The herald., 1896-01-20
EVEN FARMERS SMUGGLE
An Easy Task to Land Contraband
Goods in Southern California
Dozens Of Places Where It Can be Done
What an Old Seafaring Man Says
on the Proposition

A special dispatch from Santa Barbara
to the San Francisco Examiner, saying
that four cargoes of opium had been landed
at the wharf there since the 1su of Decem-
Der last, has caused considerable interest
in this city and revived interest in smug-
Cling matters. The custom house officers
in this city have no knowledge of any con-
traband opium being landed at Santa Bar
bara or any other port in this district, and
do not take much stock in the story. While
the Los Angeles custom house is absolutely
without any facilities for patrolling the
coast, having only a small sailboat, the
officers are kept we'll posted as to moye-
ments of vessels at ports where opium or
other contraband goods are liable to be
taken on board, and they have received no
advices from their agents of any large
shipments. The statement that the SNUG
glers at Santa Barbara have become SO
bold that they have abandoned the beach
above Castle Rock and now use the wharf,
they say, is absurd.
"Do believe any smuggling is going on
in this district? OF course l do; L know
it.'' This was the reply of an old seafarng
man to q HERALD reporter yesterday after
noon, when asked what he thought of the
Santa Barbara story, and being in some.
| what reminiscent mood he continued: "lt
is all moonshine to suppose that a few GUS
| toms officers, with absolutely no facilities,
can stop smuggling. Of course, with the
amount of coast line to be guarded, there
| should be a swift revenue cutter patroling
between San Diego and Santa Barbara,
another from Santa Barbara to San Fran
cisco, and two or three more up above IN
| the sound country. Then we would have
something like q patrol service. under
| stand that there has been some talk along
these lines, but nothiug has ever come of
it. Why, suppose any one wanted to
smuggle opium into this country, who
could prevent it? There are dozen places
| within as many miles where any man who
can handle boat can land contraband
goods, and I should not be afraid to take a
| contract to land opium, Cinnamon or any
thing else-if | was in that line of business.
Let me tell you little story about how
fourteen Cinnamon were landed in Will
| mington creek some months ago. Where
the schooner picked up the heathens L
don't llL ow, but any how they were got on
| board and the boat headed for San Pedro.
| AS she came into the bay the Cinnamon
were put in the hold and the hatch
battened down, when a water barrel was
rolled on top and checked up in regular
shape. The schooner came in, on a long
tack, but the wind died out, and, she fell
| off, almost running into the steamship
wharf, on which a custom house officer was
sitting fishing. So close did the boat run
in that the officer had to raise his fishing
| pole to let her pass. The boat then made
another reach, and went on up the creek,
| where she cast anchor. No officer came on
board, and that night tho heathens were
taken ashore, put in wagon and taken to
Los Angeles. 1 saw one or two OF them
yes, as I was saying, the captain OF the
| vessel made q very good thing out OF it,
and what he did any one else can do.
Smuggle, why farmer can smuggle along
this coast. 1t don't take any ability what
ever. Why, have been at the end of the
long wharf at Long Beach at IL o'clock at
night and got away again, and no one knew
anything. Oh, no. had no particular busi-
ness there; was just out taking a little sail,
and called in to see how the wharf looked.
as always liked Long Beach.
ssThen there is Catalina. That island is
a smugglers' paradise, and couldn't be inn
proved upon if it was made to order. There
is Catalina harbor, on the ocean side of the
island, a safe port and one of the prettiest
places on this whole coast. Suppose a
schooner was to go out to San Clemente or
even the open sea and there find some
opium or a few Cinnamon who wanted to
get into the country. The schooner can
get into Catalina harbor all right and it is
dollars to doughnuts that she would escape
observation, even if she went in during the
day. Then the goods could be landed and
there is good safe trail across the isthmus
to the harbor on this side. There are
horses, too, not wild ones, but tame ami
mails, likewise burros, and a good sized
cargo could be got across in short time.
The rest is easy. Fishing boats are con-
stantly plying between the isthmus and
San Pedro. A couple of hundred tins OF
opium can be put on the bottom and the
fish put on Stop, and the stuff can be
brought in right by the door of the custom
house. Yes, smuggling is easy as falling
off a log if you know how and haven't got
a conscience. must go now, but when
come back may be able to tell you some-
! thing definite,''