The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-14
THE OFFICIALS EXPLAIN.

Orders for Vessels to Stop 1T Port
Townsend Imperative.
The following letters have been received
by the PosT-IHTELLIsEScER from Collector
of Customs Andrew WATSON and United
States Quarantine Officer s. b. Conover,
of Port Townsend, in reference to their
action IN not permitting 4. K. Gaines
steamer, the Rapid Transit, to enter at
Whatcom from Vancouver a few days
ago:
To THE EDITOR: The article In your issue OF
september IL, 1892. headed, "Hurting Transpor-
tation Lines" in so far AZ the same reflects
upon the conduct OF affairs in the customs Of
fees In this district, merits some explanation
from myself
The instructions received from the secretary
Of the treasury relative to the enforcement of
quarantine to prevent the introduction of con-
tagious diseases state that these regulations
''can be made effective only by requiring all yes
sells entering the Sound from foreign ports TO
stop at the national quarantine at Port Towns
end . sufficient time for inspection" and we
were directed to refuse entry TO all vessels from
foreign ports that did not do 30 and receive GER
tiicate of inspection from the medical officer in
charge. These instructions have been modi-
fed In three instances since their first promul-
cation on July IL
First-On July % the deputy collector OF Gus
wire from the treasury department as follows:
"Pernit American tugs to enter Port Angeles
on certificate of local health officer. l. Crounse,
assistant secretary"
Second-on September circular WAS issued
directing that mo vessel from any foreign port
carrying immigrants shall be permitted to en-
ter this port in the United States until said yes
sci shall have undergone the quaran tine deten-
ton OF twenty days"
Third-on September 8 the department in
structed this office shat instructions of Sep
tsmbcr l would be modified as not to APP
ply to the steamer making daily trips with mail
and passengers to and from Victoria, b. G., said
vessel not to be entered. however, or mail and
passengers landed until health authorities are
assured that their entrance and landing will
not introduce contagious diseases"
You will notice in the frat instance that the
only port at which tugboats permitted to
enter on certificate of local health officer is Port
Angeles. At Port Townsend we do not permit
tugboats or other vessels TO enter until they
have been inspected by the United States quar-
sntine officer. DIR. Conover.
Mr.. Caine states that the letter received from
DR.. Conover states that collector WATSON re-
fuses to construe the order otherwise than that
'sll vessels from foreign ports must stop at the
quarantine station" This being the exact Ian
guage from the instructions received from the
department no construction was needed by N.Y.
self any other official II Ia further stated in
tho article mentioned: "Mr. Game saws that
DR.. Conover told him that the tugs of the Puget
Sound Tugbost Association have been exempted
from the order by understanding between
himself and Collector wasson."
There is . serious Misunderstanding in regard
30 this or q deliberate misstatement on the part
Of some one No such understanding has ever
existed between DR.. Conoyer and the officers at
this Office.
In conclusion, would respectfully call the at
Ann kf.r~ 81 ~ IA ~
strictly enforcing quarantine regulations laid
down for the projections OF tho lives OF citlxens
To emphasize the importance OF this / would
state that before the last instructions were re-
ceived from the treasury department passengers
direct from Bremen. the cholera infected dis
trict, entered the state Of Washington via the
Canadian Pacific Railway Company at Sumas
should the disease obtain q foothold In this
state the people who are now loudly complain
ing of the enforcement of the present Quaran-
tine regulations, and little temporary incon-
venience. would be the first to cry aloud against
the laxiy of the customs officials In not enforc-
Ing the quarantine regulations as directed by
the treasury department
DIR. Conover's communication is m open
letter to Mr.. Caine, and reads az follows:
The article in the Observation-Disclosures OF to-
day referring TO the Rapid Transit does not
state the correctly. did not say that '.the
tugboats of the Puget Sound Tugboat Company
had been exempted IRON the order OF the de-
partment by an understanding between myself
and Collector Wasson,'' for such is not the case
said that In one instance tugboaf belonging
60 the Puget Sound Tugboat Company had peen
permitted To enter at Port Angeles after exam
ination and certifeation by the local health
o6hcer and the deposting of my certificate with
the collector, and that l thought the collector
would allow the Rapid Transit TO enter at
Whatcom under the same circumstances I'm
taxf. a.
collector and offered my certificate, but having
other applications from those similarly affected
be very properly decided there was no alterna.
tive but strict adherence 10 the order reauir-
Ing all vessels Ia stop at this quarantine station
Neither do understand how was negligent
I'm "not looking the matter up and notifying
you sooner" for the case could not we'll be de.
cidcd in advance.