The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-15
Commissioners OF Health.

IN Board held session ut the Mayors Office yes.er
day afternoon, his Honor the Mayor in the coair.
The MAYOR said the meeting called the purpose
OF receiving the report Of the Committee consisting OF
Dr. Rockwell and hmself, to whom had referred the
communication Of the Chamber Of on tho sub
ject Of Quarantine lghterage. The following the re-
port
The committee, after careful consideration Of the re-
port Of the Committee Of the Chamber Of Commerce. are
unable adopt their conclusions and give Their reasons
at length They remark that 'hey have been no less
panied than surprised that upon question in which The
lives and health Of the citizens involved the invest
cations Of the Committee Of the Chamber OF Commerce
should have been far confined financial view OF the
quar- antine system 10 cause them sight OF the
great object for which our health laws enacted Tho
result ol their Investigations such that IL apparently
presents the merchants Of our city q class Of men
in whom the feeling Of seldshness predomnates
that OF common humanity for careful perusa Of their
report will render It manifest that the array Of facts
which they have presented to be mainly directed to
a mpt t show how much can be saved to the pocket
OF the merchant by change in the mode Of ansactng
business at Quarantine without properly considering the
consequences which would result to life and health from
the proposed change. they have almost entirely land
OF except Incidentally any consideration Of the
safeguards which the accumulated wisdem ex
perence OF the health authorities of the port
have caused 10 be adopted TO the Of
from infected cargoes, and have reduced the question
solely affecting the rights and interests Of property
beundeysgned however nave the charity 10 believe that
rcateo and exanlned the question from any want Of
humanity but o1n want of that practical knowledge OF
the workings OF csf quarantine system which alone
be derived from the experience in administration
They TOO well acquainted with the benevoence
mercantile Community to believe that the committee in
question would knowingly sanction any sanitary system
that would involve the weight Of human life the scales
with the profits to be derived from commerce.
By section 49, title OF the Quarantine act Of 1885,
provided "that lighter shall be employed to load or
unload vessels at Quarantine without permission of the
Health officer, and subject to such restrictions regua
toEs be shall impose" In the law a right is
gwen to parties aggreved appeal the Mayor and Com
missoners Of Health; and similar laws existed prior
to 1866.
The object Of these laws to prevent unrestricted
ndscrmIate Intercourse with vessels under auaran
tine, communication with them by unrestricted par
Ties would death and among our citizens
The committee contend that so lifted to be the
depository OF such power as contemplated by the law
The Health officer who is charged with the duty Of in
slecng vessels on their arrival in port and determining
VII, ther they can come with safety TO the wharves.
They ask what means would the merchant at his
counting room possess Of determining whether would
be proper 10 allow cargo from his vessel To be brought
TO the city? The Health oicer who is a practical ply
sican, is placed al Quarantine for the purpose Of
protecting the public health, and the public hold him
responsible in for the lives OF our citizens
The committee say it N evident from the statute that the
discretion applies not alone to time mode Of visitation
Of vessel and dschargng her cargo but extends To the
character Of the persons who make the visitation
The granting OF permits TO lighter cargoes Quarantine
being placed entirely at the discretion Of the Health OH
Ger the committee claim that he has fully complied tn
the law the subject and that he has way exceeded
his powers abused the discretion thus vested in him.
The names OF the selected by the Health officer 70
take the general charge OF the business Of dschargng
and lifhtering infected cargoes and the which
governed him in the selection Of single individual or
finn for each branch have been communicated. The
mticc hold that those satisfactory and
lock adopted for the benefit Of the city and its
merce instead OF establishing sodous monopoly - as
had been charged monopoly TO some extent il what
the statute contemplatedas there necessarily be
men TO do the business without doing any other,
and without having intercourse with the city.
That u stevedores and lightermen employ
ed indiscrimins,ely they would most certainly
spread disease through the city and elsewhere
All experience teaches that greater the number of
those who contact with tie OF infection
the more likely arc the seeds Of disease to become
tered hence the Interpretation OF the discretion conferred
on the Health Ohcer that he shall limit the number TO the
actual wants OF business.
The committee say The present Health Officer 30 far
as We have been informed has acted entirely upon
this nerpreationas we have yet 10 learn that any
plant has been made ~ 70 the character Of the
selected by him. But is claimed that in former years
the discretion of the Health 0hicer thus rgidy
eSerered, rDd dsserimnAAsn made, and that
city was well shielded from exposure to contagious
diseases this The culty determining this
lies in the fact that IN forro year has 90 large
Der OF Injected vessels arrived our port during the
past summer.
u has been easou requiring unusual prccauton and
II not perhaps too much 10 say that the exemption
our city from the ravages OF pcscnce has been,
great measure not wholly owing 10 the eScrtons of the
health authorities TO prevent intercourse between
zeDs and the shipping nj Quarantine.
The committee contend that the suggestion of the Cham
ber OF Commerce committee n allow each merchant
poy hs own ghicrmcn and stevedores would constantly
endapRer the health Of the city hundreds would then
employed indfcreety, and allowed after dischargng
infected cargoes IN so where they pleased
In regard 10 the selection of the stevedorce and lighter
the summer the committee state that the subject
twice before the Commissioners for invesgaion and
they came 20 the conclusion that nothing better could have
been done Their views the prices &C. given in
a Communication 10 tho Chamber Of Commerce The
complaints made failed o satisfy the Board that any other
BILE parties would render the services required
any cheaper paper had however been presented,
signed by scvedorcs offering 10 perform the work third
sss than the rates cf the Board The committee remark
If 10 large number then willing 10 undertake tho
work al hat rate Il is little remarkable tina, the fact
should not have been disclosed upon the full investigation
which was had upon those appeals The silence Of those
suspicion that their oner " made for purpose and
from - me motive inc,ns stent with good faith
That the prorenon u meant anticipated that the
under the existing rules would be required remain at
Quarantine for Dve days, afer dscbargng their duties
II was charged that thc action of tho Health 0fcer
based list 81 pFccs 10 which the OF
were placed without authority
This inquired into BY the committee and found to
be incorrect The committee asccrtaned that o tho
sicyedorts had been forced o. make ch assertion by
threats q being deprived q employment by Interested
Iartcs. An affidavit OF Mr.. Houscman IN Aubmited to
the committee their conclusions on that matter
In regard 10 the complaints Of excessive charges by the
ghicrmcn several papers submitted 10 that tho
charges 10 specified cases were less than what cbag
Cd for similar work ~ 1867, when the business par
cccd out among large number Of persons. The com.
miitcc remark, arties having the business in charge
present excessive bills there no reason why they should
Ger, BaId q Health have sanctioned ovcrchargcs
The committee remark that the expenses our com.
much Increased by the Of proper store.
houses and other facilities at Quarantine The Commits.
bad made frequent application the government
regard b. these wants but their petitions remained
hecded. "Until the wants of commerce are more fully
met IN this particular, merchants will continue TO have
grounds Tor complaint yet better that burthcns af
cctng property only should continue to be borne than
by relaxing the sanitary regulations Of the port our CITY
should be clothed IN mourning by the ravagcs OF pcsti
lenre y
The committee conclude that the business Of ghterage
and sevcdore work should continue under immediate
direction Of the Health Ocer and the work be confined 10
individual Arm for each branch but in order give
every opportunity for composition for the work and 70 ST.
ence every OF complaint in regard thereto they re-
commend that the Hcsth0ncer be requested TO rro
posals therefor during The ensuing season and that
give the 10 The individuals firms respectively who
shall offer 10 do al the lowest rate provided satisfactory
bonds be given by them for ts faithful performance al
well as the observance of the necessary requirements and
restrictions.
paper was appended 10 the report showing that II
sevedore work therein specified done during the past
season, had been done IN the OF 1857 under the
old arrange ment, would have cost considerably more
The report vas accersed, and ordered TO be printed
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