The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-27
SAILOR BOARDING HOUSES.
RUNNERS NOT TO BE ALLOWED ON
SHIP UNTIL SHE Is DOCKED.
Ing On hoard for Any Purpose
While Vessel Ii In Stream-Navi-
CATION Commissions Statement.


Special Dispatch to the Post-In telgencer.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26--The senate
committee on commerce has reported ia
vorably upon the bill recommended by the
commissioner OF navigation, imposing
penalty Of not exceeding $1,000 dollars upon
the master of vessel who shall permit
any person except pilot, officer Of the
customs, health officer. agents of the ves-
sci or consuls to board the vessel before
It has been locked. or the unloading of
cargo begun. The passage OF this measure
was strongly urged by the Maritime Asso-
citation. of New York. The following state
ment was made before the senate commit
tee on commerce by Superintendent Hough-
ton. of the Maritime Associations:
THE immediate object of this bill is to
prevent the decoying of seamen from ships
on arrival. The vessels are boarded by
sailors boarding house runners In quaran-
tine, as soon as pratique Is given. The sea-
men are piled with liquor, incapacitating
them for service, even in docking the ship:
That, however, is only the beginning of
the trouble with the runners, shipping
masters and others. The seamen are en-
tlced to sailors boarding houses. where
Of their keepers until they are shipped to
sea. when the landlord gets their wages.
There are sailors homes Of reputable
by the American Seaman's Friend Society.
and one by the Protestant Episcopal
church. whose representatives will not vio-
even II they would. The more disreputa-
BILE class not only do not scruple to do so,
but are ready to carry out their threat to
throw overheard anybody opposing them.
Such was one case in many on the arrival
Of the bark Gerard G.. Tobey, a few days
ago. The captain In that case was entirely
ence on board Of United States official,
clothed with authority to act as this bill
provides, would prevent series of out
RACES at the beginning"
COnnived mt by Masters.
The commissioner of navigation strongly
recommends the passage of the bill. Re-
ports received by him from shipping COM
missioners and other treasury officers, at
both Atlantic and Pacific coast ports, show
that It is a practice of runners for sailors
boarding houses, clothing stores and other
concerns, to board vessels. especially sail
ing vessels in the oversee trade, and So
licit seamen to come ashore before the
vessel Is locked or has come to regular
anchorage. Masters connive at the prac-
tice because, thereby. the seamen may be
put down as deserters. and forfeitures or
deductions from wages may be made. The
practice is not confined to American ves-
sells. but extends to those Of other ma
tionalites, and is natural subject of COM
plant in the reports of British consuls.
These runners at times bring liquor aboard
with them, and spread Generalization
among the crew.
mo law can be devised to prevent sea.
men, so disposed, from a drinking bout
commissioner, but a law can be drawn
which will prevent the beginning of that
bout on shipboard before the vessel has
been brought to the place In port from
which its cargo is to be discharged, and
before they have received their wages
due them. On this score It is not neces-
sary to add anything to the instructive
reports of shipping commissioners and
others who have made the investigation.
The evil is not confined to the demorali-
md r,lrrr 49,
reason to believe that in some instances
and at some ports smuggling, especially
OF prohibited articles, is covertly carried
on. and that seamen are encouraged to
violate the revenue laws, and the gov
eminent is thus defrauded''
EXTRACTS from reports of United States
ficers of the treasury concerning abuses
which have arisen under the practice OF
boarding vessels in the stream before the
vessel has been locked or come to the
place of anchorage from which its cargo
is to be discharged, say:
1T Is common occurrence at Pacific
coast ports for runners for sailors board
Ing houses to board deep water vessels in
the stream and bring sailors on shore
The masters of American and British ves-
sells encourage these runners. On British
vessels, when the seamen leave in the
stream. they are entered in the log book
as deserters and their wages are. forfeit
ed TO the ship. 1t is the custom when sea-
men leave an American ship before she
is docked to charge them 81. so for docking.
The articles read that the seamen shall
bent and she is properly moored to the
wharf,
When they leave the vessel they are
told by the master that they will be fined
$780, They are willing TO pay the fine for
the privilege of getting ashore, even If
it be but day before the vessel is dock
ed The master represents at the Office
that 1t has cost the full fine to dock his
vessel. but there is no doubt that the YES
sci makes money out Of the. transaction.
hn cai1 i-
to get ashore. 1t requires no persuasion
on the part of the runner to get him into
his boat, and the master offers no objec-
ton
Sailors Also SmuggIe.
The surveyor of the port of San Fran
cisco says: 1.-The arrivals of vessels from
foreign ports number about 1000 annually
deep water wtb els have to STATE IN
necessary for the boarding officers to
board vessels upon their arrival to, in
tereept smnggng o examine ami the ships
hatchways; to watch aggressive runners
for sailors boarding houses, provision So
licitors and miscellaneous private per-
a claim to go on board. The evils that
result in this privilege being allowed are
numerous.
ut has been discovered in a number of
instances that these so-called runners
were advance agents for smugglers or
oonspr,at9,rs in attempts to Land a Chimes
Il. c., in violation of the Chinese exclu-
sion act, especially Chinese women (car-
rying letters or giving verbal information
to enable them to deceive in their en-
deavor to be landed. The incentive to
the crews to smuggle merchandise, in
spired by runners for the sailors board
ing houses and others, locally known as
bay pirates,' is very great. The result
of 1t is that they inveigle the sailors to
smuggle. to-wit opium, liquors, silks,
cigars. cigar wrappers. cloth for cloth
ing. silk handkerchiefs. elaborate Chinese
and Japanese silk embroidery. diamonds,
laces and made-up clothing and tea
1t is confidently expected the bill will
pass both houses.