The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-14
A Bill
TO REMIT OR REFUND DUTIES UPON GOODS, WARES

AND MERCHANDISE DESTROYED BY FIRE.
BE IL enacted by the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives Of the United States Of America, in Congress assem-
bled, That in all cases in which any impC rter or pur.
chaser shall show probable cause to the Secretary Of the
Treasurery to believe that he has paid, or is bound to
pay, duties upon goods, wares and merchandise destroy.
ed by FIRE, in unbroken and original packages as import
and thirty. eight, and the twenty eighth day of March,
eghteen hundred and fty-four, 1t shall be the duty OF
the Secretary to appoint a commistion, composed Of the
such fire shall have occurred; and when there shall not
be a naval officer in the collection district within which
torney Of the United States for the district within which
the FIRE shall have occurred, surveyor, or such other Of
Rcer of such collection district as the Secretary OF the
Treasury shall designate, which commission shall ascer-
tain the amount of duties paid, or TO be paid, on articles
destroyed as aforesaid, the name or names, and places
said duties refunded or RENTED, aud the kind and guam
tity Of goods, wares and merchandise destroyed as afore-
said, together with such other facts and particulars as
the Secretary OF the Treasury shall direct.
Provided, That no duties shall be RENTED or refunded
srd ID Unless esi Il shall ss III spp uss.r that the a' ssid
destruction took place within the space Of Ave years
from the date Of importation Of said goods, II imported
prior to the passage Of the act of third Of March, eight
cen hundred and forty. nine, entitled can act requiring
all moneys received from customs and from all other
sources to be paid Immediately into the treasury without
abatement or reduction, and for other purposes; >, but il
imported subsequently TO the passage of said act, then
the destruction OF the goods shall be proved to have
taken place within the space OF two years from the date
Sec. .. And be it further enacted, That the said com.
mission shall meet At the time and place designated by
the Secretary Of the Treasury in the order converting
them, or as loon thereafter as may re, after reasonable
notice to the parties interested, and proceed TO tAks tes-
timony in relation to the goods SO destroyed, the amount
Of duties paid, or to be paid, to the United States there
upon, and to the persons entitled to receive or have re.
mitted to them the amount Of such duties. Each Of the
said commissioners Is hereby authorized to administer
the necessary oaths or Affirmation TO all persons who
are to give testimony In the premises; and all the testi-
nopy paescnted 10 or taken before the said commission
shall be committed to writing, and be signed by the re
s~pectiye witnesses giving the same.
Sec. 8. And be II further enacted, That as soon as the
ssid commissioners shall have finally closed the taking
OF testimony In relation TO any one or more claims, they
shall cause to be made a full and perfect statement Of
the goods, wares, and merchandise, proved In said claim
or claims to their satisfaction, to have been destroyed
W IRE as aforesaid, within the periods before specified,
and In the unhroken and original packages In which the
same we're imported, designating In such statement the
number q packages the datiable value Of each, the rate
and amount OF duty upon each, and the name Of the
person or persons entitled 70 receive or have RENTED 70
him or them the duties paid, 80 secured TO be paid upon
paid or remains unpaid or secured; and shall ascertain
and report whether any and what part Of the merchan-
dise SO destroyed was insured; and IL insured, whether
paid, and II so paid, or secured, they stall deduct frora
the certificate 10 be granted under the provisions 81 this
act inc amount Of duty paid or secured to be paid on
And the said commissioners shau cause three fair
copies OF such state ment 10 Be made ard certified bv
themselves to be true and correct re.ulta Of taesr invcf-
LEGATIONS, one OF which copies they shall Ale With tho
collector OF the customs Tor the district within which
the Ore occurred, another with the naval of6eer, district
attorney surveyor or other oflcor acting in the case,
and the third, together with The testimony taken before
the said commission, they shall trapsmlt 20 the SECRETARY
OF the treasury, to Be by him kept on Clio In hts depart
Sec. L. And be IL further enacted, That Il shall be the
duty Of 'hc Secretary Of the Treasury, with a. little del.y
as practicable, 10 examine the testimony taksn before
The s.id commission from time TO sn. IS the same shah
statement and adi1firsficu ~ said commissioner, snt
~ ..-. - $500 - sss...s " assrprcvA Il shs