The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-21
TIE SUPPLEMENT TO THE WARDEYS
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40 the Editor Of The EUenSng TeIsoraph
the lonOWlng B the text OF the bill entitled GA
supplement to the act Of March 49, lsOs entitled AN
act to establish Board Of wardens, ETC. - which
passed ootn houses OF the Legislature and has been
signed by the Governor:-
Whereas, The interests of commerce In the mort
OF Philadelphia require that all vessels arriving at
sao port snail report and register at the once OF the
Whereas, The laws for the enforcement of the
ordinances Of the Board Of Port Wardens are inade-
board was created Therefore, be It enacted etc, -:
Inat all vessels over 75 tons burden shall within
Lwenty1our hours after arrival at the port of Pha-
dephia report and register at the ONCE Of the Board
oi m Wsfoens war ior said port and all proceedings for
neglect 10 obey the harbor regulations at present
existing shall be held before sny Justice of the
peace or alderman OF the city of Philadelphia, and
@ one Tor the enforcement OF penalties 10
hereby repealed.
These laws give the Board of wardens no addi-
tiona authority, but enable them mere effectively to
carry out existing laws BY vessels reporting the
board will be enabled to give daily full and reliable
report OF the arrivals and departures at our port,
and obtain for the use OF the public the complete
commercial statistics OF Philadelphia. This has
long been felt desideratum and numerous COM
mercial gentlemen have requested the board to take
such action as would place Philadelphia in the same
position as New York, Boston, and Baltimore.
When last year the National Government asked this
board for the commercial statistics of Philadelphia,
lJ WAS nlpOSslDie TO Iurnlsn the lnform8uOn; and
daily inquiries are made at this ONCE for the ton
mage or draft OF water concerning some vessel of
which we possess no registry. Under the old law
vessels on 1efusing to obey the haroOr regulations
the remedy was by a warrant and hearing, which
generally took eight to ten days, before which time
the vessels left port. This law compels an mme-
date hearing, so that If one vessel is incommodlng
another, or viii not move to let her out OF BERTH
Or having been six days at a wharf, will not go out
side, this bill give an effectual and immediate
remedy.
Again Last year some vessels escaped quaran-
tine with yellow fever on board, and were some
time ia the city before discovery. II this bill had
been in force then, these vessels would have been
sent back within twenty-four hours.
There is nothing in these laws in relation to fees,
and is astonishing that the Board Of Trade should
have taken parte statement of this bill without
asking Information OF the Board Of Wardens or its
officers. II the fees at present existing, and which
have been charged by the board since It's creation,
should still be paid, 1t would not average $40 per
year the vessels arriving at this port coastwse;
and IT, as is possible, this fee is reduced one.
half, It would not average S5. In return
these vessels are receiving constant atten-
tion, the channel OF the river is kept
open for their accommodation, the docks are kept
dredged and the wharves unobstructed, and they
can and do command any additional services with
out cost to them. This bill has been favored by the
North american, Inquirer, and Press, and when
properly enforced will be of great service to our
commercial interests. The Board of Wardens is
composed OF gentlemen who serve the city gratui-
tously; they have its interests Of our commerce at
heart, and desire the Improvement, but they are
bound to enforce the laws OF this Commonwealth,
and will not be nterfered with dictated to by a
few men who seek to control the harbor of Pha-
delpha themselves, and desire to ignore and abolish
the Board Of ardens and the officers Of the port