The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-06-11
uEETING A BIG LINER
.cr EASY TO BOARD AN INCOMING
VESSEL IN NEW YORK BAY.

or,llv is not. that fully 800 persons
s.te application daily in season for
-..sos td.board incoming ocean steam
= from revenue cutters and that not
- than = per cent of the requests
- Granted. it may be understood how
n,,shle the treasury department con-
.sors these privileges. The occurrence
:. ,are. but is nevertheless legal for the
s.ster of the ship for which a pass
-.us IN refuse to permit the holder to
s..-d his ship. All revenue cutter
/ .ssses are issued by the collector of
~ mort and must be countersigned by |
| 80 S,1ryeyor The revenue of every |
.orntry on dutiable personal effects |
sooonds for its volume on the ability |
~ the customs authorities to have
.hem duly listed and taxed on arrival
n the event of a promiscuous granting
:. cutter passes it would be possible
so- a certain dishonest element that is
- no found under every sun to meet in-
erminc friends down the bay and sur
cautiously bring ashore at the pier
4 ,.luables, purchased abroad
The treasury department trusts few.
fact that has increased Uncle Sans
revenue a great deal, as the majority of
.be boarding officers know. Recently
Il .ha holder Of a pass boarded n White
Star liner and was approached by a
Messenger to whom he was perfect
Stranger. TLe latter said:
az understand you are connected
Nth 60 and So | have n small pack
soc here that l would like to take
ashore. There is nothing dutiable in it,
/: but YOU understand how the govern
ment piles it on. | will meet you at
the head of the gangway when l get
INV luggage released. and | will take
the package from you"
Not only did this pass holder not take
the package. but the first thing he did
npon landing was to point out the pas
senger to q member of the surveyors
staff, who very promptly demanded
and received the package. 1t contained
iewelry Of all descriptions. That an
unauthorized person may not get on
hoard 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
as 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, 1882:
"'Secton 9. That it shall not be law
full for the master of any (such) steam
ship or other vessel not in distress aft
er the arrival of the vessel within any
collection district of the United States
81 to allow any person or persons except a
III pilot officer of the customs or health
officer. agents of the vessel and consuls
TO come en- board OF the vessel or tC
leave the vessel until the vessel has
u been taken in charge by an officer OF
the customs nor after charge so taken
without feave of such officer until al
n the passengers, with their baggage
Il have been duly landed from the YES
n sell"
When the revenue cutter pass system
vas originally introduced, nobody il
the government employ seems TO know
In the old days it was the custom t.
vi meet relatives and friends back from
an ocean trip on the pier heads. Th'
& revenue cutter pass is a simple piece o
paper in itself. but is the study o
many years and countless number o
n practical officials. The manner In whicl
# 1t Is obtained, the demands made uVol
" It's holder, the restrictions as to its us
& and its composition in every way ar
Il the result of innumerable revisions o
passes that have preceded it during tn
last 20 years. and it now omits nothing
ttat will protect Uncle Sam. as it reall
shouldsdo -
few years ago it was possible 70
all sorts Of idlers to gain admission t
pier while the passengers Of shi
from foreign parts were landing. Thi
had been the practice for some years
and the steamship gateman had tn
sole and exclusive right Of decidin
who should enter. 1t was suppose
and frequently discovered in indlvidua
cases that dutiable goods were secreu
passed to these friends who came dow
70 welcome the homecomer.
AS consequence the inability to e
revenue cutter pass did not max
much material difference, the dock a
lording full scope for any desired wor
In dishonest way. To protect, IL
purposes of the cutter passes and
place a further barrier around illeg
practices the treasury department +
Gently made new rule that admissiC
70 pier during The docking of an i
coming steamer could be obtained l
card only. This admission ticket, lii
ne revenue cutter passes, IS not tran
iefabl2 and must bear the name of Il
hoid"r, the signature of the steamsh
eoinpany and the Endorsement of Il
eoaeetocs Of the port The perfecti'
VI tS&rscr pass system as to transf
may WFappreciated when it is stat
nat tire beneficiary of the pass mu
amy his name to the pass on receivil
nat the custom house and again VIII