The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-08-09
MOBILE QUARANTINE.
Frs ERrECr ON OUR COTTON TRADE
AND OUR RECEIPTS
gnsaryFsyys with several OF Our MeF"
eEtants or the Subject and the views
E%@ They Express,

They Express.
THE recent quarantine on the part of tho Mo-
Tdle authorities has excited feeling here
stronger than has been felt for many years.
There can be no doubt but What corporations
have the right to protect the health and welfare
faf the communities under their jurisdiction.
hut when this power is carried so far, 80 ex-
frayagantly far what was right becomes cruelty
ridiculous. and what prudence pointed out
sranspires to be what folly would suggest The
quarantine Of Mobile as against this city ts
Ansed upon tho exploded idea that Infection
san be carried to d point by the mere passage
through that point Of IN infected body at no
matter how great speed.
The germs Of disease, il writer's be correct
cannot succeed in securing place for fruitton
III the contact be but short and OF little duration
and hence the Mobile authorities had but little
DO fear In the passage OF our trains through that
ssity. In order to get at the truth Of many re-
ports current regarding the reasons which
might have led to tho enforcement of duaran-
sine between Mobile and this city. reporter Of
XAe DEMOCRAT visited several gentemen direct
Hy connected with tho cotton trade.
The first called upon was
MR. HENRY q. HESTER,
ths secretary Of the Cotton Exchange. ME-
Hester stated uneQuivocally that 1t was his
opinion that tho quarantine established at
Mobile as against this city was not made for
any business ronsons 1t was true that Tor
Some time past our city had been receiving
HRrgeiy Of Alabama cotton that came directly
here passing through Mobile, but the duaran-
fine could have no effect on the present crop,
Because 1t would not be gathered until long
after quarantine would be raised, Last year
Ee received over the Mobile road B5. 900 bales OF
6etton, which this year was increased from
September to the last week in July to 178,0o0.
Hn Mr.. Hestor's opinion this could not be
Infected by quarantine unless 1t extended into
The latter part of October, which was improba-
Bile.
vent the Alabama eottons from coming in. and
iGit did railroad facilities wore such that 1t
would reach the seaboard readily. In response
ao " query of the reporter, Mr., Hester stated
AlTat the Mobile quarantine could not nave been
She work Of specu(ators, ANXIOUS to put up the
riee 9f cotton and make Mobtl9 % the port OF Ma e9
bile, counting in lighterHge and labor In car
wying cotton down tho bay is SO much greater
Baans that the difference is so great Mobile can
aeyer compete with this port. Even If the
quarantine was kept UP until late in October, it
would not hurt our receipts to any great eX
&ent. in fact not ut all.
A. II, MAY, ESQ.
pf the we'll known firm of Richardson & May
ferdido street, was next visited. Mr.: May
.garteougly y9unteered to giys all d th9 informa-
ing conversation onsued:
Reporter desire, Mr.. May, to got your
will haye on the receipts, of cotton at this port2
Mr.. May-It will affect the receipts very little,
siE,t Cotton Is scarce and the shipments Just
9ittl6 movement in cOttOu. Last year the re-
geipts for the month ut all ports we're only II 900
Bales. and indications are thai they will be
Rep.-You 10 not think, then. that the quar-
aatine will permanently divert any of the trade
Mr.. MI do not. As said before the ship
ments during August Will be very light, and
there is not much OF movement during Sop
Sanber. and again the quantity that might go to
Mobile in the eHrly winter would be- SO small
that it would make little difference. Most Of the
aottop. raised around Montgomery and Selma
goes East TO Savannah and Charleston way.
aaid the amount that might be received by
Mobile will be SO small that as I said before. it
aEill make no material difference.
Rep.-Well, Notwithstanding your opinion as
regards the effects. do you not think that the
anarantine was established 4 With m the hope that,
could be diverted to Mobile?
MIR, Nj certainly do not. / do not think
amy such idea was entertained.
Rep.-You think then IL Is only the result OF
Brr. M.-The scare. and nothing else: have q
a6tter hero from q g0ntl6man in Mobile with
whom I was formerly connected in business,
and he represents that he has information
through private sources that the fever here is
atty are Intensely excited and alarmed. ! think
sbRt tho people who have anything to, do with
cotton had nothing to do with quarantine. and
4 nm Of the opinion that the people Of Mobile
Will suffer mere from it than we will
The next visit OF our reporter was to
SCOTT MGEHEE. Esq,
If MeGehee, Snowdon & Violet; After intro
1obg bave e%I1 eaad NJ SGr s 10 ask few
ssnestions In reference to the Mobile duaran-
line I would like to know If, in your opinion.
y will materially diminish our receipts OF cot
Mr.. McGehee-I do not think it will. do not
gaow much about tho receipts by way of that
katy; our business Is in another direction, and
there are other gentlemen whom could name
Who will give you more information than can.
Rep.-But do you think that it will ultimately
asnnse n deviation Of tho trader
Mr. McG.-That depends entirely on how long
this quarantine Is maintained, If 1t ie contin
sod long enough 1t will cause some of the trade
IN leave our city.
Rep.--Do YOU not think the quarantine was
established forthe. purpose Of getting the cotton
which, under ordinary circumstances. would
Mr. Med do not. think the quarantine
gas entirely attributable to the scare. and that
il all.
After obtaining the names of the gsntemen
reFerred to by Mr. McGehoc in his first answer
Ahe reporter withdrew.
ALLEN WEST L BUSH.
MFR, Allen, of Allen. West g. Bush. on Gravler
near tho Cotton Exchange, was next inter
TIewed by our reporter.
Mr. Alien said there was no doubt that the
quarantine IL Kept up any longer would ma
5erially affect our cotton interests.
There is q great deal of cotton from the in
ssrior OF Alabama, principally fine grades,
hpped BY the Mobile road to New 0rsan s
season not being fairly set in. but Ii the
uarantne continues the cotton # VIII have to be
Jackson Railroad. These shipments will come
only from upper Alabama whilst the cotton 9 t
lrom lower Alabama, will 60 to Mobile. II the
tine Mobile for fear, Of yellow fever there.
The quarantine, Mr. Allen thinks. cannot be
kept up very long, beciuse Mobile will be
Freat loser M;T orlHena ss = y NJ r,
rEghtn in about two weeks; but supposing the
quarantine is not raised thereby y preuye,nting
shen even the staple will not all go to Mobile
The reason, Of this is that the interior towns OF
Alabama will be flooded with small buyers in
hhe interest IF Northern merchants to ship the
aotton direct North, thereby defrauding. as 1t
gere the Mobile and New Orleans merchants Of
hair