The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1897-07-17
COASTING NOT ALLOWED
British Vessels not Allowed to
Coast in American Waters
MANY CONTINGENCY

Collector David C. Browne is Unable
to have the law Modified to Ac-
commodate American Merchants
in the American kootenai waters.
The following correspondence is
largely self explanatory. During
the period when we were without
an American boat, application
was made to allow British vessel.
to do coasting on the Kootenai in
American waters. This application
was denied by the highest author
ity, the laws of the U. S. not per-
hitting it. Hon. David G. Browne
has furnished the HERALD with
the correspondence jim the matter
and we h0ve no doubt that it will
be read with great Interest. The
following is his letter transmitting
the correspondence:
OFFICE OF
COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS,
Port of Great Falls, Mont, July 3, 1897.
S. D. Taylor, Esq,
Boomers Ferry, Idaho.
Dear Mr.. Taylor: have been doing all
in my power in endeavring to have the
laws modified in some Wy which would
permit British vesselA b transport mer-
chandise from BQnia 81 AZ to Porthill.
1 herein hand you copy of a letter writ
ten by me to Senator Shoup, dated June
u, and furnishing him copies of several
decisions and rules governing such cases.
The Senator referred my letter to the
Honorable Secretary of the Treasury and
requested the relief desired, but you will
see by the Secretary's letter to Senator
Shoup, which is also herein handed you,
that the concessions asked for cannot be
granted.
1 am informed, however that the
steamer Hays will remain an American
vessel, which will. obviate the necessity
of transporting the merchandise in small
rowboats, as 1 believe was contemplated.
1 am always ready and willing to do
what 1 can in such contingencies, but in
this particular case it was absolutely i'm
possible for me to give the relief desired,
much as 1 desired to do so.
Sincerely yours,
DAVID C. BROWNE.
Mr.. Browne took the matter up
with Senator Shoup, and wrote
him the following urgent letter:
OFFICE OF
COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS,
Port of Great Falls, Mont, June r. 1897.
Hon. George L. Shoup,
U. S. Senator, Washington, d. c.
Dear Senator: I wish to call your at
tention to the fact that there are no yes
sells documented as American vessels en-
gagged in the domestic trade between
Boomers Ferry Idaho, and points down
the Kootenal river to Porthill at the in
ternational boundary, there being none but
British vessels now engaged in transport
ing merchandise from Bonners Ferry to
British Columbia points.
This, as you know, is a great hardship
to the American merchants who are To-
Gated at Porthin near the international
boundary, as British vessels under ouI
laws are not permitted to do a coast
ing business in American waters.
have been appealed to by the citizen:
interested at Boomers Ferry, and also al
Porthill, Idaho, and while 1 would be very
glad to do so, yet you will see by the law.
and decisions governing such cases that i
would be entirely unlawful, and 1 hav
no authority whatever to accede to thei
request.
For your information I herein hand yol
copies of the following, which apply t
the case at hand: Articles 149 and 165 o
the U. S. Customs Regulations; Treasur
Decisions TIP, 1915 and 774S; Section 4S4I
Revised Statutes of the United States
and Section s, Act June 10, 1886.
I also inclose you copy of letter fror
the Honorable Secretary of the Treasury
dated October 1, 1896, in reply to a lette
from me. bearing on a similar questio
on the Upper Kootenai river, as to permit
ting a British vessel to transport certai
ores which had been unloaded at Tobacco
Plains, Montana, on account of the To-
stage of water. but which you will not
was denied.
Owing to the existing state of affair