The San Francisco call., 1897-08-22
DR.. CHALMERS
WON HIS POINT.
Secured His Bill Of Health
After It Had Been Sealed
Up by DR.. Rosenau,
Captain Sealby Decided That
the States Rights Were to
Be Considered.
He Accordingly Opened the Envelope
and Gave DR.. Chalmers the Papers.
Trouble Brewing.

There was another clash between the
State and Federal quarantine officers yes
terday. The Occidental and Oriental
Steamship Com pany's Coptic arrived from
Hongkong, via Yokohama and Honolulu,
and was at once boa yded by DR.. Rosenau,
the Federal quarantine off er, who de-
manded the two bills of health. He then
made cursory examination OF the ship
and passengers put the bills of health IN
an envelope, sealed the letter with the
Marine Hospital seal, and after address
ing the missive to the Collector of the
Port, handed it to Captain Sealby and
then told him that he might proceed to
dock his ship.
The Coptic was just getting under way
again, when the State quarantine tug with
DR.. Chalmers on board got alongside
The first thing he did after boarding the
steamer was to ask the purser for the bill
of health. The latter informed him that
they were sealed up and IN the hands of
the captain. DR.. Chalmers then went to
Captain Sealby and repeated his demand.
The situation was explained to the
Quarantine Officer, but he still insisted
upon having a bill of health and COM
manded the captain and Pilot Haskell to
at once bring the steamer to an anchor.
This was done, and then the argument
began. DR.. Chal mers first of all inter-
viewed the ships doctor, and the latter
said that DR.. Rosenau had told him that
every thing was all right and that the Cop
tic might dock at once.
Dr. Chalmers then went to the captain S
room. Turning TO the CAPTAIN he asked:
o. IL m a O
the State Quarantine Ofhcer T.
Il do, " was the answer
Then I demand the bill of health of
this vessel, " saiu DR.. Chalmers.
"They are sealed and addressed to the
Collector OF the Port and l cam OF open
tn m, said the Cap! ain.
DR.. Chalmers then asked the captain to
send for Chief Deputy Surveyor of the
Port Holmes When that gentleman put
in an appearance the Quarantine Officer
asked him to break the seal and deliver to
him the bill of health.
Holmes refused, saying that he had pos
| tive orders not to DO So
! Turning to the captain, Chalmers said:
at is nv clear duty TO demand from you
the bill of health and until | get Ii yoa
cannot dock your ship" He then read the
law bearing on the case, and handing
! copy to the captain, said: Il have no
! time to argue this question any further.
| Y GU know the law, you have a copy OF it
and the whole matter lies within your dis
! cTetion."
With that Captain Sealby picked up the
sealed envelope and rendered it to DR..
| Chalmers. The latter refused to receive
| it, saying he wanted the ships bill of
! health and not a sealed envelope, the con-
| tents Of which he knew nothing about.
The captain then picked up papeT-cutter
| from his desk slit open the envelope, took
| . & l. 4 l.
| Quarantine Officer.
In talking about the matter yesterday
DR.. Chalme ers said: "Dr. Rosenau usually
| taxes considerably more time on board
steamer than he did yesterday, and it
would appear as if his courage was due to
desire 10 blockade the State in carrying
out Its own laws. l went aboard the Cop
tic directly the matter was reported to me
| by the Merchants Exchange. | bad no
intention of being in advance of DR..
hosenau nor had l any desire whatever to
! interfere with his authority. | am dele
gated by the Board OF Health to inspec;
incoming ships, and l am doing it to the
best OF my ability. / have always allowed
| DR.. Rosenau all the privileges he NAV
deem proper in the fnlfiliment of his outy,
but the State has some rights, and | in
tend to see that /, as the State quarantine
| officer, will do my best 10 get them. |
assert, as sworn officer OF the State that
the Collector OF lis port nor any other
federal power has any right to in terfere
with State laws when carried OUT Sec
tion 3016, clause 3. says that the duty of
the Quarantine officer is to report all cases
OF disease and oil death occurring on his
vesseI and to comp y with all the sanitary
regulations of the bay and harbor That
was the section that l read to Captain
Sealby."
The passengers on board the Coptic
were very indignant over the detention,
but all recognized that the State had its
rights In ne cir, umstances and not one OF
Il hem had word of blame of DR.. Chalm-
ers. Several OF them made the remark
that the way quarantine matters were
being handled in San Francisco made this
place iaughlng-s took in Hongkong and
Yokohama. Owing TO the delays and in
CONVENE noes many of the travelling pub
lie who used to come by this route are
now taking the Canadian Pacific steamers
to Vancouver.
Captain Sealby, when it came to a ques-
Nf 6aIo A.