Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-09
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
CORPORAL TANNER WANTS EXAMINER
SMITH BOUNCED.
tho florida Coast-Dlsinfeotiug
Foreign Vessels.
B, telegraph to q. pIspnlch.l

WASHINGTON. August s-Commissioner
Tanner has recommended to the Secretary
of the Interior the dismissal of William
Smith, princip al examiner in the pension
office, and the appointment Of Christian
Excl 70 NIL the vacancy. Excl formerly
held the Office and was removed by COM
missioner Black to make room tor Smith.
DR.. Hamilton. Surgeon-General Of the
Marine Hospital Service, is in receipt OF
letter dated Pensacola. August Cd. from
Sewall {. Cobb, ex-mayOr of that city, IN
which the latter says that while the Legs
lnture was holding an extra session and en-:
acting law to establish State board OF
health he gave member of that body
some notes OF warning as 10 the weak
points In the sanitary defence OF the State,
and asked him TO have them covered in sta
tute. He continues: IT seemed as though
the board had ample authority 10 prevent
communication with law-breaklng peo-
pie, especially by sea. Imagine my surprise
TO learn on this lst day of August. 1889,
that there Is no defence or protection at
tempted against the thousand-and-one
smugglers coming from Cuba with textile
fabrics, bed-bugs. and such diseases "a a
constant state of filth, animal and yegeta-
BILE. eDgenders. In every hour of the day
some person or persons could be caught
smuggling If proper effort was made. The
United States customs department should
prevent 1t. but they virtually have but one
tug for 600 miles Of coast. and she Of such
draught rs 10 be compelled to keep gunshot
away from nine out of ten of the localities
used by the smuggleTs. 1t Is the very
farce, poorly played. Of How Not TO Do It.
When they see the smoke Of the steamer in
the distance they virtually fish for group
ers. When the danger is past they run in
aud see their friends You will say this Il
al talk. No. | saw some of II in March
in the neighborhood Of Tampa, and within
week one of my friends sailing up
the coast saw five vessels grown so
bold as 10 fish within two to four
miles of the coast, SO a. TO be
hard by when the night came. One
of them landed his cargo a! Cedar Keys
without entry); another was bold enough
10 run in and anchor behind Ancelote
Keys. then proceeded toward Cedar Keys,
and was seized by cutter within four
miles of land fishing probably 10000
pounds on bOard). and had also lots of
Florida watermelons ON board. Not one OF
the latter could be caught in deep water"
The writer SAYS that the State Board OF
Health has been useless, and asks Dr.
Hamilton if he cannot do something in
the matter. Cobb says that a small sailing
vessel armed with a crew of ten men IN
thirty DAYS will rid the place of these
smugglers, and il n reward were offered
for the smugglers seized and the vessels
captured safety would soon be assured.
He SAYS that he has full proof Of these
facts and has heard parties boast of snug
Cling persons into Florida without health
certificates from the Spanish authorities.
The price received was 500 each for TWEEN
ty-One persons, and all was accomplished
in twenty-four hours.
The communication has been referred to
the Secretary of the Treasury.