The morning news., 1899-04-05
MAY OFFER 1T TO GOVERNMENT
contlnuea from Elghth Page.

to effect April /, and that the city's regu-
latlons would be useless if they provided
for an earlier date April 10 is the date
the ciiys maritime quarantine goes mo
effect. The government could establish
a station at Fort Pulaski at any time he
said, and If vessel was given a free
pratique by the government, the local au-
thorlties could not refuse to allow it 10
enler the harbor
When asked as TO the ability of marine
hospital surgeons by DR., ". w. Owens,
Alderman Graham said none but the
ablest are employed The suggestion by
Dr. Owens that surgeons with fifteen
years experience i'm the interior and one
at quarantine had been put in full control
of stations was admitted by Alderman
Graham, who replied that he took charge
without experience, and a number of 9TH
ers had done the same. He said DR.. l1in-
ley. DIR. Huger, DIR. Keller and DIR. Brandt
had not had experience previous to taxing
charge OF Savannahs station. In this CON
nection he said he had IL on positive au-
thority that the government would not
touch the station unless Dr. IAnley rs TO
remain, as recent demands upon the gov
ernment have been such that no surgeons
are available al present such as Wouiu ne
put In charge here.
Alderman Graham called attention TO
the work the marine hospital service is
doing from Portland to Norfolk. He spoke
of the excellent way the cholera in New
York was handled He referred TO several
Instances where assistance had been given
by the government in the enforcement OF
local quarantine regulations. lie sald the
local authorities could make any regula-
tons desired, and could enforce them,
so long as the governments rule are not
interferred with. In case OF conlhct
of opinion as TO a case of yellow fever be-
tween the local authorities and the marine
hospital service, he said the latter would
prevail. but they would not be arbitrary.
lie thought they would counsel with the
home people. and do the fright thing un-
der all circumstances.
Col Mercer also raisedl this question,
desiring to know whose opihion would pre-
vail IL a case of fever passed into the
harbor 1t was stated that the govern
ment would even have control then. The
object of these inquiries was to find
whether the government would be hasty
In diagnosing cases. and possibly find out
their errors after the news had been
spread broadcast and the city's commerce
damaged. Alderman Graham said that
the ability, honesty and integrity of ma
rine hospital surgeons is enough to COM
mend them for faithful and reliable SER
vice.
He explained how they are examined,
at Washington, how they are taken
through the hospitals, and the rigid meth
ods employed to determine the ability of
an applicant Before appointment there
is no doubt about their fitness for the ser
vice.
Mayor Myers said that he had received
a telephone message from the Mayor of
nsfak fo bR
there had been we'll managed by the ma
rine hospital service, and that there is no
desire to make a change.
Alderman Graham then proceeded to tell
why the government took charge of Bruins
wick's quarantine during the last epidem-
ic The officer who was in charge, he said,
was proven dishonest and inefficient, and
entirely unworthy Of the position. ID was
stated that he had allowed vessels to en-
Ter the port before the time of detention
had expired, and allowed himself to be
guided by political influences. Alderman
Graham regretted that the idea is out that
the government is fighting local quaran-
tine. II said the truth is the government
has surgeons in all infected territory gath
oring information for the benefit OF South
ern commerce, and this information is
sent TO local stations to enable them to
protect their territory. At Brunswick the
government established detention camps as
soon as IL took charge after the recent
epidemic. The fever was kept out of Jack
sonville and Mobile, ana did not get any
nearer Savannah than Jesup.
Alderman Graham said in summing up
that N the government took charge, q
would probably build larger berths, would
dredge about the wharves. would put In an
efficient formaldehyde disinfecting plant
which the city does not have and make
such additions as would enable the quicker
disinfection Of vesse.s Speaking about
enforcing the law, Alderman Graham said
the surgeons gave the captains of vessels
pratique which he was required 10
present az the custom house on entering
port that the government laws had been
fully complied with In every way and for
a violation the surgeon was subject 10
len years imprisonment or 5000 fine
He thought this was enough to counter.
act the idea that politics controlled the
surgeons in any way.
Ex-Alderman Krouskoff said he could
not understand why it IA moi in the oit,,t. 4.