Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-12
MEETING A BIG LINER
NOT EASY TO BOARD AN INCOMING
VESSEL IN NEW YORK BAY.

| Which Go Ont to Meet the Steam
ships From European Ports.
When it is generally understood, as il
generally is not, that fully 300 persons
make application daily in season for
passes to board incoming ocean steam
| ers from revenue cutters and that moi
more than per cent of the requests
are granted, it may be understood how
valuable the treasury department con-
siders these privileges The occurrence
is rare, but is nevertheless legal for the
| master of the ship for which a pass
| calls to refuse to permit the holder to
| board his ship. All revenue cutter
| passes are issued by the collector of
the port and must be countersigned by
| the surveyor. The revenue of every
country on dutiable personal effects
depends for it's volume on the ability
of the customs authorities to have
| them duly listed and taxed on arrival.
In the event of promiscuous granting
of cutter passes it would be possible
for a certain dishonest element that is
to be found under every sun TO meet in
coming friends down the bay and sur
reptitiousIy bring ashore at the pier
The treasury department trusts few.
fact that has increased Uncle Sans
revenue great deah as the majority of
the boarding officers know. Recently
the holder Of 4 pass boarded a White
Star liner and was approached by n
passenger to whom he was a perfect
stranger. The latter said:
81 understand you are connected
with so and so. / have q small pack
age here that 1 would like to take
ashore. There is nothing dutiable in 1t,
but you understand how the govern
ment piles it on. I will meet you at
the head of the gangway when 1 get
my luggage released, and I will take
the package from you"
Not only did this pass holder not take
the package, but the first thing he did
upon landing was to point out the pas
senger to a member of the surveyors
staff, who very promptly demanded
and received the package. 1t contained
jewelry of all descriptions. That an
unauthorized person may not get on
board an incoming craft in advance of
the customs officials the following is
attached to every pass that is issued
for the revenue cutter:
'"This permission is understood to be
subject to the assent of the master of
the steamship and of the health officer
rs guardian of the public health, and
boarding is strictly forbidden until aft
er the customs officers are in charge,
according to the following extract from
the passenger act, 1889:
"'Section o. That it shall not be law
f111 fnr. no OF Oh
ship or other vessel not in distress aft
collection district of the United States
to allow any person or persons except n
pilot, officer of the customs or health
officer, agents of the vessel and consuls
to come on board of the vessel or to
leave the vessel until the vessel has
been taken in charge by an officer of
the customs nor after charge so taken
without leave of such officer until all
the passengers, with their baggage,
have been duly landed from the yes
SELL"
When the revenue cutter pass system
was originally introduced, nobody in
the government employ seems to know. |
In the old days it was the custom to
meet relatives and friends back from
an ocean trip on the pier heads. The
revenue cutter pass is a simple piece of |
paper in itself, but is the study of |
many years and countless number of /
practical officials. The manner in which |
It is obtained, the demands made upon /
It's holder, the restrictions as to its use /
and its composition in every way are |
The result of innumerable revisions of |
passes that have preceded it during the |
asst 20 years, and it now omits nothing |
hat will protect Uncle Sam, as it really
should do.
A few years ago it was possible for
III sorts of idlers to gain admission to
| pier while the passengers of a ship
rom foreign parts were landing. This
lad been the practice for some years,
nd the steamship gateman had the
ole and exclusive right of deciding
Who should enter. 1t was supposed
nd frequently discovered in individual
asses that dutiable goods were secretly
assed to these friends who came down
o welcome the homecomer.
As consequence the inability to get
revenue cutter pass did not make
1uch material difference, the dock af-
ording full scope for any desired work
4 dishonest way. To protect the
imposes of the cutter passes and to
lace further barrier around illegal
ractices the treasury department re-
emily made a new rule that admission
} pier during the docking of an IN
oming steamer could be obtained by
ard only. This admission ticket, like |
lie revenue cutter passes, is not trans
erable and must bear the name of the
older, the signature of the steamship
ompany and the Endorsement of the
ollector of the port. The perfection
the cutter pass system as to transfer
Iay be appreciated when it is stated
lat the beneficiary of the pass must
Fix his name to the pass on receiving
at the custom house and again when
2 boards the cutter at the Battery.