Passaic City record., 1892-09-03
PORT GATES CLOSED.
Twenty Days Quarantine Or
dered by President Harrison.
A Circular Which Practically
Suspends All Immigration.

that all steamships 80 foreign ports
bringing immigrants q subjected to q
qu arantine of twenty days at the port Of
arrival before landing pass hgers.
This order applied To- al steamships
leaving foreign ports on and after Septem-
Der /, and was enforced against all steam
ships then on the sea bound hither. at the
discretion of health officers.
On the announcements of the Presidents
order the Inman line, the leading American
Transatlantic Steamship compeny irnmedi-
ately cabled to all it's European agents
directing them to suspend ali immigrant
business
As about so 900 European immigrants are
brought hither month the order viii Lave
immediate and far reaching effect.
The agents estimate that the loss to the
steamship companies will be not less than
81. 000, 900 month.
President Harrison arrived at the White
House from his vacation at Loon Lake and
about half-past s O'Clock, and Immediately
called a conferences Of Government officials
to consider the choIer3 situation
After an hours de1iberation it was de-
cided not to issue proclamation suspending
immigration, but instead to issue the fol-
lowing circular.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE
SUPERVISING SUReEoN-GESERAL UNI-I
TED STATES MARINE HOSPITAL SER
VICE.
WASHINGTON, September /. 1892
To Collector of Customs, Medical Officers Of
the Marine Hospital Service, Foreign
Steamship Companies, State and Local
Boards of Health:
1t having been o2icially declared that
tions of Russia, Germany and France,
and at certain ports in Great Britain,
as well as ASH, and it having
been made to appear that Immigrants in
large numbers are coming into the United
States from the infected districts aforesaid.
and that they and their personal effects are
liable to introduces cholera into the United
States, and that vessels conveying them
are thereby a direct menace to the pub
lie health. and it having been further
shown that under the laws of the several
States quarantine detentions may be i'm
posed upon these vessels q sufficient length
of time to insure against the introduc-
ton of contagious diseases. it is hereby
ordered that no vessel from any for
eign port carrying immigrants shall be
admitted to enter At any port OF the
United States until said vessel shall have
undergone quarantine deteption OF twenty
DAYS tunless such detention is forbidden by
the laws of the State, or the regulations
made thereunder1 and of such greater NUM-
case by the State authorities.
This circular to take immediate effect ex
cept in cases of vessels afloat at this date.
which will be made the subject of special
consideration upon due application to the
Department. WALTER WYMAS,
Supervising Surgeon-G United States
Marine Hospital Service.
CHARLES FOSTER,
Secretary of the treasury.
Approved: BExJAMIg HARRISON
This circular was accompanied By legal
opinion as to the power Of the President
from Acknowledgement Miller the essence
of which is in the following latter half
By the law of 1873 it is provided, among
other thin gs:
First-That no vessel coming from any
foreign port or country where any conta-
or persons merchandise or animals affected
with any contagious disease, shall come into
the United States except IN the manner and
subject to the regulations In that act au-
thorize5
Second The Surgeon. General Of the
Marine Hospital Service shall, under the
direction of the Secretary Of the Treasury,
the provisions OF this act, and
shall frame all needed rules and regula-
tions for that purpose. These rules
and regulations shall be subject to thu sp-
proval OF the President, but such rules and
regulations shall not conflict with or impan
any sanitary or quarantine laws or regula
tions of any State or municipal authorities
now existing. or which may hereafter be
enacted.
The policy of Congress has apparently
been to mainly leave this branch of the pub
lie service with the States and most of rhs
seaboard States have statutes more or les
elaborate on the subject.
"a 49, -. -
ever, may be supplemented by the Ma
tional Executive. Ny conclusion, there
fore, is that the Surgeon-General of tht
Marine Hospital Service and the Secretary
of the Treasury. with your approval have
authority to make needful rules and reguia
tions, not inconsistent with the State law
and regulations for the quarantining of ships
protection of the health and lives Of ouI
people Very respectfully,
w. 81. II. MnLEA Attorney General
The / ,stoff1ce Department also decides
on a rigid inspection Of al foreign mail
from infected countries. The step was CON
sidered necessary by reason OF the largl
commercial correspondence constantly going
on between the United States and thos'
countries. aud BY which cho2era germs
could be communicated. Mail mates
of this description Is to b thor
oughly fumigated bokore being delivered To-
distribution, and the utmost pains taken "a
prevent the introductfun Of the dfsease tnt<
the United States through the malls
The chief OF the Foreign Mail Bureau ha
postoffice officials on the subject are mos
comprehensive.
Additional means Of security have bee,
ordered for use at the National Quarantiu
stations at the Delaware Breakwater an
Cape Charles, Va The revenue cutie