Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-05-20
REQUEST OF CHAMBER
GIVEN CONSIDERATION
While No Promise is Made AS to
Abolition Of State Quarantine, Only
Ship Arriving From Foreign Ports
Will be Inspected After June
First.

After listening to the arguments oil
Attorney X. NJ. Lett and other mem-
bers of the quarantine committee oil
the Chamber of Commerce, Governor
William Hodges Mann yesterday in
formed the committee that he does
not believe in any discrimination be
tween this port and Norfolk and that
he most assuredly will adopt regUia-
tiOns for this port before June TO
conform with the new amendments To
the quarantine rules for the port OF
Norfolk, which were passed last week
by the Norfolk quarantine commits
iioners and which become effective on
June I.
President w. Lee Powell, Secretary
W. L. Cottrell, Walter b. Livezey, w.
5. Copeland, ii. b. Holmes and Mr..
Lett. who composed the committee,
returned TO this city from Richmond
Yesterday afternoon at $50 O'Clock
and all are well pleased with recep-
ton accorded them by the governor.
Resolution Presented.
At the outset of the interview with
the governor, the committee present
cd his excellency with a copy of the
resolutions adopted by the Chamber OF
Commerce and requesting that the
regulations governing this port be so
modified as to exempt from inspection
all vessels which have been inspected
or admitted by the United States
quarantine officers at Old Point. The
committee then explained what the
quarantine commissioners Oi Nor
folk have done IN the way of reyis-
ing the rules at that port and told
him that the Chamber of Commerce
wanted to 20 even further than the
Norfolk commissioners had gone.
After the governor had announced
that he would adopt regulations Tor
this port exempting from the State in
spection all vessels arriving from do
nestle ports, Mr.. Lett spoke TO the
resolution urging the governor TO
adopt regulations exempting from the
inspection all vessels arriving from
either domestic or foreign ports. Mr..
Lett made very able address to the
governor. impressing the fact upon
Lin that any regulations which he
might make for this port would De
adopted by the Norfolk commission
ers; that the shipping and business IN
ierests OF Norfolk had fought for a
modification of the rules IN accord
ance with the terms of the resolutions
adopted by the local Chamber OF
Commerce. and that the recommends
ton that all vessels coming from FOX
eien ports be exempt from the state
inspection had been lost by tie vote
Of the commissioners
Dual system denounced.
Continuing. Mr. Lett explained the
working of the quarantine system at
Old Point and the State quarantine
here. lie denounced the dual system
ami showed how the delay II occasions
vessels works a hardship on this port.
The governor was told of the new
acetylene gas buoys which recently
were installed IN the channel ap-
pToaCh TO the harbor and which en-
able vessels to come into and leas
the harbor at night. Under The pres
ent dual system of quarantine this
advantage counts for naught during
the closed quarantine season from
Nav | 10 November |. as the state
quarantine doctor cannot inspect the
vessels at night ana those coming into
Tort after nightfall must anchor IN
the harbor until the following morn
ing to wait for the inspection The
committee pointed out that this delay
means a loss OF several hundred dol
lars to the shipowners. The COVER
nor evincsd a lively interest in this
line Of the argument and asked sew.
cral questions about the buoys and
the handling OF the vessels by night.
state Inspection Useless
The members Of the committee ex-
planned the operation OF The United
States quarantine station al cd
Point AMI compared 70 with the Stale
quarantine. Tb-v declared that the
state officer has no equipment that
his inspection Is wholly useless and
thar even II nc should fnd a ship in
port with a contagious disease abroad
he would have - turn the vessel
hack 90 the "a ieral station ~ OH
Point
In conclusion. the committee pre-
scented The governor with a complete
sccounf 81 tho proceedings 81 the
meeting in Norfolk relative 10 the cx-
cnp,icn 81 vessels from the state IL
spection and the governor promised ~
read o. This account contained the
views cf All of the former quarantine
ofhccrs a. Norfolk. every one ~ them
saying ihaf he DID NOT believe the
Stale Inspection Vas nc0csSsy.
Tho committee let this CITY a.;
~ o. O'clock Yesterday morning and
went ~ the capifoi a. noon. They
spent about an hour In the governor g
private once.