Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-06
Object to the Regulations
Of Quarantine.
NO DANGER OF PLAGUE
Being Imported Into This Country in
Cofiee-A Meeting Was Held and
Resolutions to This Effect Passed
by a Unanimous Vote.

New York, Dec. GA petition, in part
as follows, signed by the coffee exchange,
through it's president and secretary and
by the wholesale coffee trade generally,
among the signers being Arbuckle Broth
ers and w. H. Crossman & Brother, has
been sent to President Murphy, of the
board of health:
WE the undersigned, merchants, deal
ers brokers and others connected with the
wholesale coffee trade of this city, while
fully indorsing the precautions taken. in
view Of any possible danger which might
have existed and approaching the care
observed in respect to the cargOeS OF
coffee from Santos, now beg to submit
that in the light of subsequent events and
the statements herein given, your honor
able board may find it consistent with the
safety of the public health and also in the
interests of the commerce Of the port OF
New York to release the merchandise, in
asmuch as from the medical and scientific
standpoint even the rCmOtest danger OF
contagion has been eliminated.
According to the information received
from Santos, the disease appeared there
Oct. IA last. In the first four weeks %
cases developed. In the next four only
eight new cases occurred. which proves
it was subsiding, not spreading. a large
number OF steamers are constantly Sall-
ing from Santos for Europe and America.
OF those arriving here only the j. WI. Tay-
Tor was affected With sickness and but
one Of those arriving in Europe, the
steamer Bernice. at Trieste, and the lat
ter has been ordered in 10 days quaran-
tine. 1t was stated that the lighter which
coaled the Bernice at Gibraltar was burn
ed up, but the fact is the came took the
lighter in tow to Trieste. Coffee cargoes
arriving at all English. German, French,
Belgian and Dutch ports have been given
prompt discharge without quarantine.
. Coffee itself is regarded by the medi-
cal fraternity as a mild disinfectant. To
make coffee fit to use it is roasted in a
temperature Of not less than 300 degrees
Fahrenheit. which will kill all disease
germs. Coffee has constantly been
shipped to New York from Asia, where
the disease called bubonic plague has
existed for the last four years or more,
but co%nta gion from such sources is not
known here. From all medical and sci
entiic research the precautions taken by
the health authorities of the port of New
York have been sufficient to eliminate all
danger that might exist. The bubonic
disease is not epidemic at the port of San
tos, only sporadic, and the mild character
of it is attested to by the fact that among
the laboring classes in Santos, the largest
part of the population-chieny Italians,
Portuguese and Negroes-mostly engaged
in shipping at the docks and in a tropical
climate, the disease has not spread and is
under control. We, therefore,, respect
fully petition your honorable board to re-
lease the coffee, in the usual course. since
the sense and belief Of the coffee trade is
that all reasonable precautions have been
exercised and that no further danger
exists in handling the merchandise ac-
corning to the usual methods which of
themselves are absolutely a safeguard.'