The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-07
DIR. Wool Explains.

I'm sydney It's wharves are protected
and vessels are kept away from the
wharvce. Syaney's Board Of Health
senas us reports and shows that the
holds OF vessels are fumigated and the
proper precautions taken. I'm san Fran
cisco no precautions are taken To guard /
the whUrves. nor has the search for rats
been made. Considering all these facts. /
think vessels from san Francisco
should not be allowed to come up To our
WharNes' nor should we take any chauc- |
es. The merchandise should be rumi- |
gated thoroughly. IL Is not reasonable
20 mink that plague has existed in San
FRANCISCO ten weeks and the rats not
become Infected. They are the most
susceptible of all animals. The rats dis
appear because they die of plague: they
don't emigrate or hide. They die. and
u Is certain that plague rats are i'm San
francisco. and have probably travelled
from chinatown tO the wharves and
other parts OF the city. They are prob
ably in the holds of vessels coming here
from san Francisco. ! stated some OF
tines" things to the Council this MORN
ing. and they agreed that San Francisco
should be treated as an infected port.
wrote the following letter To- the agents
OF the Australia:
June G. 1900
Messrs. w. @. Irwin q Co, Agents ocean
&c Steamship Company
Gentlemen: In view OF the fact that Of
~ iai Information has been Received at
this office that bubonic plague exists in
san Francisco and has been declared by
the san Francisco Board OF Health, and
N accordance with instructions received
from the Executive Council, I hereby no
thy You that the cargo In the holds OF
the steamship Australia, which arrived
from san Francisco this morning. will
be received at this port only on the con-
diuon that u Is fumigated to the salts
faction OF the Board OF Health
Further. the Australia viii be required
TO discharge all cargo at the Pacific Mail
wharf and convey u directly into the flu
m'Eating rooms by daylight and without
delay upon the wharf. The deck cargo.
consisting OF fruit, fresh vegetables. etc.
Will be received without fumgation.
The steamer will be required 20 keep at
least six feet away from the dock and
have all cables guarded by rat-proof
shields.
Very respectfully youfs.
c. r.. WOOD.
President Board OF Health
Must Fumlgats.
n submit this letter to the Board. -
said Dr. Wood.
In reply TO n question by Lowrey. pr.
Wood said the agents of the Australia
had said that the Board Of Health must
insure the cargo II Il was fumigated.
DIR. Wood thought the agents should be
gwen the AFFIRMATIVE OI IuHiedtioh Oh
taking back.
I.owrey asked how II would do to let
the Australia lie here until n change Of
/ government took place in a week or so
and then let the United States authori-
ties take the burden OF decision.
| DR.. Wood said the Board should not
shirk the decision but make It them
selves.
Fred whitney Of w. G.. Irwin & Com
pany said the refrigerated goods could
not be gotten out without removing
part OF the general cargo. DIR. Wood
said there was real danger. The plague
I'm san Francisco was no phantom. Ha-
wnii had about n week of existence as
an independent country and the Board
should take II on itself TO turn over
this port clean to the Federal authori-
ties.
q. W. Smith said he did not believ,
freight could be fumigated properly OF
any wharf but the Quarantine wharf
Dr. Garvin said II would take a weel
or more to complete the fumigatint
machinery on the Quarantine wharf
Or Wood said that freight In the fumi
eating chambers was not removed ex
peditiously. The cousignees paid N
storage and were In no hurry. How
ever, this morning DIR. Wood said h'
had ordered the freight taken from tn
! fumigating chambers at once. IL woui'
take two or three days to do this.
W. o. Smith Speaks.
Lowrey moved that the letter sent b.
Dr. Wood to the Australia agents b
approved. DIR. Emerson asked III Ger
tain packages OF Photographic materia
could not be removed and cleanse'
without entering the fumigating cham
bers which would ruin II. DIR. Woo
. said the difficulty would be In finding
: any certain material.
q. w. Smith asked as To the liabilit
: OF the Board for damages for compel
ing the steamship company To retur
the freight to San Francisco.
w. -. smith. called on for an opinion
, said that any country had the right !
protect itself against Infection. Jus
how far n country could go, he was nc
prepared 10 say off-hand. Recently !
! New York he had talked with Tn
. ! health authorities on the matter
, guarding against Infection and he ha
learned that In New York they had
guard against all kinds Of diseases an
took various forms OF precaution. Su
phur fumigation was the general pa
, and usually u was burned In contain
erS. w. O. Smith enlarged on this SUI
Ia feet and gave much valuable inform;
e ton.
le Resolution Adopted.
u DR. Emerson suBkestcu haN"s -
consignees Identify goods on hand an
'e care for them at once. This was n
y thought practical. Mr.. Whitney sa
'h two-thlrds OF the cargo was food-stui
4. which would be injured by fumigatio
" Dr. wood said ne had no sympati
with the shippers In San Francisco
al they were the merchants who had pr
~ vented the San Francisco boaru
20 Health recognizing the presence
~ nlague and they would doubtless
M taught a lesson. Mr.. whitney said I
OF hardship would fall on the consigne
mere and on the people here who wa
- the food.
he q. w. smith made a motion that
~. ~ freight OF the Australia be reIuireo
~ tbere 10 he handled at the discretion
4. the Board OF Health. Goods to be fun
- gated 10 be removed from said VIVA
ou - s,,rntgation chambers. Other GOO