▁the ▁residence ▁for ▁the ▁quar antine ▁station ▁care t aker . ▁A ▁new