The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-26
THE PORT wARDENs.

An Explanation of the Recent Act of the
Legislature Compelling the Reporting
of all Arrivals.
At noon to-day special meeting Of the Board
of Port Wsrdens was held of No. 115 Walnut
street, E. Hooper Jeffries, president, in the
chair.
After the reading of the supplement 10 the
Port Wardens bill, passed at the recent session
of the Legislature, General Gideon Clark moved
that committee of three be appointed to draft
an explanatory preamble and resolutions.
Agreed to.
The Chair appointed Messrs. Clark, Morris,
and Cramp as that committee, who then
retired and soon reported the following
Whereas, The following has passed both branches
Of the Legislature and has been signed by the Gov
ernor, to wit:-"That all vessels over seventy-tve
tons burden shall. within twenty-four hours after
arrival at the port OF Philadelphia report and regis
ter at the office OF the Board OF Wardens for said
port and all proceedings for neglect to obey harbor
regulations as at present existing shall be held be-
fore any Justice OF the Peace or Alderman of the
city OF Philadelphia and the proceedings for the en-
forcement of penalties in all cases shall be COM
Therefore this is to inform the public that this
law gives the board no additional authority but
laws Since the creation OF the board all vessels have
been required by law to report but for the last two
years owing to our defective laws nearly all coastwse
vessels refused to report. BY the operation OF this
law 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 want
and numerous commercial gentlemen have re-
quested the board to take such action would place
Philadelphia in the same position as New YORK,
Boston, and Baltimore. When last year, the Ma
tional Government asked the board for the CONNER
cia statistics Of Philadelphia, it was impossible to
furnish accurate information; and daily inquiries
made at this office for the tonnage, draft OF water
or location Of some vessels Of which possess no
registry. Under the old law, when vessels refused
to obey harbor regulations, the remedy was by
warrant, which generally took eight or ten days
before a hearing, during which time the
vessel left port This law compels an immediate
hearing, so that If one vessel is incommoding
another will not move to let her out of her berth,
or will not rig in her jibboom, Or having been six
days at wharf, Will not go outside, this bill Will
give an effectual and immediate remedy. This bill
imposes no new, fees, and excludes all
barges and small craft; and the board
will make arrangements whereby captains will not
be inconvenienced by reporting. Again, last year
several vessels escaped Quarantine with fever, and
were some time in the city before discovery. Had
this law been in force then, these vesseswould have
been sent back Immediately.
1t will thus be seen that this bill Is intended to
enable the Board of Wardens to enforce the police
and sanitary laws of the port and to obtain valuable
commercial statistics, and will be in no sense re-
strction on commerce.
The board gave their assent to this document
and then adjourned.