, 1884-01-24
The San Juan Customs Service.
Deputy Collector IeeH Gices a
Sketch Of It, 1cHh Important
Statistics.

'StAtttptttp
EDToRs ARGUS;
As YOU requested. [ will eadeavor
TO give you few items which may
ne of interest to your readers in re
gard to the customs services of the
San Juan Are ipeIago, with head
quarters at the south end of he
san jun Island, the principal isl md
in the groul. James G. swan, wlOse
authority Is first-class for data AMI
Things generally on the lower Sound,
in his letter to the ARGUS of the l7th
INST, mentions Henry Webber as the
first Inspector of customs, and the
manner OF bis appointment by Col
|. n. Ebey. then collector of Gus
toms for Puget Sound district, in
May, 1854 He held the Office tin
1889. and wis succeeded by Oscar
Olney. who held it but Il short time
an Ter Collector NJ. Frost, succaeleI
by Paul X Hubb5, who held the post
until 1861, when the Office was dis
continued, this then being Il country
free fro all revenues and taxation
and under military rule and dictation.
Ii the fan Oh ISiz, at,er hdIaeI
Williams decision that the Canal de
Haro was the Ship Channel meant by
the treaty, as Commissioner Camp
bell ags eel to defect the boundary
between Great Britain and the
Unitei States from the 10th plral-
lei, to give na:al station to Greai
Britain, not only giving up one third
of Vancouver Island but a groul
Consisting of Saturna, Penler, Sal
oHrIng, james, Sydney and others
but thsy wanted the San jam group
thrown iu! Collector Fred. Drew
sent Frank H. Winsl W, inspector o.
Customs, to take an inventory o.
& Jod5 of tue several stores, as the
trade had been principally with
Victoria. He remained but snou
time, being ordered up for duty in
the otilcs ut Port Townsend, and was
su:cesltI by \. B. Young, pf seat
Ce, who was on duty there until
June, 1873, when caliel to do off K
duty under SeiuciaS u rielde, co
lecJor OF customs, and was succeeded
by John NJ. Izett as inspector, in
November.
L was put on board the sloop Mes
selger as cruising Inspector, tn,
sIoop with cap.aiu furnished at So
mucn yer mon.h by William Newton.
with the following changes OF cap
tains: William Gdriielie, Harr,
Sutton, and Chas. Blake and Wm.
,iusnman, with a boatman and sailor
rom the cutter. | acted in that ca
paclty until the 1st OF March, 1876
"neu Insp tctOrs' wages came down t.
$500 per diem, ana | resigned and
went to my farm on Mhiuby island
Maj. T. w Blake was appointed res
ident inspector on San Juan island
III 1874, and remained until Aprii.
1879, with the exception of the sum
mer of 1915, when he went to Neah
Bay, aud Nm. Cushman, then in
spec,or at Neah Bay, was furnishp,
t"o boItmen and small Whitehall
BOAT 10 cruise and protect the WOO
interests, as 1t was reported that :;
ndmDer of tons were smuggled
through the previous year; and Judgc
owan, us Inspector, cruieed som.
with Julius Flint and Mike G.eusUu
10 boatuen.
1 was then asked by Collector H.
\. Webster and Maj. Morris, special
gent, 10 take tle position OF inspect
or at San JUN, at my old vls5s
which was accepted, and returning
succeeded Major Bake, April, 1879,
and continued the cruising with Mr..
Newton and Gleason during the sum
mer months. In July, 1881, the pres
ent collector of customs, \. W. Ba-n, |
rhos. Cam as revenue
bgatman, who has since been pro
NOTED to an inspectoT5hip,ard Elisha !
Matheson, aad visiting The Island, |
ordered me to move my quarters 10 |
Friday Harbor, and in August we |
moved there 1t is certainly the |
most central for the trade, aud get
ting to the principal landing OF the
S and group. A year or two pre-
vious a numerously signed petition |
was gotten up By Gapt, Henry Rhosd- /
er and others a king for il SUPPORT of
entry at S nJuIn, The insp, ctor to
anter and cc..ear vessels without addi- |