New-York tribune., 1868-04-23
THE APPRAISERS DEPARTMENT OF TUE
CUSTOMS


LEGION probably OF the least known, and yet one OF
the most important Ia located In quiet unpretending
brick warehouseke structure. In the narrow ana
dirty little street called Tnitypace just In the rear OK
the churchyard Of that name and within stones throw
Of Broadway. Its operations are silently but very effect
lively conducted and involve the exercise OF degree OF
integrity intelligence experience. and commercial
knowledge which place among the most efhcienegens
OF the Government the collection Of We refer
to the Department Of the Appraiser OF the Port Inc
Of it's sbors not spread before the public IN week
public service and brief sketch OF the general nature cf
ts business may not be Unacceptable TO our reader
Until recently the Appraisers Department was under the
cOntro OF the Collector and connected with the Cue
tomHouse. There were FIVE Appraisers, who constituted
Board by whom all decisions concerning the value ana
classification OF imported merchandise were made There
being no recognized head senior Appraiser frequent
differences OF opinion occurred, sometimes 10 the ue-
men Of the service Constant complaints ana pettOnng
passed taking the control OF the Department from he
Collector aboishng the Board OF Appraisers authorizing
iSs % Of Se Sv @ Under this law Mr.
Thomas McElrsth was appointed Chef Appraiser IN sep
There are ten Assistant Appraisers each Of whom at
the head OF a Division. The building now occupied by
the Department is large and commodious 1t has 'front.'
of l25 feet on Trinity place and extend, throuRn o
Greenwichst, distance OF 255 feet IL u leased TOT
A5 900. Three steam elevators which move vita con
siderable rapidity carry hundreds OF cases Daet anu
packages Of every description 10 the various nOOrs Say
The law requires that at least one package on eNey IN
voice OF merchandise entered at this port sha he en'
to the Appraisers Department Tor tNhnlhhoh huu hP
praisal No one but person toleraby familiar with the
Immense number Of articles known to commerce dRiy
arriving at NewYork from abroad, can form an dea Oi
the high degree OF qualification on the part Of apphg
officers. which this requirement involves Invoices by
nucaITaIe prdnctjon Of the earth-invoices from
gland. France Prussia Italy Russia from iaton ChA
are sent To Invoce Bureau Of the Appraser ohce
every morning aud afternoon from the CusOmiiOuse'
Dned classified, passed. and returned every day.
This work requires ON the part OF the hSsss nrn,n
they are varied and extensive knowledge OF eoinmere
and of the products of all foreign nations, thorough
familiarity with the revenue system OF the United states
aud acquaintance with the modern Languages, ana
natural gifts Of the highest order The thleI Appraiser
adjndcaes upon all points Of difference between the I'M
pOrters aud the Assistant Appraisers which either ohoose
TO bring before him, function which calls or the great
eat and incest discrimination. The application OF nuner
os Oentimes loosely drawn and conflicting, tarn laws
given subject determining whether an article should
nay Of duty under general clause OF Ger
tam act another rate under the special clause OF
different act-te careful analysis Of the component parts
process OF manufacture and method Of use OF piece OF
merchandise upon which an advance on the invoice
price has been made by an examiner or concerning tue
classification OF which dispute has ariseh aud upon
which the opinions Of accomplished experts dinef
these are dcul, tasks and constitute part Of tho Ap
every report return on the appAsemcnis made IN e
department aud responsive Tor the ana iof ,e Con
Department Is well managed under s present head -
that the complaints OF misconduct on the part Oi epOyts
OF delay In the transactions OF business from the mereah
tile community which were 80 numerous under former
administrations OF Its affairs. have almost wholly ceased
Gen Wilson Barstow Is the executive officer or right
hand man" Of the Appraiser. and also Assistant Ap
nation OF merchandise damaged on the voyage OF mpor
tatiOn, and Of the numerous duabe samples that come
to thls pot taxes paCs ,,o M ,a hpr teS
are promptly and credaby dispatched Ia the absence
Of the Appraiser from the Port ne rs required Dy law 70
them 10 perform the functions OF the Appraiser and
Gen Barsow has uniformly been appointed to fill the
place. The ten Divisions are 50 arranged that as
nearly possible each shall have sole charge OF tho ex
animation and appraisal Of certain general class Of
ul.ua all Inc nj
pretended under the term English dry goods are sent 70
one Division French dry goods To another woOens OF all
descriptions to another French aud German fancy goods
lin variety another, hardware 70 another,
and 80 on In the dng AND and csr MAY
poison entire city, aud dye-stuns OF lnconceyabe
cOOrs In the Tenth Division sl the good things are ex
anined. The gentleman In charge must possess, in
addition 10 the other requisites, Keen perception,
a fne palate good digestive organs, . cool head.
TO be connoisseur OF wines; Prsaale,, pnl, cigars.
trss s99 ps roams where the invoices srS
received and distributed are daily beseged by Custom
can always ascertain the progress made with their in
voices During the past three months the amount OK
advance for duty over tne ra,e h o Hn.e n
cuding the additional duty on invoices which have been
advanced for value, tO6l which weua SEEN 70 snow
and that aside from this fact the absence open
the door to immense frauds upon the revenue
The assistant appraisers and examiners arc experts In
the particular kinds OF merchandise they are assigned 70
examine knowledge OF the foreign yalne as .sL
fLe exaner and lie Is ged 10 keep himself constantly
informed OF the and fall OF foreign prices some OF
tbe examiners, many OF whom are old merchants upon
whom fortune has alternately smiled and fTOwned.
have been quarter OF century In the Department and
Mr Phillips the assistant appraiser ~ the ead OF the
second division, has served nearly 80 years MI fhlps
conducs the extensive correspondence Department
with the merchants the Secretary Of the Treasury ana the
Collector I'm relation to the current busness lie ls
thorourhy informed, from his long experience on all
sti0us arising under the tariff laws aud Is valuable
1 10 the Appraiser and accomplished Olieer Changes
nre now rarely made, when an Onlcer becomes
thorouev acquainted with his duties, IL IL inahuesty
tained A.. A..
There are about 100 men, including foremen 10 90 the
heavv mammal labor who denOminated openers ana
packers They are under the charge of the Executive
Otcer Their duty Is to open cases, connt ana "elgh
their contents and Tepack, mark, ana cora ana seal
Their general foreman Mr. VIM. Mitchell, ~ an old sol
der he ha wing beon for years Sergeant MOr Of
the sh limited states Artillery. Strict discipline IA en-
forced In tbe perfornance Of their daily duues Ron II
called morning and evening. and report OF tho abse
tees made by the general foreman TO the Executive ON
and tho Appraiser every morning hest cn
pass 10 enable them the building at any time De
tween roll-cals. .... -. A. 4,
The value of the Appraisers Department Is not to be
rated by the annual which 1t secures 10 tie GOV
ernment by the adjustment OF invoices hoS III. alone
is importalt sum, but by the effect Whch the eA
istence an office thus zeaousy managed nus upon that
easy-inndcd class OF importers which would otherHse
impair the revenue by fraudulent invoices IN thls cy
where public office Is almost synonym LOT auoasdhee
the Appraiser Department at present Conducted
indeed model for imitation.
-
To meet the wants Of growing, nelghbor-
hood and to afford suitable accomIn9aa1n or onnuay