The New York herald., 1870-02-13
QUARANTINE AFFAIRS.
MEETING OF TIE NEW commissioners.
Ship Owners and Others Stating Their Griev-
ances-The Powers and Profits Of Quaran-
tine Oficials-Plan for Preventing
Repetition--Ex Post Facto Charges.

SAASee Aho xVWcAc uuu AAVhs0 VA Au0A "A-
tine Ofiicials-Plan for Preventing
Repetition--Ex Post Facto Charges
Pursuant to notice given, the Commissioners Of
Quarantine-Messrs Wilson q. Hunt, DR.. A. N. Bell
and Samuel Borton-met yesterday afternoon at
the once Of the Washington Life Insurance Com
pany, NO. lo5 Broadway for the purpose Of hearing
any statements Or complaints that shipowners or
Others might have to orer Tho Health Onicer Of
the Port, Dr. Carnochan; the counsel to the Com
missloners, Mr. II. W. Johnson, and large number
OF shipowners and representatives OF reading
merchants were present, ana much inter-
terest was manifested in tho statements
made. Mr.. James Van Buren, from the
Vessel Owners and Captains ca. operative Associa-
ton OF New York. presented petition from
those engaged more particularly in coastwise trade
showing that vessels coming from Virginia and
Maryland with cargoes OF coal, pine wood &C.,
were obliged to stop at Quarantine each TRIP and H.
arriving there after sundown, were compelled to
walt TIL next morning, losing thus at times entire
days, which, in the course OF the year. makes an
item OF some importance, and acts as a drawback
upon commerce, already much depressed. The
petition showed, further, that, as q sort OF retail
atory measure the authorities OF Maryland had
adopted the same quarantine regulations IN regard
to vessels arriving ut Baltimore from Northern aud
Eastern ports.
The discussion then took the form OF q somewhat
desultory conversation and resulted IN showing that
many abuses had been perpetrated BY some parties
at Quarantine for their own profit.
Mr.. BUCK stated that he had known OF instances
where passengers wishing to come to the city from
vessels IN Quarantine Ia the Lower Bay charged
four dollars each. He stated that the vessel owners
pta hou fbayr al
Obliged 20 engage the lighters recommended by the
Quarantine onicias, and had to pay exactly twice
az much as they would have had TO pay to any other
lighters He thought that masmuch as the Quaran-
tine was intended TO bene1t the peo jle, the State
shouli be at the expense OF paying the fees, and
that the vessels should not be taxed at all.
Mr.. BRETT, from the Ship Owners Association,
SAID that as Congress alone was authorized by the
constitution regulate commerce. the state had not
any right TO levy tax Tor hospital fees. lie thought
the six ana o hall dollars charged for Quarantine
fees was direct tax upoa commerce, and tnat the
association which he represented had determined to
test the matter and have IL decided whether the
State had the right to impose the Tax.
Dr. BELL In answer 10, tls SAID that he thought
the Quarantine laws In accordance with the de-
clsons the United States courts ana tnat the IN
PRODUCTION OF IN infectious disease for the want
OF necessary regulations would be found to be
IN the end much greater tax on commerce. In
answer TO Mr. Buck DR.. Bel stated that IL would be
unjust 70 impose upon the state the necessity OF pay
Ing the Quarantine fees. That II such arrange
menu were IL WOuIu seem 10 luVltc
aud want OF cleanliness, winch would result IN
breeding disease The vessels, he thought, were
really more benefited by properly administered
quarantine than the State, ana the duty OF paying
the expenses Of quarantine should certainly be i'm
posed those who rendered The restrictions
sary
One OF the merchants present then addressed the
Commissioners and stated that the people IN the
sugar trade had mucn to complain, not OF Ihe
quarantine laws, put OF tne way III which tho laws
Alad been administered. When ne mad vessels arriv-
ing with carg0es OF sugar he was Obliged TO employ
the quarantine lighters to unload the vessels In
order to have them discharged IRON quarantine,
and that four tmes out OF Ave the vessels would
Seofs s lighters Would oGsx S.s
| with the cargoes. AT. one time he had some
| vessels which were detained in quarantine some
twenty ty-etght days. and when he wished 10 nave the
| ships run up TO . comparatively isolated point al
Williamsburg he would not De permitted and could
not get his vessels unless he landed the cargo al
EintO's stores, adjoining Fulton ferry, ana In which
he belIeved some OF the quarantine officials had an
1 interest. Three vessels under this operation had
cost nm some l,00o, althoughthey had clean bills OF
| Mr. BUCK again addressed the Commissioners and
owner offers 70 charter captain at Cuba any OF
the South American ports 10 take cargo Of sugar
yersay say exclude New York and iusI III l.Ke H."
Mr.. WAYDELL then informed the Commissioners
that In engaging captain TO take cargo OF sugar
from the South American ports they would charge
fifty cents on the hogsnead II they were to come
TO New York. He stated that shlpowners and
captains would frequently send their vessels to New
Haven or other ports to avoid paying the extraord
nary and exorbiant char yes imposed by the quaran
tine oncials at this port. The question Of cooper
age was also matter OF moment. lie related the
case OF the brig Resolute The brig UP TO qua
| ranIine and was there detained. The captain had
| some twenty days. There were some eight nogs-
| heads and some eight or ten barrels which needed
reneading, and the bill for cooperage on these
amounted to S10s. He had paid all the demands
against the vessel when the cargo was discharged
out wnen about to leave was informed Of this
bill and told tnat the vessel should not
and would not be permitted to leave until
all the bills were paid. He knew the
charge was outrageous, and he consulted counsel
on the matter and told to take the vessel out
OF quarantine and let them sue for the bill lie took
the vessel out and brought her up to her ock when
the cargo had been discharged. About eight or ten
hours alter the vessel had been at the dock the
back Az he had previously chartered the vessel for
another voyage and AS the charter amounted to
about thirty dollars per day he PAID the Dn caarged
Mr. fENDERoAsr stated that a couple OF years ago
his hrm had two vessels coming from Cuba When
the arst one ne arrived they being new " In the bns,,
tho bills without demurrlng; but the quarantine
folks would not trust them to pay the Dllls Town;
Wnen the second one arrived they were allowed to
bring 1t up to the city without first paying the bs
as they had been SO prompt In their irst payment.
were somewhat nign, and they advised with others
Of more experience IN the matter, and were advised
OF what Was right They had the vessels and the cargo
80 they paid only what was correct. year after
wards the same vessels were sent to Brazil for
cO1ee. On arriving at Quarantine. although the
bills OF health were clean, they told that the
vessels were to be detained thirty days. lie (Mr.
Pendegast went down to Quarantine to see II he
could nave the vessel which arrived first released.
He saw gentleman who kept lager beer saloon
near the GROUNDS, and was informed that tDat gen
teman was the power behind the throne, and was
perhaps greater than the throne itself. This indl
viduAl went on at . great rate about rOttop coffee
and the danger Of allowing It to go up to city
Finally some $500 was paid to somebody, after the
vessel had been there O week or so, and the coffee
became pure immediately, and the owners were per-
mittsd 10 discharge the cargo on Quarantine lighters
At cost OF sixteen cents per bag, when any other
llghtermen would have charged but eight cents.
When the second vessel arrived the sum OF $3.50
WAS paid but before the vessel could released the
owners were obliged TO pay the balance OF the extor
tonatc bill OF the year before which the Quarantine
folks said they had been cheated out OF.
Mr.. BRETT again addressed the meeting and SAID
that the press. and the merchanta. and the ahin