The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-12-29
HOLES IN QUARANTINE A DANGEROUS DEREL|CT.
FUMIGATED GOODS MIXED UP
WITH UNFUMIGATED.
Board of Health Neglects Precautions
to Make Disinfection Effective-Ste-
vadores and Water Front Loungers.

Thirty-five hundred and ten tons OF
| freight has been landed on the Pacific
Mail wharf in the last week. The bulk
of it is Oriental merchandise subject tC
fumigation Some of it is freight from
British Columbia not subject to fumi-
cation. The Board of Health has under
taken the work of fumigation and has
sent number of men down to the Pa
cif1c Mail wharf with stencils and black
paint to mark each package that has
gone through the fumgating room Flu
migated: 3. of H." The Board has also
issued numerous permits to consignees
to receive specified packages of fumi-
gated merchandise.
The Board however neglected to pro-
vide means and arrangements for keep
ing the fumigated and the unfumigated
packages separate, or to provide that
the men handling the unfumigated mer-
chandise should not also handle the fu-
migated packages. The result is that
fumigated and unfumigated merchan-
disc is piled up in inextricable mixture.
Stevadores handle the two kinds indis-
criminately. Dock loafers lounge first
on unfumigated goods and then on ru-
migated packages, and then stevadores
and loungers with the Board of Health s
stencil brand "Fumigated b. of H"
on the seats of their trousers from hav-
ing had close acquaintance with we'll
marked packages, scatter all over the
city to spread the infection, if there be
any.
December % and 90 about 200 tons of
Oriental merchandise was lightered
from the ManyO Maru and piled up on
the Waikiki end of the wharf 1t was
all subject to fumigation but has not
yet been fumigated. 1t was where it
was used as lounging place by steva-
dores and water front idlers. Decem-
Der "a, APO tons of merchandise from
Victoria by the Warrimoo, merchandise
not subject to fumigation was piled up
around and upon and in close proxf-
nifty to this suspected Oriental freight
and remained there several days sub
ject all the while to infection
december 22 the Gaelic from Yoko-
hama discharged $50 tons of Oriental
freight directly into the fumigatng
room. As soon as it was fumigated II
was piled up on the Eva end of the
Pacific Mail wharf and much of it still
remains there subject to infection from
proximity to unfumigated freight and
handling by unfumigated hands.
December 23, the Algoa began dis
charging 2240 tons of Oriental merchan-
disc subject to fumigation, on the Pa
cific Mail wharf. About 700 tons of this
was at once put in the fumgating room
and the remainder was piled up on the
wharf filling up almost the entire space
from the ManYo Maru's cargo to that
of the Gaelic. The Sake and Sol which
constituted a part of the cargo was
trucked from the vessel to the street
ard piled up there.
The Board of Health aside from or
dering Oriental merchandise fumigated
and marking the fumigated packages
did nothing else to make the fumigation
effective. The customs department has
done its best to remedy this defect. In
order to get the WarrimoO's cargo away
from the ManyO Maru's cargo the Gus
| toms officials permitted consignees to
| take it away without making entry for
| it, so as to avoid delay in getting it
away. Similar indulgence was given IN
regard to the Gaelic's freight. 1t was
sorted out by marks and numbers and
placed on the street mauka of the wharf
ready for delivery yesterday morning.
But yesterday morning Chinatown was
quarantined so that many of the con-
signees were unable to get their goods
and a large quantity remained in the
street in last nights rain, protected
only by tarpaulins.
The customs officials to further aid
disinfection and the delivery of mer-
chandise yesterday secured permission
| from Minister of Interior Young to use
| the Fish Market as. a delivery depot
and all merchandise is now being haul
ed there as fast as it is fumigated.
| Hackfeld & Co. have secured permits
| sion to board up and make smoke tight
the whole shed on the Pacific Mail
wharf. and the entire cargo of the Al
goa and that of the Manyo Maru will
be fumigated in this.