Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-05-23
MEETING A BIG LINER
NOT EASY TO BOARD AN INCOMING
VESSEL IN NEW YORK sAY.

| VESSEL IN NEW YORK 6AY.
| Unele Sam Grants Few ReQueSts Foz
Passes ON the Revenue C1ttera
Which Go Ont to Meet the Steam
ships From European Ports.
When II Is generally understood, as II
generally is not. that fully 800 persons
make application daily In season for
passc.; to board incoming ocean steam
ers from revenue cutters and that NOT
more than per cent Of the requests
are granted. II may be understood how
valuable the treasury department con-
siders these privileges. The occurrence
is rare, but is nevertheless legal for the
master 81 the ship for which n 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 its 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 1t 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
reptitiously bring ashore at the pier
valuables purchased abroad.
The treasury department trusts few,
a fact that has increased Uncle Sans
revenue great deal, rs the majority Of
the boarding officers Know. Recently
Star liner and was approached by q
passenger to whom he was q perfect
stranger. The latter said:
II understand you are connected
with SO and so. have a small pack
age here that l would like to take
ashore. There is nothing dutiable In II,
but you understand how the govern
ment piles 1t on. l will meet you at
the head Of the gangway when I 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 ia 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:
Section 0. Thnt II shall not be law
ful for the master Of any (such) steam
ship or other vessel not In distress aft
er the arrival Of the vessel within any
to allow any person or persons except
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 ves-
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 n simple piece of
paper in itself. but is the study Of
many years and countless number Of |
practical officials. The manner In which !
1t Is obtained, the demands made upon |
its holder. the restrictions as to its use |
and its composition in every way are |
tine result of innumcrable revisiOns OF |
passes that have preceded it during the |
last 20 years. and it now Omits nothing |
that will protect Uncle Sam. rs it really |
should do.
few years ago it was possible for |
all sorts of idlers to gain admission to |
a pier while the passengers of a ship
from foreign parts were landing. This |
had been the practice for some years. |
and the steamship gatcman had the |
sole and exclusive right Of deciding |
who should enter. 1t was supposed |
and frequently discovered In individual |
cases that dutiable goods were secretly |
passed to these friends who came down |
to welcome the hOmecomer.
AS consequence the inability to get |
q revenue cutter pass did not make |
much material difference, the dock af- |
fording full scope for any desired work |
In q dishonest way. To protect the |
purposes of the cutter passes and to |
place q further barrier around illegal |
practices the treasury department re-
Gently made a new rule that admission |
to a pier during the docking Of an. in |
steamer could be obtained by |
card only. This admission ticket, like |
the revenue cutter passes, is not trans |
ferable and must bear the name OF the |
holder, the signature Of the steamship |
company and the Endorsement Of the |
collector Of the port. The perfection |
Of the cutter pass system as to transfer |
may be appreciated when 1t Is stated |
that the beneficiary Of the pass must |
affix his name to the pass on recei-hg |
1t at the custom house and again when |
he boards the cutter at the Battery. l
This eliminates all chance Of the pass