The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-14

Exceptions Made to tho Rule In Refer
. ence to Certain Vessels.

Exceptions Made to tho Rule In Refer
. ence to Certain Vessels.
The embargo which was placed On the
commerce of Puget sound by the order of
the secretary of the treasury issued some
weeks ago. requiring all vessels from for
eign ports to stop at Port Townsend and
get clean bill of health from the qu aran-
tine officer there before being allowed to
enter at other Sound ports, has to some
extent been raised as far as it applied to
exclusively freight steamers and tueboats.
Following is copy of letter received
yesterday by Deputy Collector d. i. Nc
kenzie from Acting Secretary OF the
Treasury 0. L. Spauiding, modifying the
order:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON CITY, Oct 5.
Collector OF Customs. Port Townssne--Sir:
Referring to the letter OF the 18th ult asd the
telegram on the 23d OF July last, addressed to
you from this department, have to stare that
the department 10 advised that there are lsumer-
GUS craft engaged exclusively in Carrying
freight of various kinds, such as stone. lime,
machinery, ETC., between ports in British
Columbia and ports Puget sound, IN the
United States; that they do not carry passen-
gers or mails, and that to require them to go to
Port Townsend to enter when destined to some
SUPPORT in its immediate vicinity, imposes
somewhat OF a hardship, is an impedi,nent to
trade and not necessary. The department is
also advised that American tugs might properly
be admitted to entry from Canadian ports at
supports without health officers certificate.
1t is represented that the tugs and GO at all
hours OF the night, and that there WOULD be no
hazard in allowing them to enter according to
the custom in vogue prior to the epidemic
at Victoria without proceeding to your port.
An exception, therefore, is recommended by the
supervising surgeon general OF the mari,fe hos
pital service in favor Of the vessels mentioned,
aud tits hereby directed that they BE- adl,itted
TO entry IN your district according to the usual
course OF procedure, on the certificate Of the
local health officer, unless there shall Re an
outbreak of some epidemic disease in ths Brit
ish provinces, in which case the department
should be advised by telegraph without delay.
You will please so notify the customs officers in
your district Respectfully yours
j. l. sPAULDISa, Acting Secretary.
1t will be seen that the modification,
though affording a great relief, does not
raise the embargo entirely even or the
class of boats referred to, and it leaves
passenger vessels without any relief at all.
Freight and tug boats must still be in
spected by local health officer, to whom
they will undoubtedly have to pay q fee.
The vessels of the Pacific Coast Steam
ship Company, the Merchants Dispatch
Company and the Puget Sound & Alaska
Company are still compelled to go to Port
Townsend. and these are the companies,
especially the first two. which were most
injured by the operation of the regula-
ton. AS things now stand, with the rail-
roads free from any interference in this
respect. the order acts as a fragrant dis
elimination against the various water
lines.
In 1882 congress passed the act imposing
tax of 80 cents per capita on all foreign
passengers coming to this country on
vessels, the fund to be used to defray the
expenses of regulating immigration. This
act did not apply to railroads between this
country and Canada and Mexico. and was
found to be such discrimination against
the vessels running between the United
States and these countries, that congress
III 1854 passed an amendment suspending
the operations of the law as far as con-
tiguous territory. Canada and Mexico,
were concerned. until the same reg.n!a-
ton could be applied to railroads"
The present quarantine regulations have
precisely the same effect by increasing the
operating expenses of the water lizles.
thereby giving railroads an undue al
vantage.