The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-12
FOR A FREE QUARANTINE.
The Board Of Trade Urges Its ImpOr-
lance Upon the City Council.

The AcLlon OF Lne COMMITTEE Which
Met With the Charleston Business
Men Confirmed and Indorsed-Mr.
Williams Strong Exposition of the
Injustice Done South Atlantic Ports.
The Savannah Board of Trade held a
meeting yesterday morning at l1o'clock
for the purpose of taking ACTION on some
important matters of interest to the port.
There was a full meeting of the members
of the board, and they were practically
unanimous on all the questions that came
before them.
The principal matter before the meet
ing was that Of the quarantine charges
on vessels for fumigation and unloading
ballast. The meeting was called to order
by the president, Capt. d. G. Purse. Mr..
c. Wallace Howard was made secretary,
and, after calling the meeting to order,
President Purse spoke as follows:
The particular burden regarding the
charges of this port imposed by the city au-
thorities which YOU are convened to-day to
formulate petition for the removal Of is the
charge made for fumlgatlon Ut vessels and
discharge of ballast at the quarantine station.
Complaints of shipown6rs and shippers
against this expense that they have been com
and while paid, primarily, by shipownerS,
have been refunded an hundredfold by the
producers OF the thing transported by reason
OF increased freight rates.
ESSENTIALLY A COMMERCIAL CITY
Savannah is essentially a commercial CITY
IN contrad stinction from a manufacturing or
industrial center. Well laden ships inward
and outward bound, raise her in Importance
to the first position she now enjoys among
South Atlantic ports, and the federal govern
ment acting through ton4reSs recognized
and emphasized this fact when congress pro
vide1 for the improvement Of Savannah's
har. or by an Appropriation Of SI,500,00O to in
crease her commercial facilities at the ex-
pense of the whole country. The whole coun,
try will today, therefore, speaking through
your Lody, ask the mayor and aldermen to
show Savannah's appreciation of this very
liberal appropriation by making the en- oy-
ment of the improved advantages secured
through it to this port as nearly free to com
merce as the broad ocean covered by her
white winged messengers seeking this harbor.
But 1t Is not alone from any 0 legations to
commerce or the country at large that our
appeal will go Up today for the removal of
quarantine char eS, for III ere is also present
that most potent factor Sef-intereSt. to
move you to prompt action. Brunswick, to
the south OF US, enjoying quarantine ser.
vice at the EXPENSE and Under the control of
the federal government, as port. makes no
charge for fumig alton, etc. and Wilmington
and Charleston, to the north OF us, all com
peting ports, are taking steps to align them.
agency.
We have seen. during several seasons. how
very small differences in ocean freights have
carried cotton ana other products by our very
doors to rival ports. In the chartering of
vessels the burdens of ports enter specifically
into the charter rates, whether those burdens
arise from quarantine fees. expense of load
ing, pllOtage charges or rate OF Insurance.
Hence II we would secure the minimum of in
ward and outward freight, our port must es-
ta0lish like minimum OF port charges.
SHOULD MAKE THE REDUCTION
Therefore, 1t is that the city of Savannah,
acting through her constituted authorities
should lead off in reducing the expenses to
commerce at this port by promptly abolishlng
the charges now known as quarantine fees. in
response TO the petition you viii make to
them to- day as well as a step necessary to e
taken for self-protection as in gra teful recog-
milton of the universal support this city re
Celyed from every section Of this county in
her efforts to secure the appropriation from
congress now being applied to the improve
ment of her harror in the interest of the CON-
mere of the whole country
Realizing in its fullness your appreciation
of the important question submitted for your
consideration, confidently commit it to the
conservative spirit that has always governed
you in giving wise direction 10 such matters
and now declare the meeting open for bust
ness.
THE MEETING UNANIMOUS.
At the conclusion of these remarks by
Capt. Purse, Mr.. J. c. Anderson intro
duced the following resolution, which
went before the meeting for action with
out any comment:
Whereas, Shipowners in making charges
must be governed by the charges to be borne
ly their vessel at the port of destination in
hAlng the rates OF freight, inward and out
ward, which makes these charges ultimately,
through the shipper tax upon the producer:
ard
Whereas, Differences in charges between
rival ports is effectively used by the port of
lightest burdens to the disparagement Of its
higher priced rival, though the latter may
profess superior natural advantages and
have every requisite artificial aid; and,
Whereas, 4he tendency Of the age is to
Tree commerce from many burdens now I'M
posed at ports, and ports in this country are
already known as free ports by reason of the
removal of municipal port charges; and,
whereas, 1he savannah Board of Trade
nrmly believes that the abolition of mum.
opal port charges would attract vessels to
this port, lessen freight rates and in the same
ratio Increase the traffic of our railways and
me trade of our city: therefore he it
70 Resolved, That the avannah Board OF
rade respectfully requests and urges the
mayor and aldermen OF the city OF savannah
10 aoO lSh the charges now imposed upon yes
sells for Immigration and discharge of ballast
at quarantine station, that savannah may
MOI he kept at disadvantage y near com,
petlng ports. and a step e taken that in praC-
nee may demonstrate the wisdom of remov
ing or reducing other port burdens, and in
lime align Savannah with the free ports of
the country
Resolved, further. That copy Of these res
buttons be transmitted by the secretary to
me mayor and aldermen, and that that body
Oe further requested and urged to give the
PRAYER they contain immediate and favorab BILE
consideration, that its Dement'S may be re-
.ettcd in the charters now being nego-
lated for the season upon us in moving naval
torres and the cotton season rapidly APP
preaching.
HE resolutions were unanimously
adopted by the meeting without any com
hent whatever, showing that the mem
oers OF the body were unanimous in their
opinion
THANKS FOR THE RICE SCHEDULE.
Many of the members of the board were
ueeply interested in the rice feature of
me present tariff bill. They had watched
yhe situation with interest since the bill
mas been under consideration by congress,
auu nave been in frequent correspondence
WIN Senator Walsh, who has kept them
PosIed. Mr.. John Screven, Jr., intro
uuceQ the following resolution of thanks,
whlch met with the unanimous approval
oi The meeting:
hesolved, I hat the thanks OF the Savan-
ian Soard of Trade be and they are hereby
yS1Iehued to our junior senator from Georgia
a. congress, Hon. Patrick Walsh, for his very
WI. e ana successful efforts to maintain the
~ schedule in the Wilson tariff Dill as II
X iras arranged in the Hol Sc, and for keep
fus Ihls body advised of the progress made
n.y. Nm Time TO time by himself andsthOse with