The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-11-18
OPIUM FROM CANADA
srnuonlers Working the Drug
Across the Border Line
In spite of Government Frecsutions =
Very Large Amount OF tho Nar"
cotic Il Secretly Brought

A prominent Boston physician says
that it would startle the people
of Boston generally were it known
to what great extent the use Oh
opium had already gone in this city;
not only among the Chinese, for 1t has
been understood that this class OF the
population use the drug, but among
the white residents. The physicians
of this city have fought vehemently
against the use of opiates to quiet
children, and they have accomplished
something in that direction; but 1t IL
still evident that a far larger quantity
of opium is used in this city than is ac-
counted for in the druggists state
ment of sales Says the Boston Adver-
tiser: "More than one Boston physician
could, if the principles of their profes-
sion allowed, give some grave facts re-
pardinp the ruin wrought by the drug
in Boston homes. Now and then the
police make a raid on some opium
room, but their efforts have not sue
ceeded in checking the use OF opium to
any extent A special agent of the
treasury said lately, in reply to some
questions in this connection, that
opium smuggling was carried ON across
the Canadian border to-day in spite OF
the arrest Of so many gangs OF SNUG
plers in the past. The stuff can DO
bought for S6 pound in Montreal and
can be sold here at $40 or more per
pound, according to its quality. inc
drug is easily carried in large weight.
and one man can carry from twenty
five to fifty pounds and can escape de-
lection. The trade of smuggling opium
is, of course, very profitable one, and
as the smugglers have about one thou-
sand two hundred miles OF border over
which they can cross they have good
opnortunity to do business without
being caught. The favorite method OF
! the smupglers is to take the train from
Montreal to q way station not far from
the boundary, and to cross the line in
carriage to some small station on the
! American side. In this way they es-
| cape the search Of the regular customs
officers whose duty it is to examine the
| luggage Of railroad passengers at the
| boundary. Some smuggling is also
done by hiding the opium in bulky
packages of freight. At best the gov
ernment has a small force of customs
officers along the border, and the
smu0Rlers do thriving trade. They
! can sell opium more cheaply than reg
ular dealers, of course, and large
part Of the opium used in Boston comes
over the border without paying duty.
Only ten years ago $4,000 pounds were
J imported into Canada. Last year the
amount was about 1901 pounds, and
it is said that 100000 pounds were
smuppled across the line last year to
United States consumers. In view OF
the increase in the use Of opium i'll this
section it is matter of some interest
that the Canadian government is at
last considering the plan OF putting q
watch on the opium refneries IN the
dominion, practically compelling the
refineries to carry on their work IN
bond under government inspection. II
this should be done a prompt check
would be put upon the smugglers and
it would no longer be easy to get
opium SO cheaply in Boston The
great increase in price would serve to
close up some of the opium joints and
would probably put check upon the
growth of the opium habit