The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-10-11
THE STATE CAPITOL
Matters Picked Up in Our Tour OF
the Departments.
Important and Interesting Infor-
nation for County Officials
and the People.
From Thursdays Daily. ]

From Thursdays Daily.l
Governor Ross has the following CON-
munication by telegraph;
GALVESTON, October ., 1888.
| We have assurance from Doctor Cooke,
health officer here, that he will offer no
objections to the steamship Elm
fields immediate admission, if local quar-
autine officer here fisds her in good sani-
tary condition. Please reply.
j. MoLLEB & Co.
And the following by mail:
GALVESTON, October ., 1888.
We received your Excellency's tele-
graphic reply to our dispatch of yester-
day, in which you say that our communica-
ton has been referred to Doctor Ruther-
ford.
We beg now to hand you Doctor Ruther-
ford's letter to Us, in which he practically
says that your Excellency's reply to our
local board of health settles the matter
of quarantine once for all, which we are
very sorry to hear indeed.
Doctor Rutherford admitted two
steamers here at the beginning OF the
season, after having had them
tnOrOuBnly eAdmlIeu, anu louuu
them free from disease, after
they had laid in quarantine only few
days, and we cannot very well understand
why the same rule should not apply to
other vessels now here, especially such as
the Elmfeld, from Cape Verd, where, as
stated by US previously, contagious dis
eases have never been known to exist, and
beside, the vessel has been twenty days at
sea.
The arbitrary exclusion of vessels,
whether they are dangerous or not, inter
feres very much with trade, and the pro-
ducers of the state of Texas are suffering
very much in consequence, as they either
have to hold their goods until the quaran-
tine is off or to ship them at much
higher freight rate than is paid through
neighboring ports.
We sincerely trust you will modify your
views regarding such vessels, from which
there cannot possibly be any danger.
Awaiting your speedy decision, etc.,
j. MoLLER j. Co.
To this letter Governor Ross replied as
follows:
AUSTIN, October 3, 1888.
G. Moller s. Co., Galveston, Texas:
Gentlemen - Your communication of
October at hand, as we'll as your tele-
gram of same date, and in answer thereto
1 am directed to say that Doctor Ruther-
ford, the state health officer, in the exer-
else of what is deemed a wise discretion
on his part and which would have very
properly applied to the Elmfield, admitted
! some vessels to pratique after only five
days detention.
This action of the doctor, had in
special Difference to the commercial
wants and interests of Galveston,
called forth the animal versions of the
| local board of health, and their protest
to the governor signed by Doctor Cook as
secretary, which was referred to Doctor
Rutherford, with the suggestion that nc
departure be permitted fcom the terms OF
the proclamation quarantining against
all vessels coming from south of 20 dogs
north latitude.
If the city board of health sees fit to re-
scind their former action and withdraw
their protest against the admission
of clean vessels to pratique at 6
less time than twenty days
the governor thinks that your reasoning
on the facts surrounding the case of tn,
Elmfisid is unanswerable, and that, being
healthy and coming from locality wherc
contagious diseases are unknown, anC
having been over twenty days en- routt
she might properly be admitted to pra
tique without further delay.
But in face of the protest of your ioca
board of health which is operative witt
equal force on the Elmfeld witt
all other vessels coming
from same latitude, he will not take the
responsibility on himself of making hel
an exception nor of establishing pre-
cedent which might cause serious trouble
in the future.
What his action would be should your
local board Withdraw their protest, neeG
not be discussed, as it it still in full force
at present.
By direction of the governor.
H. NJ. HOLMES,
Private Secretary