The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-25
THE QUARANTINE INVESTIGATION.
More Light on the Way "the Commerce Of tho
Port Is Ruined"
Testimony Of Steamship Companies' Agents-Df.
Carnochan Completely sustained-The
Quarantine Well Managed.

The sixth session OF the Quarantine investigating
Committee was held yesterday, at the 81. Nicholas
Hotel DIR. Carnochan ana his deputy DIR. Reid, were
present as usual, were also Mr.. John J. Boyd and
Mr.. johnson, counsel for the Health Olfcer.
A number OF witnesses were examined as to the
detention OF vessels at quarantine aud the charges
for hghterage &C., but the testimony was merely q
repetition or that already given in the herald.
There were other witnesses examined, however,
whose evidence gave quite different complexion
the investigation. Mr.. Francis W. J. Hurst agent
OF the National line OF steamers, was examined ac
considerable length. His testimony was as f0llows:-
Twelve ships are engaged In tine service OF this nes
we have added six steamers 10 fleet within the
last four years; they make from sixty to seventy
voyages o year. AMI bring about thirty thousand
passengers they are the largest steamers crossing
the ocean; had
NO COMPLAINT TO MAKE
against the Quarantine officials; their action Is now
the same as II always was; they quite strict
enough, ana sometimes loo strict; never mad any
steamers unnecessarily detained; we pay TO the
emigration officials 81 so u mead for the passengers
ana III cases or smallpox the Quarantine officials
take charge Of the paGients We pay the Commas
which think IL only fair; the Helveua was de-
tanned ut Liverpool Tor cholera; the charges wero
CATION, which consider very low; could not get
II uone for anything IKE the money; we pay tor vac
GINA ton TO the neata Ohcer twenty-five cents per
never HAD ships detained except those tnat had
scAness on board; never sent ships to any other
port because Of quarantine charges here; the
charges are PAID to the commissioners OF Quaran-
tine aud suppose 40 to the State.
Dr. f. L. Harris examlned-I was once connected
with Quarantine. from lS4s to 1850; snip fever was
the prevailing epidemic at that time IN ships COM
ing to this port; during the season l had charge
more sickness arrived IN the months or April and
May than during the remainder Of the year; 40 not
Know OF any port in world where greater strict
ness is exercised IN quarantine than In this
port; there were very few steamers At that time;
the Cunard mad four, ana there were few others;
ships becoming Injected with disease than In
steamers, lor the reason that passages were longer
and the ventilation more imperiect; the lOOd and
walter IL also better on steamers than In sailing
vessel; know the Slack BAH line; do know
that they were more free from disease than any
others; | should say that IL would DC almost
impossible for sailing ship from Liverpool
blll and should say that 1t would be necessary
IN nearly every case TO detaln them In Quarantine;
during my time II was usual to detain vessels with
yellow lever aboard Tor thirty days, and In some
cases all the wluter; used 10 vacclnate passen-
gers; the charge varied nom nothing TO twenty-five
ccnts cabin passengers sometimes 81; | ain not IN
favor OF
during my time we generally selected lighters from
New YORK and Brooklyn; we required bonds oil them
to perform their business properly; think from my
the vessels had not been SO strictly lestalned
at Quarantine which mad yellow fever aboard
utterly destroyed Tue commerce Of tho port;
u would be dangerous TO allow llghtermen
and stevedores indIscrlminately 10 enter Quaran-
tine; isolated stores necessity; am acquainted
with Dr. Carnocnan; he stands at The head OF MIS-
profession in this country know OF no man VINO
is 80 lifted guard the city against the approach OF
pestilence MS administration OF quarantine has
not been too rigid.
10 the Chairnlan-I wouldn't give the snap OF my
finger Tor bill or health the quarantine can't be
strict; clothes carry the disease; would not be
AFRAID sleep with man who mad yellow lever,
but would be afraid To lie III bed III which q
man died OF That disease; there IL danger OF
the rever by personal contact II Is contagious. and
not infectious; We had In lS40 more Immigration
and more yellow fever than since that time; forty to
| eighty ships were In quarantine at q time.
| TO Mr.. Mr.. BOYD-W We kept tue vessels
| DAYS IN QUARANTINE
| after the passengers had been disposed Of DOM
| believe that any but a scientific man can give an
authentic opinion on quarantine; merchants, snip
owners, &c, know nothing about IT. then their IN
| terest interferes with their judgment.
Witness mentioned cases IN ms experience as
Deputy Health Oncer where captains OF vessels
deliberately Swore that their snps were healthy
| while at the same time there were people on board
them dying OF yellow lever; outside the medical
profession no one Is competent To give an authori-
tatve opinion Is to what should what should not
be done at QuarantIne we have the most honorable
merchants in the world. but they VIII screw hard
To get ships from quarantine restrictions.
| Mr. Ernest wendt, agent Tor steamship line, being
pioyed between this aud Prusslan ports; one Of
them, the Franklin, made four trips last year, three
cholera; the last trip. IN November, 1871 there
FORTY-TwO DEATHS FROM CHOLERA
| on board OF her; there were great many cases;
J she had 6l0 passengers; she was detained twenty
| days at Quarantine when think was wrong; mad
pay for the support OF passengers at Quarantine;
$500; complain Of the detention OF the vesse Ger.
ainly the crew, II the ship mad been let up. might
have brought cholera into New York; one Of them
was SICK with 1t at quarantine; seventy passengers
were taken to OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES In one day;
$40 not too much To charge for that the charges
we're paid the Commissioners oil Quarantine.
To Mr.. Boyd nave no complaint 10 make
against DR.. Carn0chan; have no complaint u make
ABOUT the charges.
MIR. Francis d. Moulton, merchant, testified that
he mad no complaint 10 make against DIR. Carno-
chan; he found fault with the law which gave dis
creuonary power to the Health Oficer.
Mr.. Cnaries f. SclirIner, general agent OF the
German LLOYD steamship Company, examlned-Our
company employs
TWENTY ATLANTIC STEAMERS;
fourteen have been added within the last fourteen
years; we have three nes we established the
Baltimore line as separate undertaking, aud not
because wanted 10 take the trade from this port;
our lines from New Orleans, from Aspinwall anu
West indies to Bremen were established on
the profits OF the New York business; our
stock Is at 1885, seventy five or our steamers
arrived mere last year, with from $4,000
to 10000 passengers; none were detained
at Quarantine except on account oil sickness; we
have complaints To make: every facility IS given
us; the charge for vaccination Is not too nigh
the Quarantine Is we'll managed
Other witnesses were examined as 10 their knowl-
edge Of the formation Of the New York HarbOr
Lignterage and StevedorDg Company. The testi-
mony completely exonerated DR.. Carn0chan from
all suspicion OF blame.
The committee Will meet tomorrow and then ad.
journ to Albany.