The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-31
TO MARK THE HARBoR LINES.
No More Ballast to Be Dumped Within
Them at the Quarantine station.

NO more Ballast to Be Dumped Within
mem at the Quarantine Station.
The United States laws against dump
ing ashes or any material into the har-
oors and navigable channels are among
the strietest on Uncle Sans statute
books and it is liable TO go hard with any
Offenders who are convicted Of willful Vi
olations OF this prohibition.
On this line there is likely to be some
trouble between the government engin-
eering department and the city as the law
1t seems, has been violated at the quar-
antine station by vessels which have under
instructions from DR.. J. B. Graham. thew
claim, dumped their ballast at a point be-
yond the harbor lines.
Sometime ago the city obtained permis-
sion from the Secretary Of War to erect
a temporary pier at the quarantine sta
ton for the use Of vessels which are
stopped there 10 discharge their ballast
ana Tor other purposes, extending about
400 feet beyond the harbor line out toward
the channel. This pier is built partly
on land, but the harbor line at that part
Of the river takes in good many small
points of land
Several times, it is said, sand and rock
ballast have been dumped near the head
Of the pier, which is some distance be-
You'd the harbor line. Capt. Louis Costa
OF the American barkentine Eliza ]. Nc
Manemy, was recently put under $500
bond to answer the charge in the United
States court. His claim was that he
was told by the quarantine officer to
dump his rock ballast where he did, and
he was unaware that he was violating
any law. Although permission was given
TO erect the pier beyond the harbor lines
no permission could be given to allow
ballast to be dumped there, as this is
mlsdemeanor under the United States
statutes.
The city authorities do not deny that
the ballast was dumped where it is
claimed by the government authorities it
was put. Mayor McDonough says the
harbor lines at that point or any where
else IN that part of the river have never
been defined or laid out except on paper
and there was no means of knowing
where they We're. lie has asked Capt. o.
NJ. Carter, in charge of the United States
engineering Office here, to mark the har-
Dor lines along the river at this point
and has assured him that the city au-
thorities will, so far as in their power,
see to it that there are no further viola
tons of the law in question.
In the above case, however, the bark
entine McMaremy, should her catain be
fined for a violation of the law. could
probably recover damages from the city,
If he could show that he was told by the
quarantine officer to dump his ballast at
the point in question.
The United States statute on the sub
ject provides that it shall not be lawful
to discharge or deposit ballast, ashes,
elnders, mud or any such material in any
harbor or navigable channel for the i'm
provement of which money has been ap-
propriated by congress, elsewhere than
within the limits defined and permitted
by the Secretary of War. The same law
applies to the damaging of any govern
ment works in such navigable waters,
and prescribes that any person found
guilty of such either as principal or ac-
cessory shall be punished by a fine not
less than $3.50 nor more than s., 500 and the
imprisonment to be not less than thirty
days nor more than one year, either or
both united in the discretion of the judge
before whom the conviction is obtained.
A pilot or person occupying a similar po-
sition who violates the provisions of this
law is also liable 10 have his license re-
voked.
Besides this violation of the law at the
quarantine station, where ballast was
dumped nearly 40 feet beyond the harOor
lines but which seems to have been an I'M
intentional violation there have been sew
eral of a like nature within the last
month or two, and in every case bond for
appearance before the United States court
was required of the master of the vessel
from which the material went into the
81 n or nan Of ba
British steamship DalegIrth, from which
it is charged ashes were dumped over
board was required to give bond for
g. $50 before he was allowed to go to sea.
Other cases of a similar nature have oc-
Cured recently and the government in
spectors on the river have been instructed
to keep a sharp lockout for all violators
of this law, the enforcement of which is
strictly observed, as is also that section
of the act referring to the damaging of
any of the government works on a har-
Dor either through carelessness or ignor-
ance of those in charge of the vessel do
ing the damage. Several cases of the
latter kind have also been made lately
and in each case the defendants were held
for trial.
This act is a recent one, having be-
come law Aug. II, 1894, that is with its
amendments and new features 1t was
considered that there was a strong ne
cessity for such legislation, and it is be-
ing enforced by the government authori-
ties to the letter and spirit Judge Speer
will have half dozen or more cases to
deal with under this act when he comes
down, about Jan. 10 for the purpose of
holding a term of the United States
court.
TALMAGE's CONGREGATION.