Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-09-30
THE CUSTOM HOUSE OFFICER
>oUTWlTTED BY THE CAPTAIN.
Those were dismal days. when we

Those were dismal days, when We
had Bubonic plague on board oul
schooner" said the late Captain Hen
i ry Hutchinson to the write.s of thi.
article. I'VE were two days out from
4 Liverpool when one of the deck hand
was stricken with the plague ant
4 died within twelve hours. He wa.
Immediately wrapped in tarret
sheet and lowered over the taff-ra:
into the ocean,"
Mates" said the Captain, as two
of them were passing my cabin
door, "have you lowered him over?'
Aye, aye, SIR responded Jack, al
the same time turning his face to-
ward me. l knew by the pallid. green
ish hue that oyerspread his counter
ance that the terrible disease was ev,
en- then fastened upon him. Before
night fell of the next day, he went
over the rail.
There were four other cases, but
not serious continued the Captain
we managed to confine the know.
ledge of the disease within the boat
crew. Had it become known to my
one-hundred and fifty immigrant pas
sengers, the panic would have been
about as difficult of control as the
contagion itself We had good sur
geon on board who took charge of the
sick ones and afterward superintend-
ed the work of disinfecting the
schooner.
Late in the month, we cast an
Choir in Boston harbor. The next
day the custom house officers came
on board. l received them with due
courtesy. and the first question ask
ed was if was commander of this
boat l answered that was, and
! then they questioned me from whence
hailed. In answering, l ordered the
ensign to run up flag. pointed
at it with my finger, which he did,
and as the flag of Old England UNI
furled upon the breeze, l exclaimed,
Those are the colors sail under and
/ am happy to say that was born in
England was then asked from
what port had sailed, and / told
them Liverpool, and in answering
their next question, as to where
was going, answered. Boston.
was then questioned as to my cargo,
and told them of what it consisted,
and that my passengers consisted of
one hundred and fifty immigrants
from Ireland, bound for the western
part of the United States. They then
inquied as to the health of the crew
and passengers, and told them that
we had had the plague; that two had
died, and several other cases report
ed, but the sufferers had recovered.
and everyone well on board"
But the officer told me that we
must remain in quarantine thirty
days. replieds by requesting Them
to make a thorough examination, tell
ing them that l thought they would
not deem it necessary to put me to
a long delay and expense. explain
ed that it would be great disad-
vantage not only to me, but to my
passengers, who were also anxious
to reach their destination. The boat
had been thoroughly disinfected UNI
der the supervision of competent
, surgeon, who had pronounced 1t free
OF contagion. They made critical
examination and admitted that from
appearances there was no indication
of disease, and the boat was in san
itary condition. Nevertheless, they
declined giving conclusive decision,
but said might be at their office
the next morning at 10 O'Clock, which
was manifestly concession on their
part.
II was punctual at my appoint
ment. The officers were in waiting;
they seemed a little gruff, but at
once took up the subject of my
business with them. Again explain
ed infinitely the sickness we had hat
on board and about the sanitary
measures employed afterward. Still
they argued that their official duty
made it necessary for them to insist
on the quarantine. argued that their
method seemed arbitrary, but they
would not agree to any other course.
beside thirty days quarantine. ]
admit that was angry, and finally
told them that cared not CONT
mental for their law, as they did not
have sufficient quantity of it to al
low them common politeness, and l
refused to accept their quarantine
regulation, saying that l would re-
main in mid ocean for the thirty days
period, as plenty Of room might be
enjoyed out there and no questions
asked. and thereupon bid them good
morning.
"From the custom house. went
directly to lawyers office and en-
tered into consultation with him
stated my case pertinently, so far
as deemed it advisable. Most OF my
questions he answered in the affirm
alive. Toward the close of our inter
view, he asked why wished to kno"
about the law in regard to the mat
ter, asked his pardon for refusing
to answer fully. but told him that
would pay him for his services, whlcf
3 did, and he was none to liberal II
his charges. However. was salts
fled. for the knowledge gained was
sufficient for my purpose.
II at once set about perfecting my
plans. Precisely at IL o'clock. l hae
dray load of lumber unloaded a
the harbor and six more were scat
tered along at intervals between tina
point and the railroad station. ! Wa'
on hand with five men and superin
tended putting down Temporal!
,;dauolk AT a LITTLE mast midnight