The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-07-11
THE CUSTOM.uOUSE FROM BAY ST.
LOUIS TO BILOXI.
PaseagOuIa IL the Proper Place for the
CustOm-HOuSe.
Moss PoINr, MISS, July 3, 1890.

Moss PoINT, MISS, July 3, 1890.
Editor Democrat Star:
As an effort is being made t.
move the Custom-house for tht
District of Pearl River from Bay
ST. LOUIS (Smeldsboro) to Biloxi
the facts in the matter should be
presented to the proper authOri
ties. The subject deserves some
attention, and should receive
thoughtful consideration.
CERTAINLY, BAY ST. LOUIS is NOT THE
PLACE FOR 1T,
as there Is no export business
whatever done from that place,
and but little more can be said in
favor OF Biloxi, as it exports moth
ing and not even a shipping mer-
chant has an office there.
The reports of the Custom-house
show that eight-tenlhs of the eX-
ports from Ship Island come from
PaScagoula, and the remaining
tw0-tenlhs manly from Pearl
River. These eight-tenthS then
added to the still larger amount
shipped from the Port Of Pasca-
goula, constitutes nine-tenths, if
not nineteen-twentieths Of the
business Of Pearl River District,
BILOXI is A MERE LANDING PLACE
FOR CAPTAINS,
whose vessels load at Ship Island,
thirteen miles away from it, with
lumber from ~Pascagoula and Pearl
River. BY P%ascagoula we mean
Moss Point and Scranton as well
as ~Pascagoula proper, Now, the
Captains whose vessels load from
this place have 10 come to Pasca.
goula TO report to their conSignees
without regard 10 whether there is
a Custom.houSe at Biloxi or not,
and while here can enter their YES
sells in the Custom house as well
as they could in Biloxi, and in the
meantime in the case0f Norwegian
vessels, which constitute a large
majority of those loading there,
the captains can see their consul,
who resides at Pascagoula, the
proper place for him. Again, when
these vessels are loaded the cap
tains have 10 come 10 Pascagoula
to settle with their merchants and
sign bills of !ading III any event,
and at the same time can transact
any business they may have with
their consul, or clear their vessels.
IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE A CURIOSITY
to know what plea Biloxi makes
for The Custom-Euuse, or on what
grounds she bases her claims for
it. She has no business with or in
tere~t in the shipping, except TO
furnish vessels with supplies, and
pick up The few dollars captains
may drop while recreating on
shore. We write in no spirit Of
unkindness or rivalry towards
Biloxi, on The contrary we wish
she could have a CuStom-houSe if
she had any just claim for it, or a
dozen other things equally as good
in place of one, but il is amusing
to see how commercially import a
place can grow in its own eslimd-
without any commerce what
ever.
Now, what is the conclusion OF
all this 1t is d plain proposition,
which no one will undertake TO
c%ontrovert, that the Cuslom-house
should be at that place in the Dis
Irict where the most business is
done, and if business interests are
10 be subserved and economy in
The administration Of the customs
service be desired,
THE CUSTOM-HOUSE SHOULD BIZ AT
PASCAGOULA,
I deputy at Pearl River and an
Inspector at Ship Island. This
arrangement of the customs ser
vice of this District is The proper
me, and no facts can be adduced
o c%ontrOvert il. CIVIS.