Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-10-20
HONE or YELLow-FEvER.
CAPTAIN Heene, United states Navy,
Explains Its Entrance Into
EInrFHn.

captain l.. u. httnt, COMMANDING s"e
United states reyenue-cutter Crawford, was
ct the st. James Hotel yesterday en- route 10
Floridl from the far West. where be has
spent a SICK leave. The Crawford is the only
United Staies cutter of the Florida coast
Her crmsing-grounds are between Cedaf
KEYS and Jacksonville. Fla.
"What With Spanish fishermen on one
side and English fishermen on the other"
said Captain Keene to a GlObe-Democfat re-
porter. "tOgether with the doubtful con-
struction Of our fishing treaties, my Work
ba, been prosecuted with the greatest care.
| made the first and only SEIZURE OF an Eng
hsh fisherman. found HIM At work within
three quqrters OF mile OF The American coast
line. 7 took the prize to Key West, and on
the way served the crew OF twenty with rt-
tions from my own vessel THIS humane
treatment was vastly different from the bar
birity shown 10 American fishermen cap
tured by The British oil the coast OF Nova
Scotia"
"There Is butllttle smuggling continued
CaDtain keene, "tO The Florida coast nova
days. aud the only articles that seektO dodge
the custom-house charges are Havana cigars
and cana, or aqua ciente COothwaler), the
iayorite Cuban tipple. These articles are
transported IN shallow craft that draw Out
two and three feet OF water. The CRAWFORD
draws nine feet, snd unless the smuggler -
ran down ia deep water his capture Is almost
impossible. You will hear throughout
Florida many complaints oi smuggling, hui
they come in nearly every instance from the
di-reputabe horde OF idlcrs and oliice-seck-
ers " ho are looking Tor employment in The
custOm.bOuse service"
"What are your views concerning the best
methods for the abatement Of the yellow.
fever - was asked.
81 claim 10 know a good deal about that
subject" replied Captain keene. "TWice
have suffered from the disease, and my po-
si.iou q. an armed patrol Of the Florida
coast Pa, given me unusual opportunities Tor
acquiring information and reaching concln-
sions that Will bear investigation. There is
but one way 81 keeping the yell0w-ieyer
out u the southern states, and that II by
quarantuug every summer against TIE West
Indies, Mexico, and the Central American
States. Do you know that Iiayana "a never,
absolutely never, free from yeilow.fcver: It
is bred m that laud, and i'm both winter and
summer claims lis victims. One winter Just
after the close Of the civil war a kus.iln
irlgate las off Moro Castle with twenty Of her
crc0 down with thi. disease. J cIl0w-feyer Is
Older IN Cuba than Coiumbus's discovery Of
America. The disease Is not indigenous 10
The United states, but IN every instance D. Is
imported from these Spanish.scitIed cOun-
tries. The people Of Florida who trade with
Havana, Vera cruz, AMI 0tner homes 81 the
disease hold up their hands when you pro-
pose 70 close the American ports against
these land IN the summer, and declare that
YOU are running their business. | sell
you in al seriousness that the sum-
Hfs.L j hF
feyer-riddcn lands is not worth, in money.
tenth OF the amount that ~ sent by phllan-
fhropic people Of the North into Fioridl 40
every recurrence Of The epidemic. 10 is use-
less 10 say that The few smIgglers bring the
yellow.fover 10 Florida. Key West cigars
are nearly az much priced a. Havana cigars,
aud hence smuggling 81 these goods r. mo-
longer very profitable. Besides, neither
cigars nor hquoF can convey the microbes OK
the disease. IL comes straight from Havana
and other ports I'm the clothing and baggage
Of passengers on the steamship lines. There
is no misaking this fact.'
as there dagger of Florila becoming per-
mancuty feyer-strickenl vas inquired.
There il the greatest DANGER" was
Captain Keene's answer, card II e1ectual
means are not soon taken % eradicate 10
and prevent rs further Introduction, we
may confidently expect that, rs the cities OF
Florida become more densely populated. the
state will become the permanent abiding
place OF a scOurge which will rum Us iRdus'
tries and make it place Of unwh0lesome
aDd unsafe residence. Last winter there was
yellow fellow in the Florida towns Of Tampi,
Plant City. and Mauistee, bur the local
physicians disguised The fact. The yellow
fever question j. no longer q local
question, but one Of national importance, aud
require, 10 its settlement The intelligent aud
concerted action OF the American people,
who cannot afford 10 waste further time con-
siderirg locaLtiadc complaints while The
scouree il gaining ground, until II will make
OF FLORIDA another Cuba, and the disease
spread, its pail over the fair South and u
carried by refugees TO northern homes. Let
MS lock the doors Of our ports Of entry
against yelow-ieyer. We talk about prote,-
ton 10 American industries and forget about
protection TO American lives"