Show OPIUM FROM CANADA working the drug drag across the border line la spite P of government precautions a very larye earge amount of the war nor catle Is ii secretly brought Bron fht A siroog ra A prominent boston physician says that it would startle the people of boston generally were it known to what great extent the use of opium had already gone in this city no not t only among the chinese for it has baa been understood that this class of the population use the dieg hut but among the white residents the physicians of this city have fought vehemently against the use of opiates to quiet children and they have accomplished something in that direction but it is till still evident that a far larger quantity of opium is used in this city than is accounted for in the druggists drug gets statement of sales says the boston advertiser more than one boston physician could if the principles of their profession allowed give some grave facts regarding the ruin wrought by the drug in boston homes now and then the police make a raid on some opium room but their efforts have not succeeded in checking the use uc u c of opium to any extent A special agent ag ent of the treasury said lately in reply to some questions in this conale connection tion that 0 opium plum smuggling was carried on across the canadian border today to day in spite of the arrest of so many gangs of smugglers in the past the stuff can be bought for 3 6 a pound in montreal and can call be sold hero here at 10 or more pr per pound according to its quality the drug is easily carried in large weight and one man can carry from to fifty pounds and can escape detection tec tion the trade of smuggling opium is of course a very profitable one and as the smugglers have about one thousand two hundred miles of border over which they can cross they have a good opportunity to do business without being caught the favorite method of the smugglers Is to take the train from montreal to a way station not far from the boundary and to cross the line in carriage to some small station on the american side inthis in this way they escape the search of the regular customs officers whose duty it is to examine the luggage of railroad passengers at the boundary some smuggling is also dong dona by hiding the opium in bulky packages of freight at best the government has a small force of customs officers along the border and the smuggle smugglers ers do a thriving trade they can sell opium more cheaply than rog ular dealers of course and a large part of the opium used in boston comes over the border without paying duty only ten years ago pounds were imported into canada last year the amount was about pounds and it is said that pounds were e smuggled across the line last year t to 0 united states consumers in view of the increase in the use of opium in this section it is a a matter ot ol some interest inte reit that the canadian government is at last considering the plan of putting a watch on the opium refineries in the he dominion practically compelling the refineries to carry on their work in bond under government inspection if this should be done a prompt check would be put upon the smugglers and it would no longer be easy to got get opium so cheaply in boston the th great increase in price would serve to close up some of the opium joints and would probably put a check upon the growth of the opium habit |