The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-03-01
ST. JOHN TRIES
HIS AUTHORITY
The Deputy Surveyor 1nprisOns
DR.. Hill on the Steamer
DOric.
AS a Result the State and Federal
Quarantine Services Reopen
War.

Deputy Surveyor Chauncey st.
John became extra officious yesterday
and as a consequence the State Board
of Health, Federal quarantine and
customs service are all on the verge of
a beautiful triangular row. 1t all hap
pened in this way:
When the O. and O. steamer Doric
passed in yesterday she flew the yell
low flag, as there had been one bad
case of smallpox on board which had
resulted fatally the victim, one of the
Chinese comprising the crew, dying
and being buried at sea while the ship
was still two days out from this port.
The first official to board the vessel
after she entered the harbor was DR..
Edmund z. Hill, Assistant State Quar-
antine officer, who arrived on her decks
a few moments ahead of DR.. Rupert
Blue of the Federal quarantine and
Mr. ST. John, with six custom house
officers.
Both DR.. Hill and DR.. Blue received
the report of the ships surgeon, and
then DR.. Hill decided to go ashore
and report to his superior, DR.. Chal-
mers for further orders, while DR..
Blue remained aboard, though taking
no steps to quarantine the vessel, un-
til his superior, DIR. RoSenau, should
arrive and look into the matter for
himself DR.. Hill bade farewell to the
ships officers and started for the
gangway, TO descend to the State
quarantine tug, when his way was
barred by a minion of the all-poWerful
St John, who informed him that it
was the will of that august parsonage
that no person, not even the State
]
ship. DR.. Hill explained and eXpostu-
lated, but to no effect, and he was
obliged to swallow his chagrin and re-
main, while the adamantine ST. John,
not content with turning a deaf ear to
| his request to turn him loose, gave or
! ders that the lines of the State quaran-
tine tug be cast off and that she be
not allowed to again make fast to the
steamer.
Such was the state of affairs when
DIR. ROsenau put in an appearance
The matter was laid before him and he
at once gave DR.. Hill full permission
to go ashore whenever he wished, dis
claiming any Endorsement of such an
arbitrary proceeding.
DR.. Hill took advantage of the OPP
portunity and returned to the city,
where he sought out DR.. j. NJ. William
son, chairman of the Quarantine Com
mittee of the State Board of Health,
TO whom ne told his troubles. Dr. VIII
hanson told him to make out report
in writing, which will be laid before
the Board of Health to-day.
1t is the intention of DR.. Williamson
to seek legal advice on the matter and
see if some redress cannot be obtained.
He contends that the question of au
thority in such matters is one between
the Federal and State quarantine serv-
ices, and that Mr.. st. John had no right
whatever to mix himself up in it.
A consultation was held on the ship
by all of the physicians in regard to
what action should be taken with the
passengers, baggage and mail.
AS there had been only one case of
smallpox and that among the Chinese
of the crew, it was thought that, as the
cabin passengers had been entirely sep
arated from the infected portion of the
vessel; thorough fumigation of their
hand baggage and persons would, to-
gether with vaccination, be sufficient
precaution.
The whole lot, fifteen in number, were
accordingly fumigated and vaccinated,
after which they were taken on the
quarantine tug and landed at the Mail
dock. whence most of them made their
way to the Palace
The mails will be fumigated and
landed to-day, but the unfortunate
steerage passengers and crew, who
number pa Chinese and whites, will be
detained at the quarantine station on
Angel Island for the next fourteen days
or until all danger of contagion has
passed.