Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-11-02
Collector Refuses 10 Clear
Ship After Hours.
DISCRIMINATION ALLEGED
Before c. & o. Coal Agency's Request
Had Been Denied, ship For Another
. Company Had Been Handled-cap-
tain Stuart's Explanation.

After he had declined to enter and
clear the British steamer San Antonio
for the Chesapeake & Ohio Coal Agen-
cy Company, /. G.. Harvey agent, after
Office hours, Collector of Customs j.
K. B. Stuart early last night entered
and cleared the British steamer Cayo
Largo for the Chesapeake & Ohio
Coal & Coke Company, Frank Straeh-
la, agent The action of the collector
in refusing the request of one agent
and granting the request of another
caused some surprise in shipping cir
cles and the matter was one of the
chief topics for discussion among the
agents ard others interested.
The San Antonio passed in the Vir-
ginia Capes at $3.50 o'clock yesterday
afternoon and before the custom house
closed at 4:30 o'clock, Forrest Hewitt.
chief clerk in the Office of the Chesa-
peake & Ohio Coal Agency Company,
asked the collector at what hour would
it be convenient for him to enter and
clear the vessel. He says that the
collector told him that no hour out
side of office hours would be cOnven-
lent for him to give the vessel the
necessary papers to enter and clear
this port.
Cayo Largo Enters.
Before that time representative
of the Chesapeake & Ohio Coal &
Coke Company advised the collector
that the Cayo Largo had passed in
the Capes bound for this port and
made arrangements with the collector
to enter and clear the ship last night.
49, 90 rr;rad q
tative of the agent and Captain Chase.
master of the steamer, went TO the
collectors home and took out the en-
trance and clearance papers.
When seen last night Collector STU
art said that he would rather not dis
cuss the case, but when pressed for
a statement he said that he is not re-
quired to enter and clear any vessels
after office hours. but that purely for
the accommodation of the local coal
and shipping agents he had agreed
with them 10 enter and clear steam
ers coming here for fuel coal only up
to 1880 O'Clock at night provided the
agents advise him before the custom
house closed that the vessel was CON-
ing here so that he could put the ne
cessary seals on the entrance and
clearance papers before leaving the
custom house.
Says Agreement Was Violated.
This agreement. he said. had been
observed for a time, but after while
some of the agents began violating II
and wanted their vessels entered and
cleared at almost all hours or the
night He said that it had gotten to
a point where the demands OF the
agents interfered with his private time
and that matters had come to such
pass that his own private business
and social engagements were inter
fered with.
Continuing. Captain Stuart said that
only recently he had declined TO enter
and clear ships which arrived here
after the hour agreed upon for their
entrance and clearance and the cap
tains of the vessels had attacked him
through the newspapers. He said
that he was glad to accommodate
the agents, but that after he had &C.
commodated them and given them his
private time he did not think 1t was
becoming for the captains of ships
TO try to rub his nose" in the dirt
because he would not give all Of his
private time to the entering and clear
ing of the vessels.
Paws Personal Obligation.
The captains referred to by Cap
tain Stuart were masters of two
steamers arriving here a week ago
last Saturday. Captain Stuart enter
ed and cleared the vessels for j. G..
Harvey on the following day, Sunday.
to pay a personal obligation claimed
BY Mr.. Harvey. II was because OF
the statements made by the captains
of the two steamers in question that
the collector declined yesterday even
ing to enter and clear the San An
tonic.
It developed last night that the San
Antonio. which was from MEXICAN
port. did not get up to this port as
she was held in quarantine at on
Point Comfort and Captain Stuart
save that n looks TO him like much