Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-22
GIVE US FAIR PLAY.

1t has generally been conceded that our
sister state of Florida was fairly pro-
gressive state, proud of her own good
name, and ready to join hands in pro-
noting the joint interests of herself and
all the other southern and northern
states, but the action of the local board
of health of Pensacola in the matter of
the disposal of ballast of the ship Lord
Wolseley, does not cause one to believe
such to be the case but to the contrary.
The plain statement is that the Lord
Wolseley arrived at the Pensacola quar-
antine, and after the regular time limit
her crew being shown to be healthy, got
ready to proceed to where she was to
load a cargo of some 5000 tons of pig iron
and 900 tons of coke from Birmingham,
for Yokohama, Japan, and unload the
l 900 tons or so of rock ballast under the
extension docks and warehouse 800 feet
in length by fifty feet in width. The
railroad company desiring to keep filing
in and preventing any breaking of the
piles by the waves washing logs, timber,
etc., against same. The captain and
agents of the Lord wolseley plead for
this chance to unload it, as it did not
violate any quarantine laws or restric-
tions and while unloading it could, at
the same time be loading the pig iron.
This was denied by Pensacolas health
authorities, and the ship sent back to
quarantine to discharge the ballast, and
upon which they collect % cents per ton
charges. One A. c. Berry, a customs in
spector, it is said, and a resident of
Pensacola, has a contract for furnishing
such rock to the United States govern
ment, and he offers the munificent sum
of so cents per ton for it, and the govern
ment, it is said paying $3.50 per ton. The
ships captain is informed he may deliver
the rock by lighters, to Berry, there be-
ing no berth vacant at the unloading sta
ton. Notice Is served upon the ships
captain and agents that having placed
the rock in evidence as merchantabe by
selling it at so cents per ton, they must
in addition to their paying 25c per ton
to the local health board, pay import du-
ties also. To sum it all up, this ship and
cargo are kept lying at Pensacola all this
extra time, and for what sufficient and
logical reason? 1t will be reported
throughout the world, probably in the
maratime columns of the press, how that,
this ship, chartered to load a cargo of
kohama, Japan, was thus maltreated.
detained and subjected to expense, and
which, while not rejecting very much
upon the cargo or consignors, or the rail-
road transporting 1t, yet neither will it
add any good reputation to either, In the
minds of vessel owners. chartering or
ship agents, or the captains or crews of
vessels seeking tonnage to load. But, we
venture the prediction that Pensacola will
for years to come, be verbally in printers
ink, as also financially reminded of this
act. 1t is not much to be wondered at
that after spending hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars in terminal wharves, etc.,
that corporations should become aggress-
i've towards the public, after suffering
from such unreasonable and unjust acts.
To Mobile we say, pursue the same reas-
enable course as in the past, and en-
nance your reputation as the best gulf
seaport.