The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-02
THE NEW ERA
IN THE
NEW YORK CUSTOM HOUSE.

Retrospect or that and other United States
Public Omces In this City.
The new Collector of this port, Judge Bronson,
commences his duties in that Office this day. as do
several of the other officers connected with the
Custom House, recently appointed by the President.
On the occurrence of these changes, 1t will doubtless
be satisfactory to many Of the readers Of the HERALD
to be furnished with retro spectve view OF the Gus
tom House, and some of the other public offices in
this city. The following statements embrace the
first complete lists ever published OF the individuals
who have held the principal United States offices at
this port since the adoption Of the constitution and
organization of the general government, In 1883.
Our lists it will be seen, include the names Of the
successive collectors, naval officers, surveyors assist
ant treasurers, marshas, district judges, district
attorneys, district clerks, navy agents, and post
masters
The acts Of Congress establishing and organizing
the various departments connected with the revenue
and the judiciary were passed at the first session
after the adoption Of the constitutions and in August
1889, President Washington sent into the Senate, in
one day list of about one hundred nominations as
collectors, naval officers and surveyors, all Of which
list was confirmed by the Senate, and the custom
houses transferred from the State authori
ties, which collected the under the old con-
federation, to the newly appointed officers under the
genera! government North Carolina held out until
November 81 1889, and Rhode Island until May 30,
1870, when these States also having come into the
Union, custom house and other officers were ap-
pointed for them, and the revenue system was rem
dered complete.
NEW YORK CUSTOM HOUSE.
The custom house in 1889 was situated in Mill
street, now South William street. few years
afterwards it was removed to the government house.
large building which had been erected near the
Battery, on the site Of the dwellings south of the
Bowling Green. In that building the business Of
the custom house was transacted until 1915,
when it was removed to q four story brick
building in Wall street, on the site of
the present custom house. The building had been
occupied by Eastburn, Kirk & Co., as a bookstore
and literary ROOM which had been built on the site
Of the old City Hall, called, also, Federal Hall,
where Washington was inaugurated as President,
in 1889
The annual amounts Of custom house duties on
merchandise imported into New York, for the first
five years after the organization Of the government
were as follows:-
17s9..... ....... $145,32 1902 81 2a3 9O3
i79O.. 471,339 1903 ....... 124S351
I1sl.. 7SS, 713
~ 0o"'ias' Will tnesc amounLs, We may state that
the duties collected at this port, in 1851, were no
less than s2S,77255s in l799 there were thirtytwo
persons in the custom house. holding the following
Offices under the collector, viz:-Inspectors, ls;
gaugers, 8; weighers, 5; measurers, 8. In 1929
there were about one hundred persons employed in
the various departments of the New York Custom
House, in and out Of doors. The present number 50
employed we believe, is about seven hundred.
COLLECTORS
The following is complete list of the Collectors
OF the Customs at this port from 1850 to the present
time -